Sharks in Sunny Places
Not sure what to say here. I uploaded a few doodles to my deviantart, which you can find the link to on my profile page. I've also been working on fleshing out a lot more of the details of the story. I also apologize for the lack of Kisame battle. He'll get one eventually...
StormDragon666 – You're my favorite. You get hugs. I get a good idea on what can be done to give it a more Pokemon-y feel when I read your reviews, and I grin and giggle for no apparent reason when I read your reviews. So I hope this chapter pleases you.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or Naruto. Boo.
Chapter Five: Bits and Pieces
The problem with being timid, Hinata found, was that sometimes you found people to be unreasonably intimidating. It just wasn't normal, she realized, to feel so overwhelmingly threatened by a person for no apparent reason. And yet, when some people approached her, Hinata would feel the overwhelming need to flee in the face of them. This was horrifying for her, and that current feeling made her feel extremely flighty, especially in light of the woman before them.
And, she reasoned, she would find Kitai Touko to be this type of person even if her somewhat prudish elders hadn't stated that they found she would be an excellent heir. (Oh, if only she'd been a Hyuuga, they sighed.) Kitai Touko had a personality that seemed to be a force of nature in and of itself. She was a woman to be respected, if not feared, for her accomplishments. And for some reason, if her not-so-subtle glaring was any evidence, she bore a grudge against Kisame.
Hinata decided that if there hadn't been a reason to dislike her before, there most certainly was now. So, despite the fact that she was practically cowering behind her legs, Hinata mustered up all of her bravery and sent an angry look at Kitai. Kitai only spared her a seconds glance, narrowing her eyes at the timid Hyuuga and baring her teeth, before returning her gaze on Kisame.
Kisame felt very awkward. On one hand, he could atone for past sins and not have his guts ripped out in the process. On the other hand, his charge would probably take Kitai's side and would hate him forever for an unfortunate falling out that he had no control of whatsoever. In fact, considering the scene she stumbled upon and the fact that they hadn't seen each other in at least three years...
"Kisame Hoshigaki, you will tell me what is going on and where the hell you've been for the last forty months, or so help me Arceus I will systematically take out all of your organs and feed them to my Krookodile!" Kitai practically screeched. Hinata actually recoiled, and tried to bring up both of her arms as well as her legs up to form a barrier between her and the offended (banshee of a) woman.
...This would not end well for him, Kisame decided. Reluctantly he removed his arm from Hinata's shoulder, sighing as he did so, and hoisted himself up. A flicker of uncertainty flashed through Kitai's eyes, and Kisame found himself grinning toothily as she slowly realized what exactly Kisame's appearance was, and how much of it was his lumbering form.
Kisame had always been an unnaturally tall male, even before they escaped, so he realized people were very intimidated by just his height. But when you added his predatory eyes, altered jaw line and cheekbones, and his now blue-gray skin to the mix...You were faced with a pure monster. To be honest, Kisame was surprised she'd recognized him due to the considerable amount of contrast of before and after. For right now, though, he'd just enjoy her expression and the lack of her accusatory shrieking voice.
And the silence was heavy. Kisame stood, his form imposing and intimidating to Kitai, who stood gaping as she tried to think of a good mental foothold to anchor upon, and shielding and protective to Hinata who was peeking out from her bodily barriers, memories of earlier popping up in short bursts. The only sounds heard were the occasional footfalls of a stranger walking by, the inhaling and exhalation of breath, and the odd sniffle from Hinata. Eventually, Kisame decided to make Kitai's angry threats into an actual conversation that wouldn't result in bodily harm.
"Touko-chan...It's been a while." Kisame said simply, and he saw anger glow in her eyes before she ruthlessly stomped it down into a calmer response. Kisame had to resist the urge to chortle. Kitai was shockingly transparent once you removed her pleasant facade.
"Yes, it had been." She agreed, her tone bitter and jaded. "And where exactly have you been, Kisame-kun?" This time Kisame didn't even bother to hide his response, which was a snort of disbelief.
"Touko-chan, it's not as if I planned to vanish like that." He said, crossing his arms as he stared down at her. He saw Kitai's angry eyes ripple with fear, as she felt his predatory eyes glare down on her, and snorted again. "You've obviously noticed my change in appearance."
Hinata, despite wishing herself to be elsewhere (Anywhere but between the clash of these two titans, her unease screamed out at her.), watched the exchange. The two knew each other (Of course they knew each other, a rampant thought from Hinata piped up, the same one from the Dream Yard) and there was obviously some foul waters between the two. And Kitai knew Kisame before...Hinata gave the exchange her full attention, muffling down the thoughts of leaving or fleeing, and tried to make herself as unnoticeable as possible. Vital details about Kisame were right in front of her...
"Of course. Did your little obsession with Water-types go a bit too far?" Kitai goaded, putting her hands on her hips and glaring up at Kisame defiantly. Hinata's eyes narrowed. While Kisame had always been polite to her, she had never goaded him before, and she was worried that he might do something rash.
But his reaction was calm, even if he did bristle up a bit. Hinata hoped Kitai realized she was treading on thin ice. "No. Remember Team Plasma?"
Kitai's eyes widened, and she looked at Kisame with suspicion. "Of course. I helped defeat them. What of it? Did you join them?" Kisame rolled his eyes as she trailed on. "Is that why you look so...fishy?"
"No, I didn't join them. Nor do I ever intend to, if you must know. I was captured by a few renegades shortly after..." Kisame's eyes flickered over to Hinata, whose expression was intense and slightly confused, before continuing. "And I was experimented on." Kitai and Hinata's eyes widened in realization, Hinata looking at Kisame with sympathy and concern in her eyes, and Kitai's turning into one of disbelief and anger.
"That's a lie! The only Plasma still on the loose are Ghestis and N!" Kitai all but snarled. "And N would never stand for such a thing." Kisame shrugged nonchalantly, his arms falling down to their sides.
"I don't know who was running the show. I just saw scientists in Plasma uniforms. Itachi-san will tell you the truth if you don't believe me, Touko-chan." The last bit came out quietly, a sharp contrast to the confident tone he had been using only seconds earlier, and there was a hint of desperation in his voice.
Hinata froze, history of Nuvema Town going through her head as she recognized names. Itachi-san. The only Itachi-san that she had heard of and that Kitai could have known would have been Itachi Uchiha. Hinata swallowed, trying to process all the possibilities and rumors she had heard from the Uchiha's mysterious spiriting away, and to turn them into a logical conclusion where these two could have known him. If Kisame and Kitai knew Itachi Uchiha...
"Itachi?" Kitai breathed, all of the anger and rage empty from her voice." Itachi was..."
"With me, the whole time." Kisame said simply. He watched her put things together. He glanced back over at Hinata. They both came from the same town, so it would only be natural that they would both be familiar with the prodigy. It would also make sense, that if Itachi was with Kisame during his imprisonment, that the Uchiha would have also been missing during that time.
"But...but...Plasma...It disbanded! I disbanded it!" Kitai howled, clutching her head as her legs gave way, causing her to collapse to the ground in a heap. Kisame grimaced, realizing what this was possibly doing to her sense of security, and walked the few short paces over to her and kneeled down.
"Kitai, they may have disbanded, but there were still rogue experimentalists." Kisame said softly. "They created Genesect."
"No..."
"You heard on the news, didn't you? That it got released in Accumula Town and trashed the buildings?" Kisame conveniently left out that the Akatsuki had originally released it from its cell, and that it had also left murdered Pokemon and humans in its wake. Kitai grimaced, burying her head deeper into her arms.
"I was there, Kisame-kun! I saw the damage it did to the Center and the buildings and I even tried to stop it, Kisame-kun!" She whispered quietly, peeking up at him from underneath her arms. Seconds ticked by, and Kisame and Kitai seemed to realize something at the exact same time.
"Oh shi-" Was all Kisame got out, before he was tackled to the ground, a furious Kitai straddling him. Her hands reached around his neck, forming a loose hold of his air supply.
"You! You!" Kitai shrieked, picking up his neck and slamming it down rapidly as she began to yell at Kisame. Hinata sat there, frozen and unsure of what to do, and suddenly she just needed to move and do something. "You were there, you were fighting right there and you didn't even say anyth-" Kitai was cut off by Hinata kicking her in the side. The look of surprise and pain that slowly Kisame slowly registered on Kitai's face was quickly replaced by the registration of Hinata pinning down Kitai and Hinata forcing Kitai's arms above her head, rendering them immobile by placing weight down on them.
Kisame quickly shot up, and grabbed Hinata around her waist and hoisted her onto his shoulder, despite her frantic kicking and flailing and beating on him. Kitai was recovering from the shock of being tackled to the ground by the unsuspecting Hyuuga girl she had defeated earlier, and by the time she had fully realized what had happened, Kisame and Hinata were already gone.
Kitai's scream of frustration could be heard around the surrounding blocks.
Hinata was in awe at how fast they were moving. All the people they passed were just a blur, and Hinata doubted that they even noticed more than a strong gust of wind blowing by them instead of a large shark-man carrying off a girl.
Hinata had stopped her struggles, realizing that it would be more beneficial to stay still (even if this position really hurt her stomach) as she was a lot less likely to fall onto her face. As a result, she noticed that they were heading to the edge of the city, near Route 3. By the time they stopped, they were right outside the entrance to the Daycare.
Hinata resumed wiggling, not appreciating being carried like a sack of potatoes. Kisame grumbled something, and placed her on the ground in front of him. Hinata fixed her attire so she didn't look quite so disheveled, not looking up at Kisame until she was done.
"You alright, kid?" He asked gruffly as she did so, trying to judge if she was injured and how badly Kitai had hurt him. His large palm checked his head and neck for bruises, and he winced as he realized there were sensitive parts and the beginning of a nasty headache. That banshee...
"Y-yes, I'm f-fine." Hinata answered, bringing her hands up to press her fingers together in nervousness. "K-kisame-san..." She started, looking down and biting her lip as she thought of all the questions she wanted to ask him.
"Hmm?" Kisame grunted, noticing her body language and knowing questions were going to follow. Damn that banshee.
"H-how do you...Kn-know T-touko-sama?" Hinata asked, peeking up at him in a manor that made him feel entirely uncomfortable. Kisame grimaced and looked off into the distance.
"It's not that impressive of a story." Kisame said, trying to deter her from the answers. Hinata's brows furrowed, realizing that he was avoiding the topic.
"P-please, Kisame-san..." She asked again, and Kisame inwardly sighed. There wasn't going to be an easy way to deter her, was there?
"I met her in Hoenn, when she was contacting Birch for who knows what. We came to Unova together. I traveled around with her for a while, before I was taken." Kisame was withholding details. Many, many details. This was all she needed to know. There were some things better left unsaid.
"O-oh." Hinata replied simply. She'd been expecting something more glamorous, considering the way Kitai had reacted. "I-if we ever r-run into h-her again..." Kisame snorted, looking very agitated at the idea. "C-could you...K-kick her a-ass for m-me?"
Kisame's eyes whirled over to the Hyuuga, who was blushing and fiddling with her fingers and looking extremely uncomfortable at what she had just said, an expression of disbelief on his face. "What did you say?" Hinata blushed darker, and her feet suddenly became very interesting to her.
"I-i don't l-like Touko-sama!" She tried to explain quickly. "Sh-she was r-rude to you, and sh-she..." Hinata frowned, a bitter taste coming into her mouth as she remembered earlier. "I d-don't like h-her!" Hinata exclaimed, looking up at Kisame suddenly, her expression firm and full of stubbornness.
Kisame laughed, a deep belly laugh, her reaction completely different from what he'd been expecting but completely amusing. Hinata pursed her lips, wondering what was so funny. Once he recovered, he was still grinning, and Hinata found herself feeling a better. "So you don't like people who are rude to me, eh Hinata-chan?" He teased, and Hinata's gaping mouth and rosy face sent him into another laughing fit.
"N-no...I m-mean yes, b-but that n-not all I..." Hinata said, panicking, her hands flailing in front of her.
"It's fine, I get what you mean." Kisame reassured, still grinning toothily. Hinata pursed her lips, still blushing. "Do you have anything you want to do in Striation City still or shall we head off to Nacrene City?" Kisame asked, changing gears. Hinata thought for a few seconds, remembering if there was anything left to do. She grimaced, remembering that Neji had left the previous day and that it would be a while until she would get to apologize...
"No, I'm r-ready to l-leave, Kisame-san." Quietly she reached for her bag that he was handing to her. She had forgotten all about it when Kisame had provided the escape, and she was glad that he had remembered their belongings. "Th-thank you, Kisame-san."
Kisame grunted in acknowledgment, watching her. She had suddenly reverted back into a morose mood. It felt out of place, and he didn't like it. "Cheer up, Hinata-chan." He said as she fastened her bag to her shoulder, her face lighting up in surprise.
"M-maybe later." She muttered, and Kisame grimaced. He picked up his backpack, pulling the map out of its slot and flipping through it carelessly as he placed his bag over his shoulder. "H-how long w-will it take u-us to get to Nacrene?"
"What's left of our daylight." He replied, and Hinata's lips pursed. Eventually he flipped to the right page, and the two started to walk in an easy silence.
"Kisame-san, i-is the Itachi y-you kn-knew Itachi U-uchiha?"
"Yes, why?" Kisame asked, surprised by the random question out of the blue.
"D-does Sasuke-san kn-know he's o-okay?"
"I don't think Itachi has contacted anyone he use to know." He replied, and watched Hinata frown in thought.
"I-if you e-ever contact Itachi-san, t-tell him to c-contact his l-little brother." Kisame's brow raised in interest, but didn't ask.
"I'll try, but ultimately it's up to him."
"Th-thank you, Kisame-san." Hinata smiled softly up at him, and Kisame had to fight the heat that was rising to his face.
He wondered what would happen once they hit Nacrene City.
The night air of Route 3 was peaceful, and Hinata enjoyed the walk. She saw many native Pokemon, and had to resist the urge to coo and capture some of the cuter ones. She didn't feel as if she had the right to do that just yet, so soon after...
Hinata's eyes turned to Kisame, who also seemed to be enjoying the walk. While it was cold, and their breath was visible, the nearby lake hadn't frozen over just yet. The moon shimmered over the lake, and the occasional splash of a Water-type Pokemon made the route seem alive but relaxing.
Hinata sighed, almost completely at peace, and wished they could just travel forever...
Nacrene City had a similar feel to Nuvema Town. The night was peaceful, sleepy almost. The air was soothing and quiet, and you almost didn't want to make a peep. The city was built inside a forest, and the occasional chittering of birds and insects could be heard. But that was where the similarities ended. Instead of being littered with homes and houses, the city was filled with warehouses, old abandoned train carts, and train tracks that ran from east to west.
The city was full of history and design, remnants of the past visible in almost every aspect of its architecture. The old warehouses were transformed into colorful homes and businesses, having lost their former uses of storage for the now abandoned railroad. Many of the buildings were made from brick material, and restaurants new and old took pride in their city's heritage.
The smell of pizza from a local shop filled the air, and Hinata felt her mouth water and her stomach rumble. Hinata could almost taste the warm, melted mozzarella, luscious tomato-basil sauce, and the thin slices of greasy pepperoni, all on a Nacrene-style crust. Hinata had to resist the urge to barge into a shop and buy a personal pan right that instant, and it showed by the way she kept staring at the stores longingly as they walked by.
Little did she know, Kisame was both amused and empathetic to her plight. He had visited Nacrene City before, and had found himself drawn into the stores to buy pizza almost every time he stepped outside. And it wasn't as if it wasn't worth it, he remembered.
"Hey Hinata-chan, want to grab a pizza?" Hinata turned to stare at him as if he was her savior, and he laughed. "The smell is awful, so we might as well grab a bite to eat before we hit the Center."
"Y-yes, please!"
Hinata practically dragged him in to the next shop, her eyes lit up with a childish glee and her lips turned slightly upward. She even agreed to order for him, as he hung back in a booth, hiding from other patrons' wary glances. The aura of angst was lifted from her posture, if only for a short while.
He dreamed of her that night, and it unnerved him.
It wasn't that he was unused to dreaming of others, quite the contrary. He was use to seeing all sorts of people in his dreams, albeit they were generally not in such a...pleasant fashion.
No, most of Kisame's dreams were filled with blood, screams of terror, and confusing memories melded into one. Memories of this life and memories of an old life twisted together to form a grotesque play in which he was the puppet, no control over himself until he was awake.
So this dream was both a pleasing surprise and mildly disturbing. Especially considering...its nature. And the way Hinata behaved in his dream. And how it highlighted all the things Kisame enjoyed in the girl, in shockingly slow motions. And how...
Kisame slipped off to take a cold shower, his pants feeling uncomfortable and his mind needing to be jolted awake.
This needed to be considered in many levels.
"Good job. Her Pokemon was reported dead last night." The shadow praised, facing his accomplice.
"Thank you. Now will you release your control over Chile and the Gym?" Cress asked, cold eyes glaring at the man.
"Of course, for the Gym." The shadowy man said, a foreboding smirk on his aging face. Next to him, greedy green eyes narrowed, displeased with those words.
"You said you'd release Chile!" Cress accused, his fists tightening and his body bristling with anger.
"I never said that. You merely interpreted the terms wrong." The shadow replied, his tone degrading. He spoke as if he was talking to a child.
"You bastard...!" Cress sneered, wishing he could do something.
"Heh. Now why would I get rid of such a useful pawn...? Especially if I gain another in the process."
Cress realized he wasn't done with these two. He grimaced, and asked the question he loathed. "What else do you want?"
"Ohohoh, it looks like you're catching up." The green-eyed shadow merely crossed his arms, wondering what the old Uchiha had up his sleeve.
When Hinata woke up, she was surprised to find that Kisame was still asleep above. The past few days, he'd been awake before her, and she was confused as to why the pattern had been broken.
Regardless, Hinata did her usual morning routine, planning her day as she went. When Kisame was still not awake by the time she'd finished, Hinata debated waiting for him to wake up. Hinata finally settled upon the fact that Kisame, being a full-grown shark-man, could take care of himself when he woke up, and decided it was time to start the day. A post-it note was stuck to his bag explaining that she'd gone out.
Kisame awoke to the sound of his PokeNav ringing. He sleepily picked it up, surprised that someone could still call him on it, when it stopped ringing.
1 missed call from Kitai Touko.
1 missed call from Kitai Touko.
1 missed call from Kitai Touko.
Oh for Jirachi's sake... Kisame thought agitatedly. The PokeNav started ringing again, and Kisame threw it against the opposing wall, not caring if it broke. He grumpily turned over, and put his pillow over his head.
It still rang.
Hinata was training. It wasn't hard, brutal training. It wasn't soft, fluffy training either. It was an in-between, a training of not just her Pokemon, but herself as well.
Hinata was having her Pokemon fight against each other. It was a three-way battle. The one left standing would get a treat, and the other two would get a smile and a "you did a great job! You'll do better, too!" before being taken to the Pokemon Center.
She was studying her Pokemon. She was studying their own tactics, the methods they had learned, their own flairs of style in battle. It was interesting to her, and she almost wished she had brought a notepad.
Pepper was head-strong, confident, fierce. He liked strong attacks, and wasn't afraid to take a blow. He was slower than the others, but he hit harder.
While Mimi had confidence in her abilities, she also wasn't afraid to run away and hit back when her opponent was distracted. She held back in her attacks, and didn't seem to want to hurt the others. This had cost her a few matches, but Hinata liked that trait. Mimi was also a bit gullible, and Yumeko had taken advantage of that before by playing dead or feinting.
Yumeko was the least willing to take damage, mostly because she was a bit of a glass cannon. She could hit hard, but she was also taken out easily. She preferred to put the others to sleep, and would often trick them. She also turned out to be mischievous.
This was what Hinata had decided before Mimi and Pepper evolved.
Pepper, being her starter, evolved first. Hinata hadn't expected it, and had been watching the battle intently when Pepper started to turn white and glow. Hinata panicked, unsure of what was happening, before she recalled footage of Pokemon evolving. Awe overwhelmed panic, and she stared as her adorable pig grew larger and broader.
Pepper's tail grew longer and fluffier, spiraling outward. His stout shrunk into his head, and his head grew broader as his shoulders filled out. His front legs turned into beefy arms, and he stood up on his hind legs as they filled out with muscle.
When it finished, Hinata couldn't stop the elation and pride from bubbling up. She rushed over and hugged her starter, happy that she had helped him become stronger. Mimi and Yumeko stood by, having stopped their battle as soon as Pepper started to evolve. Pepper the Pignite hugged her back awkwardly, a confident look on his face, and Hinata was reminded why she had chosen him for her starter.
While Oshawott and Snivy were both cute, and their evolved forms were strong, they never held the confidence that Tepig's forms did. Sure, all of Snivy's forms were self-confident, self-assured of their own power, they didn't appeal to Hinata. And Oshawott's later forms were just intimidating. Pignite just oozed confidence, in a way that made Hinata feel confident in herself. And Hinata was attracted to that feeling. It made her want to better herself, to become a great Trainer that would give her Pokemon that confidence.
And here she was, training, and she had already seen that confidence emerge. Her little Pepper had evolved. Even the part of her still mourning Poofeh remove her feelings of joy and pride. They took a break, with snacks and drinks included, and Hinata smiled all the way through.
In return, her Pokemon trained harder when they resumed. Mimi, while she had distrusted Hinata earlier, was eagerly battling in hopes of having that pride-filled gaze focus on her. Yumeko battled harder, more tactfully, recognizing the power that Pepper now held. She also used her Psychic-type attacks more often, which helped keep away the Pignite.
Two hours later, Mimi evolved.
Hinata felt like she was walking on sunshine.
Hinata had been walking back to the Pokemon Center, to heal her Pokemon and grab a bite to eat. While there was the occasional thought of Kisame (mainly of the "I wonder how Kisame will react when he sees Mimi and Pepper evolved" variety, and her imagination feeding her all sorts of reactions), Hinata had been lost in her own little training montage.
So when she saw Kisame and Kitai talking together, Hinata wasn't quite sure what to think.
They were a bit out of the way, in-between two warehouses, but still close enough to the street that they could be seen to passersby people. Kisame had his arms crossed, leaning against a warehouse wall and looking disgruntled by the fact that Kitai was there. Kitai stood facing him, and while Hinata couldn't see her facial expression, she had her hand on her hip.
Thoughts went through Hinata's head. Why is Touko-sama here? Didn't we leave her behind? How did she find Kisame-san? Why is she talking to Kisame-san? Are they fighting? Should I go see if they're alright? No, that's a horrible idea...If they're fighting, Touko-sama would be yelling and then she might yell at me. Hinata shivered at that thought. I don't want her to yell at me. She's scary.
Suddenly, both of their body language changed. Hinata couldn't tell why or what it meant, but...
Kitai gripped Kisame's shirt, and jerked him down to her level. And then suddenly Kisame and Kitai's faces were very close together, and Hinata felt very awkward. She didn't knowing if they were kissing or if Kitai was whispering a threat or...Hinata didn't want to find out.
Her cheeks rosy, her brain shouting out its confusion, and her hands trembling, she scuttled off to the Pokemon Center.
Hinata walked out of the Pokemon Center, a burger in her hand. She enjoyed the frigid air and the warmth of her lunch, and was looking forward to continuing her training. Hinata had just taken a bite out of her burger when suddenly Kitai was in her field of vision. Hinata kept walking, but her eyes trailed to the ground, and she tried to ignore Kitai and focus on her food.
Her food was snatched out of her hands a few seconds later. Hinata bit her lip, and slowly looked up to see Kitai's determined eyes. "T-touko-sama...?" She asked, surprised and wondering why Kitai had snatched away her burger.
"Hinata-chan..." Kitai started, and Hinata briefly wondered when Kitai had given herself permission to address her as such. It was certainly a lot more intimate than the Hyuuga-sama she'd been using before."Do you like Kisame?"
Hinata blinked in surprise. Wha...? Where'd that come from? "Kisame-san?" She asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Yes, Kisame-san." Kitai confirmed, nodding her head as she did so. She also slightly crushed Hinata's burger, much to Hinata's dismay.
"What do you m-mean?" Hinata asked, a perplexed expression on her face. Kitai frowned deeply.
"Do you like him?"
"I..." Hinata started, thinking about it. While Kisame had improved in her opinion, she was still a bit terrified by him and she didn't know what to do around him at times. But she had yet to see him do anything...bad. He seemed like a good person, even if she was wary of him and others seemed to flat-out hate him. Zabuza's seething eyes and Kitai's anger flashed through her mind, memories of people's disturbance at his appearance, their fear...Kiba and Shino's approval, almost idolizing him. Kisame, after battling the Genesect and defending her from Kakuzu and Zabuza. Kisame taking her to catch her first Pokemon, escorting her to Striation City and Nacrene City. "H-he's a good p-person. He's a b-bit s-scary, but I l-like him."
Kitai's expression softened, and she nodded as she took that answer. "Just...don't fall in love with him, okay?" Hinata blinked in confusion, and Kitai handed her back her smooshed burger before darting off.
I wonder what that was all about. Hinata thought, taking a bite of her burger. Did she...love Kisame? Hinata worriedly thought of the implications of that. Kitai had a personality like Sakura-chan's. She was even violent like Sakura-chan. She balked at the idea of them being together like that.
Walking north, Hinata passed by the Museum of Unovan History and Research Library, otherwise known as the Nacrene City gym. She briefly considered going inside, halting in front while beginning her second burger, and pondered her chance of success. On one hand, she was sure Pepper could hold his own for the majority of the challenge. On the other, her other (two, not three a small voice hissed at her) Pokemon had no type advantage. Yumeko wouldn't do well just yet.
While she was lost in thought and food, a man approached her. This man was famous throughout Unova, and it was only by sheer luck and timing that he had approached her. "Hello, ma'am?"
"Hmm?" Hinata asked, not wanting to talk with a mouth full of food as she turned to the speaker. Instantly, recognition flashed through her. The man had poofy brown hair that wildly surrounded his face, a slight unsure smile on it. His clothes could be described as fashionable or artistic in style. He was...
"Uh, hello, my name's Burgh. And yours?" He introduced, before waiting patiently for Hinata to respond.
"H-hinata Hyuuga." She said finally. Oh, Shino was going to want to hear about this... Hinata thought, embarrassment and panic coursing through her. Shino had always praised Burgh's work, and it was possibly the only thing she knew of that could get him on a non-stop rant of appreciation.
"Well, Hinata-san, are you intending to challenge Lenora-sama?" Hinata shook her head.
"N-not yet. I'm n-not strong enough y-yet."
"Ah, good call. I prefer Trainers who aren't over-confident in their abilities. Oh, by the way, I'm the leader of the Castelia City gym." Burgh informed, and Hinata nodded.
"I've h-heard. And y-your paintings are b-beautiful." Hinata said honestly, and Burgh smiled eagerly.
"Oh! Well, it's always nice to hear someone knows about me." Burgh looked genuinely pleased that Hinata knew of him. But suddenly he looked crestfallen. "Unfortunately, I don't often have the time to paint anymore. That's why I escape here, I guess." He explained, a grim and forced smile across his face.
"Oh...I'm sorry." Hinata murmured, her heart going out to him. She hoped he'd become free soon, so that he would make more beautiful art pieces.
"Ah, it's fine, I shouldn't trouble you with my problems." Burgh tried to make his smile seem less forced, but failed. "Anywho, point me in the direction of a good pizza shop and I'll leave you alone."
"Oh!" Hinata thought back to the one she and Kisame had visited the previous night. "Uhm...V-vitti's is good, on uhm...Tenth street!"
"Ooo, I've heard good news about that place." Burgh informed, looking pleased. "Anyway, I'm Burgh, and I look forward to battling you in Castelia City." He offered his hand, and Hinata shyly shook it. "See you then, Hinata-san!"
And then he was gone, and Hinata wondered if she'd get to eat her burger in peace. Still, Hinata couldn't help but wish she'd gotten to talk to him more. And she wished she'd gotten his autograph for Shino...
"Kisame-san!" He heard a soft voice call out to him, and he halted to see who had called him. Hinata ran up to him, a small smile on her face. She looked much better than she had the night before, he noticed. Bits of last night's dream flickered through his mind, and he brutally stomped them down.
"Heya." He said simply as she approached him. "Someone looks like they've had a good day."
Hinata's smile grew for a fraction of a second. "Pepper and Mimi evolved earlier. I spent the day training for the g-gym challenge." Hinata said proudly, and Kisame smirked.
"Oh? Good job, kiddo." Hinata beamed at his praise, prompting Kisame's smirk to grow. "You sound nice when you don't stutter." Hinata flushed a deep red, and Kisame chuckled. She really is innocent. Kisame mused, before sharp reminders flashed through his mind. Uhg. I need to talk to Itachi-san.
"Uhm, Kisame-san..." Itachi-san is in town, though...Would it really be wise to speak to him?
"Hmm?" I've been lax as is, and no doubt Kakuzu has talked to him since then. If not, then Zabuza.
"D-did...Touko-sama l-like y-you?" Kisame blinked. Where'd that come from...?
"Touko-chan? Why?" Kisame looked at Hinata in confusion, who appeared to be very uncomfortable at this topic. She didn't...She wouldn't...
"Touko-sama t-tried to t-talk to me e-earlier." Kisame growled, eyes narrowing, while Hinata's eyes widened in fear, her hand flying to her mouth as she flinched. Oh Arceus, I shouldn't have told him...
Kisame inwardly grimaced at her reaction. "Sorry. Touko-chan doesn't like me much, anymore. But I suppose she use to." He pulled out his PokeNav, glowering at it as he pulled up Kitai Touko's information.
"K-kisame-san, could y-you uhm...Take me to the library?" Hinata asked quickly, not wanting to see what he was going to do with his PokeNav. Kisame hesitated, his finger hovering over the call button. A quick look at Hinata's face gave him more insight than he needed. She looked worried, pleading and...a bit scared. He sighed, and put the PokeNav away.
"Fine. But you're only delaying the inevitable, Hinata-chan."
The relieved look she gave him made him feel uncomfortable. "Thank you."
Kisame merely grunted, and started to trudge his way to the library, Hinata following him closely.
It was completely dark outside by the time they arrived at the museum. The attendant informed them that they would only be able to visit for a half-hour. Hinata assumed that would be enough time to get a good idea of the layout before tomorrow.
What she hadn't expected was for Kisame to vanish while she was looking at a particularly interesting exhibit. When she looked around to locate him, she was surprised when she didn't see him in the vicinity. Had she really been that absorbed in the exhibit?
Suddenly she was all-too aware of the deafening silence in the museum. Bringing her hand up to her mouth in worry, she decided to look for Kisame.
She found him standing in front of a large statue, a winged woman with a bowed head holding a blade depicted in flawless plaster. Next to him stood a raven-haired man, looking considerably smaller to Kisame's humongous form.
Stepping closer, the two both seemed to notice her at the exact same time. Hinata was shocked when she recognized the man.
Itachi Uchiha.
"Hinata-chan..." Itachi murmured, and Kisame looked surprised. Itachi beckoned her over. Nervously, Hinata bit her lip and walked over to join the two. Why was Itachi here...? Why was Kisame...?
Hinata halted by Kisame's side, allowing him to shield her from the Uchiha. She hesitantly peeked around him at the Uchiha. Kisame snorted, and forcibly moved her to stand next to Itachi, noting her fearful expression. She didn't do well with people, it seemed. Itachi's lips twitched at the display.
"Kisame tells me you wish for me to contact Sasuke-kun." Itachi said simply, and Hinata merely nodded. Hinata didn't know why she was so intimidated by Itachi. Itachi had always been pleasant towards her. But he had been gone so long, and...
Hinata suddenly looked at him, began to really look at him. Itachi had always been pale, almost ghostly in color, but now it seemed to have a...green tint to it. It was barely noticeable, unless you stared at him. He wore what appeared to be a long-sleeved brown sweater that had a coat-tail, and a green belt circling his waist, but it appeared to have no holes for his hands. One of his ears extended into a four-pronged flower, with one of the prongs looking as if it was shaped into a microphone. His hair, which was still its normal color, was pulled into a ponytail as it always had been, but was forced off to the side to prevent people from noticing his ear wasn't...human.
Itachi watched her study him, and Kisame placed a hand on her shoulder. "Itachi-san..." She whispered. While he would be given less criticism that Kisame, he...had been changed. Just like Kisame. Hinata felt her eyes well up, but refused to let herself cry.
"I cannot return home. I cannot contact any of my family." Itachi said simply. His gaze turned to the statue in front of them. "Instead, I intend to study."
"C-call Sasuke-san." Hinata whispered, and Itachi's eyes trailed back to her, his expression unreadable. Hinata swallowed, her fist clenching as she remembered..."Sasuke-san...Changed. A-after you v-vanished...H-he became withdrawn, a-and dedicated himself to f-finding you."
If Itachi was affected by this information, he didn't let it show. Instead, he focused his gaze back on the statue. "Hinata-chan, do you know who this is?"
"No." Hinata said truthfully, turning her gaze to the statue. She noticed that Kisame hadn't removed his hand from her shoulder, but she said nothing. Instead, she let her hand drop from her mouth and began pressing her fingers together in nervous energy.
"Her name is Goddess Morrighan. She is the human goddess of battle, strife, vengeance, and fertility." Kisame's grip on her shoulder increased for but a second as Itachi explained this to her. "Almost all cultures know of her, but very few are aware of her name. She was most prominent in the Shinobi era, where war and battle was common before humans crossed the sea and discovered the lands of Pokemon."
Kisame's eyes narrowed, and immediately he began to scan the area and watch Itachi. What is Itachi-san doing?
"The Uchiha clan and the Hyuuga clan were famous for their close connection with the three goddesses. The Hyuuga clan most resembled Goddess Morrighan, while the Uchiha clan most resembled Nemhain, the goddess of frenzied havoc and light. Numerous tales of these Goddesses and their affects on the Shinobi era are spread throughout the world. I must find them."
"Uhm...Why?" Hinata asked, apprehensive and fearing the answer.
"Great calamity happened the last time they were summoned to this earth."
"But..." Hinata started, before trailing off.
"I must stop it from happening again."
Sorry this is late, life got in the way. The next chapter will probably be delayed a bit as well, as I have an essay and a few tests to worry about this upcoming week. Hopefully the research on who these goddesses are will tide you over until the next chapter. :P I apologize for any typos or odd bits. I skimmed through it a few times and revised some of the wording, but...
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