Once upon a time, there was a princess who developed a crush.

Everyday, she went to watch her cousin's team practice. Her cousin was strong. The weapons girl was cheerful. The green man was loud. And they were all warm and kind to her, and accepted her despite her disgusting weakness.

But the green boy was strong and cheerful and loud and warm and kind and everything she wished for herself to be. He weathered the storm of everyone's disapproval like a long stalk of bamboo, bending and never breaking, thriving so vivaciously in the rocky soil of inability that it was impossible not to watch him and root for him. She couldn't help but admire him.

"I-I wish I c-could be m-more l-like you..." the princess confessed to the green boy one day after practice. He stared at her in surprise.

"But why, fair princess? You are a blossom in the springtime of your youth, bursting forth with demure vitality!" The green boy's teeth twinkled in support of his brilliant words, but the princess disagreed with his opinion. Like him, she was essentially chakra-less, but without the balancing abilities in taijutsu.

"I'm weak...and I-I st-stutter..." she bowed her head and tapped her index fingers together, sharply cognizant of her failings. The council told her everyday with their sideways glances at her, and the king told her everyday with his gaze turned everywhere but her. The princess knew she was tolerated only because of her tentative betrothal to the talented Sun Prince. For some reason, the Sun Prince was unopposed to their betrothal despite only meeting her once so many years ago. And the princess didn't dare to object, when this marriage would be her only use to the Moon Kingdom.

"It's okay if you stutter - you're just stumbling over an excess of awesome!" The princess stared at the green boy incredulously. He must be joking. "But princess, you must never give up! The genius of hard work will prevail only if you persevere!" The green boy then excused himself to run more laps even though practice had ended. The princess realized that everyone on her cousin's team was still at the practice grounds, working hard to push past what was expected. They all looked ragged, yet determination burned in their eyes as they drilled their techniques again and again.

Who was she to do less? The princess was tired of her weakness. That day, and many days afterwards, she joined their practice. If she couldn't use chakra, she will emulate the green boy, and become strong in a new way.

And so, the princess found a new path.


Prey for the Hunted

By Airyo

Chapter 11


Pandemonium broke when soldiers marched into the ballroom, gleaming red armor sharp against the softer-hued attire of the dancers. Danzo wasn't so stupid as to yell his accusation regarding Hinata's origins, but he wanted to make a scene even if his words weren't heard. Genuine shock marred her friends' faces as two soldiers grabbed Hinata, gloved fingers digging into her bare arms.

She panicked. Hinata kicked up and flipped backwards, forcing the soldiers to release their grip even as her discarded heels smacked them in the face. Her upper arms were going to bruise from the force of her extraction, but she ignored the pain to steal one of the soldier's katana. She agilely leaped out of their reach and dashed for the door, full skirts and ribbons flying behind her like the wings of a desperate, hunted bird. The unsheathed sword in her hand warned away the crowds. If she can make it out of the ballroom then she had a chance at escape.

Hinata felt the slight change in air pressure behind her and deftly twisted again. She pulled a stunned noblewoman between her and the guards. The hostage shrieked and covered her face as the soldiers stopped short, unwilling to harm nobility. Taking advantage of their momentary hesitance, Hinata shoved the noblewoman at them. She was already fleeing even as her two pursuers tried not to catch the noblewoman with the pointed ends of their weapons.

She reached out for the door handle.

A large hand gripped her shoulder warningly. Hinata reflexively turned to attack with her stolen sword, only to pull back when she realized it was Sasuke. He had taken off his mask, a clear sign that he was planning to use his status as leverage.

"What are you doing?" She tried to fumble open the door. His grip tightened despite her attempt to shrug him off. "You set-" she began accusingly.

"Cease," he said, loudly enough for everyone to hear. Then the prince lowered his voice into a warning hiss. "I'm risking a lot here so you might want to play along." Instinct screamed for her to knock him aside and run, but she could feel the roiling chakra of several powerful ninja in the room behind her. The element of surprise was no longer on her side. Hinata bit her lip and calmly turned to face the ballroom. Her mask still hung loosely on her face.

"My apologies, Prince Sasuke," she said, deliberately making it clear that it was the Crown Prince that sided with her. As confusing as that kiss had been, she couldn't completely trust him. So she had to ensure that this wasn't another trick - if she was going down, he was coming with her. "I panicked when they tried to arrest me."

"It is understandable, my loyal servant," he said, raised eyebrow telling her that he was aware of what she was trying to do.

Hundreds of eyes stared at them in shock. During the long silence, Itachi and Danzo stepped forward from the crowd.

"What is the meaning of this?" the Hokage demanded with a glare. Itachi gave him a cool look as he approached Sasuke and Hinata. They turned to face him, though Sasuke kept his hand on Hinata's shoulder in a defiant gesture. The king looked angry and Sasuke's hand tightened almost painfully as the prince nearly squirmed under his brother's gaze.

Given the circumstances, Hinata trusted Itachi even less. He'd purposely set her up for his own agenda. However, now that Sasuke had involved himself, the king could not directly condemn them. She hoped that would be enough.

"Call the Council," Itachi said in a flat voice, his back still to Danzo. "I will explain everything there, as this is not a matter to air out and mar the festivities." He turned to face the ballroom with an aura of perfect confidence.

"Yes, your highness. We will meet tomorrow as soon as everyone is able," Danzo said the epithet like he'd been force-fed an entire lemon. "But as Hokage, I cannot abide a Hyuuga loose among the such important nobility." He swept an arm out behind him, gesturing to the dancers behind him. "The safety of the noble clans may not be your priority, but it certainly is mine."

It was an obvious attempt to undermine Itachi's credibility, but many in the crowd were nodding their heads in agreement with him. Hinata had a feeling that this was a common move. This silent power struggle was clearly an ongoing feud.

"You are correct, Lord Hokage, in that their safety is the priority," Itachi agreed easily, deftly twisting the tide of the crowd's approval to himself. "You may escort this young maiden into secure holdings if that will assuage your worries." He must really dislike Danzo if even he was lowering himself to thinly veiled insults. He was purposely painting the Hokage as a paranoid nag who was making a fuss over one measly "young maiden". Hinata didn't like that she was forced into the role of pawn for this cutthroat game, but being useful was far more preferable to being dead.

This time, Hinata didn't fight when two soldiers gripped her arms and began escorting her out. Reluctantly, Sasuke released her and stepped aside.

"Wait." Danzo approached them and gave Hinata a contemptuous glare. "Don't forget the chakra disrupters." The separate cuffs snapped around her wrists with an ominous click. Hinata immediately began to feel the draining effect of these cuffs. Unlike the ones from Moon Kingdom, these cuffs directly siphoned away her chakra, leaving barely enough to keep her alive, much less fight her way to freedom. Her hopes sank, and then seeped away with her energy. Then she was too tired to care for much of anything. "You may go."

Sasuke and the rest of the group stood by the side, silently watching as she was dragged away. Her lack of fight wasn't by choice. Though right now, Hinata was too fatigued to even care. Feeling nauseous from the sudden absence of her energy, she closed her eyes and focused on the sounds around her. The sounds of the ballroom faded into echoing steps in a large corridor, only slightly muffled by the carpets and tapestry. Time passed in waves, and Hinata's sense of its passage warped as she drifted in and out of consciousness. Eventually, even the soft overlay of those sounds were stripped to stark footsteps on stone. Cold, dank air filled her lungs, and Hinata forced her eyelids up.

They were in the dungeons. Torchlight cast demonic shadows across the armor of her captors, twisting the colors of old blood that blended into the hallway. It was too quiet, save for the measured steps of her captors. It was the kind of silence that was breathless, waiting for the next tortuous blow. Hinata's head lolled down. Her silvery white and crimson gown looked ridiculous as it trailed against the dirty, jagged floor.

She was jerked to a halt. She heard the screech of a metal door pulling open, and then she was pushed into a small dark room. Hinata let herself fall and roll harmlessly across the damp hay lining the ground. Her swimming vision locked in on the high window that was almost imperceptible in the dim lighting.

"Goddamned Mooner," one of the soldiers muttered. She heard someone spit, and Hinata felt it land on her arm, a cold spray that she barely registered. She vaguely heard the soldiers' departing footsteps, leaving her in a blackness that was broken only by a flickering torch. The smell of rot was suffocating and threatened to pull her past back to the surface. Straw dug into her skin. Panic blurred the edge of her calm, but Hinata forced herself to concentrate.

She laid on her back. Her pale gown and dark hair haloed around her, held together by the red of her obi. The chilly stillness helped center her, and Hinata no longer felt sick with useless fear nor fatigue. She needed a clear head to consider her present situation.

Itachi had set her up. He'd warned her, and she'd still been too trusting of him. The last-minute assignment to tag Sai should have been a clue. Sai had immediately sensed what she was trying to do. Hinata had given a hasty excuse using Ino's "crush" on him, but it was doubtful he'd believed her. It was a task that was impossible for her, which meant that Itachi wanted Sai, and ultimately Danzo, to notice her presence.

But why?

Hinata wasn't actually interested in the reasoning, but Itachi's motivation would determine if she was to live or die. Unfortunately, Danzo's presence skewed her future heavily to the side of death. Fortunately, Hyuuga tended to have very similar features and he hadn't figured out that she was Hyuuga Hinata. Yet. Otherwise, Danzo would have tried to execute her on the spot. Even if he didn't know now, she was still in danger. Sasuke had managed to buy her some time, but Hinata wasn't so stupid as to wait around when so many knew that a Hyuuga was among them.

She needed to get out of here.

While she was still weak, her cuffs did not tie her wrists together. The soldiers didn't even bother searching her for weapons since her imprisonment was temporary, so she still had several tanto tucked into her bodice. The sudden chakra exhaustion induced by the cuffs would knock most people out for a good day. However, Hinata had been fighting a mild form of chakra exhaustion most of her life.

She slowly rolled to her hands and knees. Dizziness washed over her, but Hinata shook it off. In a way, the blurriness in her usually excellent night vision was good. She needed the distraction from the simmering panic that buzzed under her skin. Instead, she focused on the biting chill of the stones seeping into her hands.

The dancing light of the torches was unreliable at best, taking and giving her vision with each swell of fire. Hinata kept one eye closed to maintain some night vision [1] as she crawled to the bars, tracing sensitive fingers for possible weaknesses. She was unfamiliar with the particular chakra cuffs she wore, and couldn't apply any clever tricks. Generally, such cuffs had painful mechanisms to prevent escape attempts. It would be suicide to attempt her Byakugan with the chakra cuffs on, and night made it impossible to visually determine any cracks. The window could have been a possibility, but it was too small for a human being to slip through. She would have to try her luck with the bars.

Eventually, the rough, rusted lines of the bars led her to the lock that sealed them. Hinata could feel the chakra humming in the lock, and she didn't need to try picking it to know that a jutsu ensured her continued captivity. A tanto in the keyhole would only alarm the guards she could hear patrolling the corridor.

Hinata retraced her way back to where the bars met cold stone walls of her prison. Now that she was aware of the locking jutsu, she could detect the faint thread of chakra tied around the hinges. Her freedom did not lie in breaking the most breakable part of this cell. Hinata pushed away her doubts and continued to the stone. She lightly tapped the stones, listening carefully for the hollow sound of a passage.

Instead, all she could hear was the dull sound of solid stone, broken by the faint whisper of the beads on her dress as she moved. Her beautiful, lovely dress. The Winter Ball already felt like a memory from a lifetime ago, and she had just woken from a dream only to remember a nightmare.

Hinata continued tapping away at the walls. A part of her mourned her time with her new friends, because those warm memories only made her current situation more bleak and cold by contrast. Caught in a rare moment of self-pity, she wished that she could reverse time back to her dance with Sasuke. She'd almost felt like a fairy-tale princess - graceful and beautiful and protected from all the harsh realities of the world. Not an actual princess, a figurehead to be blamed and bartered like property. Hinata shook her head again and crawled to a new section of the wall. Self-pity wasn't going to get her out of here, and therefore useless.

"My, it's been a while since I've had a friend."

Hinata froze at the sound of the muffled voice. It sounded like a woman whose voice was hoarse from disuse. But more importantly, there was no one in her cell, so why could she hear this person?

"Who are you?" she called as loudly as she dared.

"Welcome to my humble abode!"

The voice undulated in maniacal laughter.


"You wanted her caught, didn't you?" Sasuke accused as soon as he followed Itachi into the king's office. The council meeting was tomorrow, but that was barely enough time to align whatever story his brother had better be brilliantly weaving.

"And if I did?" Itachi turned to look at him for the first time since they left the ballroom. He was furious, even if his features were coldly impassive. Sasuke repressed the urge to flinch.

"You...shouldn't have," he stumbled. Itachi leaned against his desk, one eyebrow arched. He'd discarded his cape, and the simple black of his outfit seemed to make his features sharper than usual.

"Funny," the king mused in false thought, "I could say the same about your actions."

"Different situation," Sasuke snapped, hating that he was reduced to a naughty child. It was always difficult to know where he stood when Itachi played jump rope with the line between big brother and father. "I had my reasons."

That was a blatant lie. Sasuke didn't know why he took off his mask and stepped forward, reaching for Hinata. He knew why - to save her - but he didn't know why. Logically, it was a horribly stupid thing to do. The fact that she was Hyuuga was like throwing a rotten egg, and the stench of it will spread quickly now that the secrecy was shattered. Publicly siding with her required a very good explanation that he didn't have.

All he knew was that as he watched her - thin shoulders heaving with effort, fragile fingers scrambling for the door handle, nightshade hair mussed and tangled around her/his mask - Sasuke rejected that image. It physically repulsed him that Hinata looked every part the princess and she was being hunted for it like an animal. It was just wrong. But before the realization had reached his brain, his body had moved, like a reflex when his hand wandered too near to fire. Except this reflex didn't pull him away from the danger and instead propelled him bodily into it.

Stupid reflexes.

"And what reasons would that be?" Itachi questioned. "Revealing that you were using a decoy is the least of your worries. Do you realize what you have done, foolish little brother?"

Sasuke was very aware. In one move, he'd dumped himself right into the middle of a quagmire of suspicion. All the important leaders of the kingdom will be looking at him and wondering about his loyalties. Furthermore, that fact that he was using a decoy showed that the Uchiha didn't trust their vassals.

He couldn't even blame Hinata for any of this mess, because that was as idiotic as blaming a doe for running from a hungry wolf. But was who was the big, bad Wolf? Sasuke couldn't tell. While there'd never been an actual war between the Sun and Moon kingdoms, the tension was nonetheless present and implicit. Having ties with a Hyuuga was like waving an enormous banner with the words "I'm a traitor!" painted on it. His status as crown prince would only make all the officials even more nervous, given his access to sensitive kingdom secrets.

Oddly enough, Sasuke was not entirely as upset as he should be about his current situation. Admittedly, the sharp edges of panic were buffered by a small measure of arrogance, as Itachi had always dealt with any trouble Sasuke inevitably caused.

"I am aware. You were going to let her be arrested and then executed," he said, deliberately herding the subject elsewhere. That actually upset him more than his own predicament. Even as he determined that, another part of Sasuke wondered what was wrong with him.

Itachi seemed to agree with the prince's own misgivings of Sasuke's sanity and gave him a strange look.

"Arrested, yes. Executed, no. Do you really think that Hinata could continue hiding as she was?" Sasuke averted his eyes guiltily, feeling rather idiotic. Itachi needed no further answer. "I don't believe in needlessly eliminating possible allies, Sasuke. Her arrest would have been the perfect opportunity to interrogate a person I'm suspicious of. However, with your interference, that is no longer an option for me. I suppose I had miscalculated the depth of your obsession with her." The disapproval in Itachi's voice was startling. He usually remained calm and detached in the face of Sasuke's antics. But the idea of Sasuke forming any sort of attachment to Hinata seemed to upset the king.

Uncharacteristically so.

"I don't believe in needlessly throwing ex-princesses in prison, either," Sasuke said slowly. Itachi's condescending tone was making him defensive and the urge to lash back was strong. "Our dungeons aren't exactly comfortable."

There was a moment where they stared at each other, hackles rising like two alpha wolves about to fight for dominance. Then the king heaved a sigh and rubbed his temples, as if he could massage away his troubles. The tension deflated, leaving Sasuke feeling oddly unsatisfied. Itachi never allowed any of their fights play to a finish.

"You did buy her time, but if I don't handle this correctly, it is very possible that she will be executed, and you along with her." Though Sasuke knew Itachi was exaggerating, his brother's faintly sagging shoulders were not a ruse. The king wasn't lying. He really did mess up this time. He'd just risked his neck for nothing. Or might have even made things worse. Remorse prickled the inside of his mind, as if someone had shoved a hive of wasps into his skull.

He hated that, once again, he was the helpless and unwanted spectator. In one of those hateful moments of clarity, Sasuke had to recognize that no matter how great his power, he's still weak and useless because Itachi kept him that way.

"If we handle this," Sasuke corrected with a snarl. "I wouldn't have done that if you had told me what you were doing!"

"I can't tell you everything, Sasuke. You know-"

"I'm going to that meeting tomorrow." Sasuke glared at Itachi rebelliously. "I'm tired of never knowing anything. I'm strong enough to help you. That's what the Crown Prince is supposed to do, not just be a bartering tool. But you won't even give me a good reason why I can't be Hokage, so you should at least give me a good reason why I can't even attend one measly little meeting to fix what I have fractured."

The king blinked slowly. It was the only indication that he was surprised by Sasuke's swift acknowledgement of his mistakes. But before he could reply, a knock interrupted. One of the Guardians poked his head through.

"Sorry to intrude, but the prince's teammate Sakura has an urgent matter." Sasuke frowned. He'd been away no more than a half-hour and the group had agreed to meet up later at the Red Dojo to discuss their situation. Itachi waved his acquiesce and Sakura entered with a hurried curtsy. Like them, she hadn't changed out of her formal wear yet. When she lifted her head, Sasuke saw that her eyes were red and rimmed with smudged mascara. She'd been crying, and was still trying to keep her tears back.

"Sakura? What happened?" The medic's lips trembled.

"Kaka-I mean-Lord Hatake...he..." Sakura sniffed, and steeled her emotions. The hard glint of the seasoned healer reappeared in her eyes as she lifted her chin, daring Sasuke to mention anything about the tears glittering in her eyes. "Lord Hatake and his team returned. They're in the infirmary." Sasuke and Itachi waited, bracing themselves for the bad news. "Their mission failed. They're no longer in critical condition...but...it's not good."

"Not good? What do you mean?"

"His injuries are really, really bad. That's what I mean," she replied in a clipped tone. Sakura looked at him meaningfully, and he knew that she wanted to talk to him alone. It was dire enough that she wasn't sure if she would cry again, even in front of the king. Sasuke breathed slowly, counting each inhalation, mind racing past his heart. At such news, the proper reaction was to rush to his mentor's side as soon as possible to help. Especially since said mentor was on the mission he'd requested. But the cold logical side of Sasuke already pointed out that there was nothing he could do for Kakashi, and knowing the extent of his injuries would only make him worry. Shikamaru would gather any mission intelligence, leaving Sasuke's immediate presence rather unnecessary. Hinata's frightened rush for freedom replayed in his mind. Sasuke was torn, but he knew he could do more here. He glanced at Itachi.

"We're done here," Itachi said with a dismissive wave." Sasuke stared at his brother, unsure of the cold mask that Itachi wore in front of outsiders. "Go. Come see me later tonight so we can prepare for tomorrow's council meeting."

"Thank you, Itachi." Sasuke took only a brief moment to revel in his triumph before bowing and following Sakura outside. "Tell me what's wrong," he demanded as soon as they turned the corner and were away from any unwanted ears. The medic composed herself with a slow, shaky sigh and faced him.

"Of the team, only Lord Hatake, Chouji, and Ebisu made it back." A cold finger traced Sasuke's spine when he realized that only the non-Uchiha members had returned. That had to have some sort of significance. "They're all stable. The medic Shikamaru sent did a good job, since the others were already dead." Sakura spoke in a detached voice. Her normally expressive eyes were flat and dull. The situation bothered her more than she could show.

"And Kakashi?" Sasuke prompted. The medic bit her lip before replying.

"I just checked him. It looked like something had crushed his leg - it's broken in too many places to count. All his other injuries were healed sufficiently that won't endanger his life..." She trailed off before the implied "however" could be said.

"Then what's the problem?" Sasuke asked, tension making his words sharp. "Can't you fix him?" Even as he asked that question, the prince could already guess the situation. Like drinking over-seeped tea, the bitter truth clung to the back of his tongue.

"Sasuke..." Sakura sighed. "You know that medical chakra is most effective when the injury is fresh. Once scar tissue forms, it's nearly impossible to do anything because we can't distinguish between scar and normal tissue. Both are recognized as natural parts of the body."

"Then surgery." Sakura shook her head.

"There's too many bone fragments near the femoral artery. Even surgery needs a clear path to reach it, but his leg is too much of a mess. Any sort of extensive movement puts him in severe danger of hemorrhage. The medic had to concentrate on saving his life...but now...he can't be a ninja anymore so..." The medic trailed off again, unable to say what they were both thinking.

"It might have been kinder to let him die..."


"Who are you?" Hinata asked again when the mysterious woman had finally stopped laughing. It sounded as if her voice was coming from the back corner, specifically from the floor. It seemed that there was a quirk in the architecture that connected their spaces acoustically.

"No no no, my fellow prisoner darling dear," the woman replied patronizingly, as if Hinata were a child that said something incredibly stupid yet amusing. "The question isn't who. But why."

"I guess," Hinata agreed uncertainly. She debated if she should just ignore the crazy person and get back to her task of trying to find a way out. While the other person has been here longer, it appeared that she had nothing to offer Hinata in terms of escape. And it was possible that this was just one of Danzo's tricks to infiltrate her trust. "Then why are you here? And I still don't have a name to call you." Then remembering basic manners, Hinata added that her name was Kin.

The woman started laughing again at some private joke. Fortunately, this time it took her much less time to calm down.

"Well then Kinny, you can call me Master Dango."

"Okay, Mistress Dango," Hinata said. "Dango" was clearly a fake name, and she assumed that Dango had mispoken, since she was clearly female. "Can you tell -"

"No! Master, not mistress!" Hinata really didn't see the relevancy of the distinction, but before she could direct the conversation according, Dango spoke again as if she were carrying on a conversation with herself. "But I am female, but I'm not a mistress! Hate that word, implies dirty, dirty things, and I haven't earned such a privilege. Fine then. Mastress! No...not a word...Mattress!" Dango's voice hitched, as if she was having trouble suppressing her laughter. Hinata lifted a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Okay...Mattress Dango..." Hinata said it clearly, but Dango didn't seem to object that she'd titled herself so absurdly. "Would you tell me why you're here?" Dango's crime would be helpful for Hinata to determine exactly which part of the dungeons she was in. The more dangerous criminals were placed in the deeper, more secure areas. She didn't have much hope, given that she was a Hyuuga in the Sun Kingdom. And because Dango seemed absolutely insane, it was probable that she was jailed for spewing politically libelous statements. The Moon Kingdom operated in a militaristic manner similar to the Sun Kingdom, and criminals by speech were far more dangerous than criminals by act.

"All the better to eat you!" Dango cackled like a deranged hybrid of wolf and grandmother and just outright crazy. "But you won't help me escape anyways, nope, not by the hairs on your Kinny Kin Kin! But kin you tell me why I'm here? Kin I?"

Hinata wrinkled her nose at the bad puns and turned away from psychotic babble. She was wasting her time here. She moved on to the next section of the wall. Even a few minutes of inactivity in the cold had stiffened her fingers painfully and Hinata forced her body to keep moving. She wasn't wearing enough to weather a chilly winter night, especially if her cuffs kept her energy at a minimum. The very real threat of hypothermia prodded the back of her foggy mind, but Hinata forced it back. She can't afford to give in to hysteria.

A small part of her snidely commented that that was what she was already doing. Tapping bricks was just a way to distract herself from the fact that she was cuffed and caged. Unless the seamstress had accidentally sewn an explosion tag into her gown at some point, Hinata wasn't going to be breaking out without some sort of external help. If Danzo was the Hokage and he had the ability to close even public records, it was certainly within his power to ban any of her friends from accessing her cell.

Her only hope was to wait for an opportunity when (if) they brought her food or come to lead her to her execution. There was little point in wasting her worries until then. The best course of action would be to conserve her energy and be ready to attack. With a sigh, Hinata made her way to the corner where she heard Dango. At least this strange person will keep her occupied until something happened. And the stones seems marginally warmer than the air.

"Hello?" she said tentatively as she hugged her knees for warmth, tucking her cold nose against her arm. There was enough silence that had Hinata wondering if she'd imagined the whole encounter.

"Hello?" Dango echoed, sounding fortunately more sane. "Who's this?"

"It's Kin." Hinata hoped Dango hadn't already forgotten - repeating the same conversation would get rather tedious. "You call yourself Mattress Dango?"

There was a pause, and then a distinctive snort. To Hinata's consternation, Dango started laughing again, but this time, it sounded more like hysterical sobs than anything resembling mirth.

"Um, are you-" Dango stopped abruptly.

"You're real," she declared to Hinata, as if to convince herself of the truth. "You're not another hallucination." For some reason, she sounded amazed.

"No, I'm not."

"Prove it." Hinata wrinkled her brow.

"That's kind of hard, since you're just a floating voice."

"Hm, at this point, any hallucination of mine would appear with a flash of light to torture me with song or burst into flames. Are you currently on fire?" Hinata shook her head in disbelief, but decided to humor the strange line of questioning.

"Not that I'm aware of," she said with a hint of sarcasm. Then feeling a little badly for berating a person who'd clearly lost her mind, Hinata added sincerely, "I'll let you know if there is any sort of spontaneous combustion." Dango gave another cynical snort.

"Yup, you're real. Nothing my mind makes up would be nearly so polite."

"Oh, okay." Oddly enough, their conversation was meandering into small-talk territory, and Hinata found herself at a loss at what to say to such a statement. What did one say to a crazy lady, anyways?

"I'm not actually crazy, you know. I just thought I'd have a little fun if my hallucinations were company." Hinata started guiltily.

"I-I never thought you were," she denied. "Your non-sequitrs...were very good diversionary tactics to avoid revealing information."

"Ha! Good try, honey, but I don't even need to see you to tell that you're a horrid liar." Hinata scowled slightly, but refused to be baited. If Dango was actually lucid, she could be a wealth of knowledge. Any advantage was sorely needed.

"I have a few questions," she ventured. Straightforward ask and tell was marginally easier to do than small-talk. Direct interrogation had never really been required as a bounty hunter - coins and a sharp blade were motivation enough - and court conversation danced around the actual topics like shadow dodging sunlight, but both always had a pointed purpose.

"Only if you answer some of mine." She had a feeling that Dango was shrugging.

"Okay. Is you name really Dango?"

"Nope. Mitarashi, actually." Hinata didn't bother to ask for a first name as the clan title was not one she recognized.

"Why are you here?"

"All the better to eat you." Hinata rolled her eyes and waited. "Fine. Officially, for being a big fat traitor."

"Unofficially...?" she prompted.

"Unofficially it's none of your business," said Dango snippily. "Got any more questions?" Hinata recognized that there would be no further progress down that road.

"Why are you willing to tell me this?" For the moment, Hinata would assume truth.

"Because there's nothing you can do to me."

Because she had nothing left to lose.

Hinata could empathise, for she had teetered on that same precipice before. "Now, your turn, Kinnikins. Why are you here?" There was no reason to hide that particular piece of information, so Hinata told the truth.

"I'm a Hyuuga." Dango gasped, and then was silent for several moments.

"One of those Moon-Eyed Hokey-Pokey types, huh?"

"Hokey-pokey?" Hinata repeated disapprovingly. Even though she was technically without a family name, she still took pride in her lineage. Jyuuken was one of the deadliest techniques in the world and her personality inability didn't change the fact.

"That's what it looks like to me."

"Thus the aptly named 'Soft-Hand' technique. The appearance belies the force."

"The hands are floppy alright," Dango said wickedly. "Includes your little limp wrists too!"

"You-" Hinata managed to cut herself off before she finished. She shook her head. She must be more upset than she thought. Despite her situation, she was letting Dango draw her into a childish and irrelevant argument! She would not be surprised if the crazy lady had been tossed in jail for her abrasive personality. Hinata sighed. Really, she was too tired to fight. "Regardless, do you have any other questions for me?"

"So what's a Hyuuga doing in the Sun Kingdom?" Mitarashi asked. She took the abrupt change in topic in stride, though it seemed that she was impressed by Hinata's refusal to be baited so easily. Hinata paused, her earlier fear of Danzo's spies resurfacing.

"I can't tell you that," she said truthfully. "I might still have a chance to-"

Mitarashi interrupted with a bark of laughter.

"If I can hear ya, they don't plan on ever letting you see the sunlight ever again."

"But this is temporary - why else would they just toss me in here with some chakra binders? They're calling a council meeting about this." Even as Hinata argued, reality was sinking in her mind, covering her like an inevitable fog of sleep. She already knew.

Mitarashi was silent for several moments.

"You haven't figured it out yet, have you?" Hinata shook her head silently. The chakra binders that took her energy, the allowance of her weapons and her bare-shouldered dress, the high window where the winter chill invaded like a Shinigami's breath. The council meeting delayed until tomorrow.

"Your cell is the one where people are left to die."

Hinata shivered as the cold swept over her.


Sasuke didn't bother to watch as various heads of the noble clans filed into the meeting room, though he could feel their auras. He was sitting in the first row, at the bottom level of the amphitheater, facing Itachi's empty throne with his back to the entrance. Practicality from an architectural standpoint had Itachi seated at the lowest point of the room, but Sasuke found that such placement made it all the easier for everyone to stare.

He was quickly remembering why he hated participating in such events. Many of the council members were or are ninja, and rather than murmur their gossip about him, they opted for silent glances and meaningful gestures behind his back. The sharp quiet made his senses crackle under their curiosity. It didn't help that he hadn't attended a meeting in months, and that he was actually wearing a semi-formal coat over his jounin uniform. Without the proper information, he always felt like one of those specimens floating uselessly on the back shelf in the home of a rather creepy medicine man he'd once met.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. The prince turned. He wasn't surprised to see the Hokage, who was regally settling himself into his chair on the opposite side of the room, also on the front row. The proximity of the chair to the king reflected the amount of sway and power of the person, even if it belied the nuances of that power. Sasuke knew that it was only by appearance that he stood on equal footing with Danzo. The Hokage seemed to agree. He peeled his gaze from Sasuke, just nonchalantly enough to show how little he thought of the prince, and just slowly enough to show that he was watching for Sasuke's next misdeed.

Feigning interest in the stragglers, Sasuke mimicked Danzo's expression of disdain as he pulled his gaze to the door. Lord Yamanaka glided in with Lord Nara slinking in not far behind. While Shikamaru's father sunk into a chair several rows behind them, Lord Yamanaka belonged in the first row. There were only two empty seats left - one adjacent to the sour-faced Hokage, and one next to the notoriously rude crown prince. After only a moment of deliberation once he'd descended the stairs, Lord Yamanaka smoothly evaded the closer seat by Danzo in favor of the one by Sasuke. Hopefully, that was a good sign.

"Good afternoon, Lord Yamanaka," Sasuke said politely, albeit a bit stiffly. Normally, he would grace the other man with a slight nod at most, and that was because Sasuke thought Lord Yamanaka was alright for a member of the council. But now that he had a purpose, Sasuke knew that he needed the favor of as many people in this room as possible. Briefly, he regretted that he never bothered with posturing because it would help if the council members actually liked him.

To Lord Yamanaka's credit, only a slight widening of the eyes revealed his surprise at Sasuke's newly discovered manners. "Good afternoon, your highness." He gave a nod that was almost a bow and then sat down. Fortunately, he didn't press for further awkward courtesies.

Just as the grandfather clock in the corner struck the hour, Itachi strode into the room. Everyone stood and bowed as he made his way down the stairs that bisected the room and led directly to his throne. He was about to sit when a red-faced Lord Akimichi Chouza barrelled into the room, missing punctuality by moments. There was no doubt that he'd just sprinted from his son's infirmary room. Itachi merely gestured for him to get to his seat. The genial lord bowed in thanks and took his spot next to Lord Nara.

"Please be seated." Itachi leaned back into his throne, an immaculate picture of confidence and power. Only Sasuke knew from their earlier meeting that even the king wasn't sure how this meeting will turn out. "Yesterday night, a Hyuuga was discovered in attendance to the Winter Ball." Despite the council's usual restraint, harsh whispers broke out across the room. They had only known that a girl had been arrested, but other information had been scrupulously withheld.

"Hyuuga?"

"Who is the traitor who let her attend?"

"This trespass is a grounds for war!"

"Why would King Itachi allow that?"

But even as the tension was high in the room, most still looked to Itachi curiously for an explanation. Such an announcement would not shake their faith in the powerful Uchiha that was their king.

Then Danzo stood. The murmurs quieted.

"I am sure all of you have heard, if not witnessed, the subsequent events upon the discovery of the Hyuuga." The Hokage said the clan name with disdain. Unease prickled along Sasuke's spine. He didn't like where this was leading. While Itachi was respected, however begrudgingly by some, Sasuke was never allowed much of a chance to prove himself. "The Crown Prince leaped forward to her defense when the Hyuuga attempted to escape. He even played out a little show, in an attempt to hide the fact that he'd escorted a member of the Moon Kingdom straight into the heart of Ganpon." Danzo turned to Sasuke with a cool look. "She did work hard to look lovely on your arm, didn't she, your highness?"

Sasuke tensed as murmurs rose again, though now their curiosity had been replaced by a sharper sense of appall. He was essentially accusing Sasuke of betraying his kingdom in favor of his cock, even if the slanderous meaning was wrapped in pretty language. Sasuke could feel them looking at him, perusing and picking him apart. Lord Yamanaka was looking at him with steely blue eyes, and their proximity meant that Sasuke felt the full force of the gaze. He forced himself not to bristle and snap back, despite the overwhelming urge to Chidori the Hokage right in the face. Itachi had expressly warned him against any hot-headed outbursts. Outraged denials will only make him seem guilty. Pain startled him, and Sasuke realized that his nails had broken the skin of his palms.

Itachi quieted the room with a wave of his hand. "Are those facts or speculation? It appeared to me that Prince Sasuke was addressing a subordinate." Danzo gave him an unimpressed look, as if the matter was a distasteful necessary beneath him.

"Then it appears we must both revisit our definitions of 'subordinate'," the Hokage said with a sniff. "But the facts are there. Can you deny that he had escorted a Hyuuga, a member of the clan that rules the traitorous Moon Kingdom, into the heart of our kingdom? Was it not the Moon Kingdom who first turned on us when we dared to give them our trust?" Danzo spoke in a restrained voice, but no one could miss the slight tremble of betrayal in his voice. While Sasuke had always been suspicious of the Hokage for his brother's wariness of the old man, the others in the room were not as cautious. He could sense the changing tide of opinion as Danzo sat back down.

"Lord Hokage, please do not place words in my mouth." Itachi maintained his ruthless hold on his features, but Sasuke could tell he was growing angry. Neither of them had expected Danzo to start with such a direct attack. "Young Prince Sasuke did indeed escort the Hyuuga girl into the ball. But it was for a reason." The king paused, testing the atmosphere for the council's reaction as he prepared to reveal his awareness of Hinata's presence in his castle. But before he could speak further, a sturdy man with gray-streaked hair and mustache raised his hand.

"Yes, Lord Kurama?" Itachi was frowning at the lord who was seated near the back, but nonetheless allowed him to speak. The man stood, head slightly tilted downward in a show of respect.

"I find myself worried at what you're implying, your highness," Lord Kurama began timidly. "But could you mean that you were the one that allowed the Hyuuga to infiltrate our beloved Ganpon?" Several members of the council gasped in affront at the accusation, but many more frowned as they looked to the king. Again, the murmurs began buzzing as if the room were filling with angry bees. The weight of the blame had shifted so quickly from Sasuke to Itachi that it gave the prince a reeling sense of whiplash. However, he wasn't so distracted to miss the flicker of triumph on Danzo's face before the Hokage furrowed his mouth into an even deeper frown. And there was something just a little off about Lord Kurama's subservience as he sat back down that it made Sasuke think twice.

He was a plant.

Sasuke wondered how many more in the Council were subject to Danzo's plans. While Sasuke knew Itachi never held any particular love for the sour old man, he was beginning to realize just how deep the hatred ran between the king and Danzo. The Hokage was actively trying to make his brother look unfit for the throne.

Itachi stoically raised his hand again in a firm gesture for everyone to shut up. They obeyed.

"Lord Kurama, you seem to be under the misunderstanding that I am required to consult you with every little decision I make for the benefit of the Sun Kingdom." Despite his monotone, Itachi managed to imbue a sense of disdain in his words. Somehow, there was even the implicit challenge: "Should I also ask your permission for when I brush my hair?" Itachi pinned the lord with a flat stare, and Lord Kurama almost fidgeted like a naughty child. "To eliminate any further misconceptions, yes, Prince Sasuke was ordered to investigate Hyuuga Kin on my order. She approached him with an offer of information in exchange for asylum."

While the clan heads in the room remained calm, there was a notable increase in pressure from their roiling auras. As Itachi had predicted earlier, they were not pleased by his revelation. Several hands were raised, and the king acknowledged them. Some were understanding and only demanded further explanation. Others were incensed by Itachi's gall and wanted the death of the Hyuuga immediately. Even though this was relevant, Sasuke found himself ignoring the forced discussion. Itachi could handle that.

What worried Sasuke more was that Danzo did not stand up with yet another speech that pointed to Itachi's inability to lead. This was a perfect setup for the Hokage to crack the Sun King's confidence. Oddly enough, the Hokage merely narrowed his eyes and then pulled out a scroll from his sleeve. Since the escalating worries of the other council members was reflected in their rising chakra signatures, Sasuke could discretely activate his Sharingan. Using a bloodline limit in the council room was considered horribly rude, but the prince already had a reputation as such. His eyes warned him just in time to avert his gaze when Danzo searched for prying eyes. Then the Hokage began to write in the scroll.

While he couldn't read what Danzo wrote, Sasuke's Sharingan was strong enough to copy the Hokage's minute hand movements. After finishing, Danzo tucked the scroll back into his sleeve. Then he jumped into the verbal fray as if those few seconds earlier never occurred.

Fortunately, whatever the Hokage wrote was short. The time it took Sasuke to find a piece of paper and a quill was all he needed to integrate the mimicked actions into his muscles. The prince wrote down what Danzo found so important to note.

Sasuke stared at the words written in the Hokage's stark handwriting. His perception of sound dulled, dampening the arguments around him. All he could hear inside his head was Danzo's low voice reading the message.

"Exterminate the Hyuuga girl immediately. Cell D4. Make it untraceable back to Root."

Danzo wasn't taking notes. He was transferring an order.


"I change my mind. Jyuuken looks more like patty-cake. Doesn't help all of you having such long pretty hair - I can never tell the boys and girls apart."

Hinata squinted against the watery sunlight that trickled in through her window. From the angle of the sun, it was probably afternoon. Daylight had revealed the dismal state of her cell - there was nothing here except old hay, a bowl of dirty water, and a pair of rusted manacles attached to the wall. Hinata licked her cold-cracked lips and eyed the bowl. She was so thirsty, but the rational part of her knew that drinking that swill would be suicide. Maybe that was what it was there for.

Hinata curled further into herself. She tucked herself into the corner, knees to chest. She had untied the decorative obi from around her waist and wrapped it around her bare shoulders instead. It was made of a luxurious material, but still insufficient against the biting chill from the stone and air.

If Dango hadn't continued to talk through the night, Hinata might have already slipped into a dangerous sleep. Throughout the long hours until sunrise, the other prisoner purposely irritated her so she wouldn't succumb to the grip of hypothermia and weakness. Either that, or the crazy lady was just incredibly lonely. While Hinata was vaguely aware of what Dango was doing, presently, all she wanted was to strangle the other prisoner.

"I never did like patty-cake," Hinata muttered. She couldn't feel her limbs, and sleep weighed heavily on her eyelids. She wondered if she really was going to die like this, a human icicle lost in the Sun Kingdom dungeons. While an unrealistic part of her wished one of her new friends could swoop in and save her, Hinata knew that she'd only known them a few short weeks. In the end, the only person she could rely on is herself.

"Fat lot of good that does you," she thought caustically. If it were anyone else, Hinata would have then apologized for her poor temper. She'd always been crueler to herself, because the resulting hurt was her own punishment.

"Probably because of all the training you did as a child."

"I didn't train in patty-cake." She was so tired. Why couldn't Dango just be quiet for a moment and let her sleep? Oddly enough, a mental image of Sasuke in white, literally-shining armor emerged, complete with a recalcitrant expression on his handsome face. It was kind of funny. Maybe if he rode a white, bad-tempered horse that was named Hurricane...ha, that was a funny image...

"OY! LISTEN!"

Hinata jerked awake. She hadn't even realized that she'd dozed off. Shaking her head, she forced herself to uncurl her legs and stand. Weak as she was, Hinata had to keep her blood circulating. She slowly exercised her stiff joints, feeling decades older than her twenty years. It was uncomfortable, but that meant that she was still alive.

"I'm listening," she replied. She hoped that the council meeting would end soon. Even if they were coming to bring her to her execution, that was a better situation for escape than now.

"Good." Dango said condescendingly. "I rather hate being ignored."

"I noticed." The other prisoner answered with a snort.

"Kinky, sarcasm doesn't work if you sound all sweet and shit."

"K-kinky? Excuse me?" Hinata stopped moving to stare down at the stones in indignation where Dango's voice seemed to emanate from.

"You were muttering something about pantie raids and princes - what was I supposed to think?"

"I was not!" Hinata protested even though she wasn't sure what she'd dreamed in her half-sleep state. Surely her subconscious wasn't so perverted!

"How would you know, Kinky?"

"Please don't call me that."

"Kinky, kinky, kinky kinny kin!"

She smelled something odd. Hinata ignored Dango's sing-song taunts, and sniffed carefully. The cold air burned the inside of her nose, but it was there. The distinctive, heady smell of ink. Why would there be ink down here in the dungeons?

"Kinky?" Dango seemed to notice the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Do you smell ink?" Hinata whispered. They wouldn't write a decree on site, so it wasn't someone delivering the council's decision on her fate. And ink was expensive, so it was silly to think that one of the prisoners would use it.

"No?"

Hinata breathed in, ignoring the pain, trying to place why the smell was so familiar. She wished she had Kiba's sense of - a tiny hand holding a paintbrush with surprising grace, drawing childish figures holding hands, and a pale face with dark eyes - smell. Hinata blinked. It wasn't as if she'd never been around ink before, but this particular scent was slightly different. It was as if someone had charged it with electricity or energy...

Or chakra.

Sai.

Movement in her peripheral vision made her jump. Tiny ink-mice were marching into her cell. Hinata stared as they huddled together, staring at her with beady little eyes. Then their outlines unraveled and seemed to melt together.

The mice reformed themselves into an enormous ink-wolf that towered over her even on all fours. A silent snarl on its lips revealed sharp, jagged teeth. Wispy brushstrokes detailed powerful muscles that bunched in preparation.

It pounced.


[1] Fun fact, you can retain night vision when you enter a lighted room by keeping one eye closed. Apparently, this is why pirates wore eye patches. (And here I thought it because they looked cool...)

Fyi: Jyuuken = "gentle-fist"/"soft-hand"

Answers/explanations for reviews:

- Presently, the relationship between the Moon and Sun Kingdom (and therefore the Hyuuga and the Uchiha) are NOT good. In the past, everything was peachy, but some things will be revealed later. I'm terrible with revealing things at a proper pace, but I'm not fond of shoving the events down your throats all at once. On that note, please do tell me if I'm being unclear on anything. I'm more than happy to answer questions (or cackle evilly at your confusion...)

- I have no idea how many chapters this should be. If I find myself hating Prey for the Hunted, I will make it shorter. If I'm loving it, I'll make it longer.

- No, I don't think Sasuke thinks too much on the fact that Hinata used to be betrothed to Itachi. But I will address this further...eventually. For now: 1) The betrothal is now null and void. 2) The kingdoms didn't really care if they like each other (only that they can tolerate each other), so they probably didn't really even see each other at all. Such is the nature of betrothals. They're lucky that they even know what the other person looks like. 3) Hinata is severely underage throughout most of their engagement. Ew. No. 4) Sasuke has yet to acknowledge the fact that he's got feelings. He wouldn't think about Hinata's past relationships.

- As to why Hinata would switch over to her mask when her veil worked fine...she'd look rather out-of-place with a veil when everyone else is wearing a mask. Also, the eye-holes of her mask were covered with gauze, so that shouldn't have been a problem. Also, please note that it wasn't her eyes that gave her away when Danzo had her arrested.

AN:

- Again, bow down to the awesome that is my beta, Rhinst. Thanks for making sure I'm coherent!

- My sincerest apologies for taking so long with this chapter. Somehow, each scene warranted rewrites (yes, plural...T_T), it took a while. On the positive note, I'm already halfway done with the next chapter, so it'll be a lot quicker. I update my profile with little progress reports now and then, so check there if you're impatient. :)

I've included a little extra/flashback to distract you from the long update time...Sasuke is approximately 10, making Itachi about 15. Beware of slight ooc.


-Extra- Start

Sasuke made sure to keep his little face composed when he entered Itachi's office. He'd just mastered Naruto's stupid pervert jutsu. The Dead-last guaranteed its effectiveness, and the prince wasn't about to deny that Iruka's nosebleed fountain was quite spectacular. Even if he'd somehow been roped into cleanup duty.

While he certainly wasn't expecting such magnificent results from his stick-in-the-mud big brother, Sasuke was hopeful for at least something. Otherwise Naruto was going to become target practice.

"Sasuke?" Itachi put down his scroll and peered down at him curiously. "What do you want?"

"Sexy No Jutsu!" Sasuke was engulfed in a cloud of smoke. Itachi stared expressionlessly as the smoke parted to reveal a naked girl with large round eyes and even larger and rounder breasts. The prince had purposely made his Sexy-no-jutsu counterpart resemble a Hyuuga. That'll teach his stupid brother to stop visiting those Mooners all the time.

Itachi's eyes widened fractionally as Sasuke struck Sexy Pose Number 1: one arm behind head, leaning forward to showcase the boobs, and the other arm on hip to showcase the butt, with lips puckered up. Naruto had said that it was a most destructive combo, though Sasuke really didn't understand why lips, boobs, butts, or even girls in general were really that special.

And then the final move.

"Unnnn...Itachi-sama..." Sasuke moaned. "Won't you comfort me?" Wriggle, wriggle.

Itachi blinked, looking shocked. A thin trail of blood trickled from one nostril. Before Sasuke could celebrate his victory, his brother's eyes suddenly narrowed dangerously. The Mangekyou flickered into his pupils.

"Tsukuyomi."

Sasuke was suddenly pulled into a inverse-colored world. Itachi crossed his arms and glared at him.

"That was a very bad idea, foolish little brother."

Sasuke looked around and gulped. A crowd of naked boxum women closed in on him, pinching his cheeks and hugging him so tightly he nearly suffocated.

"Sasuke, oh Prince Sasuke!" the women cooed. He tried to punch them out of the way, but they were monstrously strong. "We're your biggest fans! Won't you marry us?"

Sasuke screamed as he was submerged under the wave of naked women.


The next day, Sasuke glared at Sakura when she tried to greet him. He had a strange twitch under his eye.

"Um Prince Sasuke...why are you wearing a dress...?"

"You! Begone! Away!" He formed a cross with his kunai as the pink-haired girl backed away with a confused look on her face.

"Prince Sasuke?" she asked uncertainly.

"I forbid it! Understood? When I become king, I'm going to declare it law that no one's allowed to grow breasts!"

"Huh?"

-extra-end


Hahaha. Somehow, traumatizing kiddie-Sasuke makes me giggle. I'm not crazy. I promise. XD