Previously...(because it's been way too long for me to even remember what went down)

Scroll down to the italicized prologue for the actual story.

Hinata, the Moon Princess, was exiled for the alleged murder of King Hyuuga Hiashi. After narrowly escaping with her life, she spent the next few years at the desert border of the Sun Kingdom as a bounty hunter. She was safe in her existence until Team 7 tracked her down as the hunter who found the Moon Princess. Of all things, Prince Uchiha Sasuke paid her to hunt down herself. Needless to say, the whole situation blew up when they ended up captured by mercenaries of the Moon Kingdom. They managed to escape, but only after defeating Deidara, a member of the notorious Akatsuki mercenary group. After Sasuke pushed Hinata out of the building to help her escape, they parted ways.

Months later, Hinata tracks down a bounty, only to have the fight witnessed by Lady Yamanaka Ino. Unbeknownst to Hinata, Ino had been the girl that Hinata helped years ago when she was patrolling the Moon Kingdom border. Ino let her escape, though could do little when Team 7 was called in to escort her and Sasuke quickly discovered that the Hunter he'd tagged was in the area. He managed to capture Hinata, though he was still in the dark about who she was. In order to protect her identity, Ino intervened and claimed that Hinata (dubbed Kin here) was her bodyguard all along, and the whole situation was just a wild test.

Sasuke, still suspicious, eventually figured out just who Hinata really was. He demanded a spar, naturally, and agreed when Hinata called for taijutsu only. She managed to force him to activate his Sharingan, and Sasuke sulked over his loss.

Thus, Hinata found herself forcefully dragged into Ganpon, the capital city of the Sun Kingdom. While her alias as the bodyguard Kin was a good one, it didn't fool the Sun King, Uchiha Itachi. They had been betrothed at one point and, had the Sun and Moon Kingdom's relationship not gone sour, would have been married. Itachi had always been fond of Hinata, though she was unaware of it, and agreed to allow her safe harbor as Kin provided she helped him with a few tasks.

When the group arrived, Winter Festival was in full swing, to end with a Winter Ball. In preparation for the Royal Hunt, the group decided to practice riding and archery. Sasuke's steed, Storm, took a liking to Hinata and refused to let Sasuke on. Unfortunately, it turned out that both horse and saddle had been placed under a jutsu that would result in horse and immobilized rider tumbling to their deaths. Hinata narrowly evaded death, but not without enormous injury to herself. It became clear to all involved that someone was actively trying to assassinate Sasuke.

Itachi assigned Sai, an Uchiha who had never activated his Sharingan, as Sasuke's decoy during the Winter Ball, and secretly had Hinata investigate the Guardian's ties with Root. Sai's disguise worked, though Hinata and Sasuke still ran into some fangirl trouble that left everyone watching and expecting the masquerade masks to come off. Hinata and Sasuke shared their first kiss. Danzo saw through the whole thing and ordered Hinata to be arrested.

In the dungeons, Hinata met "Mattress Dango", a strange fellow prisoner. As Sasuke stood up to the Royal Council to defend Hinata and himself, Hinata survived Sai's assassination attempt due to a connection of their pasts. Sasuke's successful attempt to buy Hinata time impressed Lord Yamanaka enough that he offered a betrothal contract with Ino. Itachi agreed, and Ino is named Sasuke's fiance.

Meanwhile, the attacks by Sand bandits have gotten worse. Kakashi was sent to lead a team to investigate, and returned with a crushed leg that might end his ninja career. The group began to work together to try to heal him. They were mostly successful. But then Orochimaru attacked, a distraction for Ino to be kidnapped.

The group embarked on a journey to rescue Ino, only to run into Gaara, who took Sasuke. It was an enormous setup to drive the Sun and Moon Kingdom to war, but Hinata managed to defuse the trap by revealing herself to the Moon Kingdom as the "ghost" of the dead Moon Princess. They rescue both Sasuke and Ino, and drive off the big bad Moonies.

The group was in high spirits as they return, though Hinata was aware of the consequences of her sacrifice. Itachi too, for he intercepted them personally before they reached Ganpon and offered an ultimatum to Hinata - marry him and gain the power necessary to endure the storm to come, or disappear. While Hinata agreed with his assessment of the situation, she refused. Itachi placed a seal on her that will activate should she look into the eyes of anyone who has ever activated their Sharingan. Hinata left.

Sai tries to assassinate her again, though this attempt was thwarted by the awful realization that Sai had activated his Sharingan before. Hinata took the chance to escape and made her way back to the Moon Kingdom to try to fight her way back to a position that will allow her to be with Sasuke. Unfortunately, Neji was convinced she was a murderer, and Hinata was arrested without a chance to explain her side. Hanabi, already sealed as a Branch member at this time, helped Hinata sneak out to join the rebellion against the Hyuuga family. During the escape, Hanabi was knocked down and by all appearances, killed.

Hinata, sickened and jaded, decides to the join the rebellion.

Back in the Sun Kingdom, Itachi told Sasuke that Hinata was killed on his order. The prince's trauma and grief over the news activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. He spends a few months in depression that bordered on insanity, before he takes a long term mission away from the castle. Orochimaru approached him with the tantalizing offer of his resurrection jutsu. Sasuke abandoned the Sun Kingdom.

Five years later: Sasuke became comfortable in his role as Orochimaru's right hand man, as it meant that he didn't have to think about the consequences of his own actions. However, he discovered "Mattress Dango", or Anko, Orochimaru's old apprentice that everyone thought had left the Sun Kingdom on her own volition. She had a Byakugan transplanted in one eye socket. Sasuke was forced to face some nasty realities, and he decided to eliminate Orochimaru. He kills Kabuto and battles the Snake-nin, winning by a narrow margin. He used up at least one eye for Izanagi and burned the other with sheer usage.

Itachi was forced to call Hinata, because she was the only one who could reach Sasuke in time. She finds him unconscious and takes him back to her new home, Seidou. Kurenai was still alive, and nursed him in lieu of Hinata.

Whew! I think that's enough to jog your memories. Now on with the actual story!


Once upon a time, there was a prince who was idolized.

While the Academy classes were never lacking in children of noble birth, it was rare to have a member of the royal family among their numbers.

Especially such a handsome prince.

At first, the prince enjoyed the attention, even if the way that the fangirls cooed his name made his hair stand on end. Finally, someone credited him with the merits he deserved.

Yet when he boasted of his popularity to his elder brother, the crown prince only smiled in a way that seemed sad and tired.

"Foolish little brother, seeking the approval of others to determine your self-worth is a futile goal," his brother told the prince. Despite his awe of his war-hero of a brother, the little prince did not appreciate being dismissed. Clinging to the hope that his parents would be more receptive than his jealous, jerk of a brother, the little prince went to find them.

To his pleasure, they were already discussing him, and he paused outside the door to secretly bask in their praise.

"Sasuke is doing well in his classes," the queen was saying.

"His status will help us negotiate a good betrothal contract," the king said.

The queen nodded, no hint of disagreement in her expression.

The prince didn't need to hear more.

And so, he was forced to face the reality of his situation.


Prey for the Hunted

By Airyo

Chapter 22


It took Sasuke several days to notice the Other.

After the initial burst of clarity, Sasuke bobbed in and out of the waves of consciousness. The medicines they gave him were startlingly effective, and he could feel the tight itch of his body repairing itself. However, because the drugs rendered him drowsy and out-of-sorts, it also took him quite some time to realize that there was someone else in addition to the Woman, as he started to refer to his main caretaker.

As much as Sasuke hated to admit it, he discovered the Other entirely by accident.

He woke with a soft gasp, merely a breath to any other observer, his muscles shaky and skin prickling as if he were about to burst out of himself. He rarely remembered his nightmares anymore, but the effects of them still haunted him.

It was then that Sasuke noticed the presence of a stranger. The Other was quiet, simply observing him from the opposite side of the tent.

"Hin-"

Sasuke ruthlessly bit off the rest of the syllables. The fog of sleep receded enough now that it was obvious it wasn't her. While the Other had the same soothing feel in chakra, all soft tones and lavender patterns, this aura was far more organized in a steely sort of way that made him wary. Even from the first impression, it was clear that this was a warrior by deliberation, not desperation. He had loved and hated Hinata's pacifism.

"You're not her," Sasuke rasped out. He wasn't sure if he was referring to the Woman. The Other shifted, but didn't reply. Sasuke opened his mouth to demand an answer, but he found that the arid air of the desert had transformed the inside of his throat into sandpaper. And it really wasn't worth the effort. He's dealt with one mute before, and that was enough of a disaster to last him a lifetime.

"Water," he demanded instead.

The Other moved forward, there was a slosh of liquid, and then the hard nozzle of a water pouch was pressed to his cracked lips. Sasuke struggled until he managed to prop himself on his elbows.

"Thanks," he muttered after he drank his fill. The Other backed away as Sasuke laid back down. Even though his side throbbed painfully, he shifted so his back was to the intruder. He disliked the idea that a stranger had witnessed him caught in a nightmare, in the throes of all his weaknesses.

Thankfully, the Other understood his rather unsubtle message. There was the rustle of fabric, footsteps, and then the tent flap lifting and closing.

And he was alone again.


"You need to stop visiting him."

Hinata suppressed a flinch and looked steadily up as Kurenai let herself into her tent. The older woman gave her a smile in good will, but her eyes remained unapologetic. Hinata was the first to look away.

"He doesn't know. And he won't find out," she justified. But she wasn't able to face her teacher with an argument she barely believed herself, so Hinata busied herself with readjusting her already tidy room.

"He will." Kurenai held her stance for a moment, and when Hinata refused to look back at her, she sighed and seated herself on a wooden stool by her student's desk. "And even if he never finds out, it's hurting you. Either cut yourself off, or tie up your loose ends."

"There're a lot of those running around, and Sa-Sousuke doesn't listen very well," Hinata muttered. "Might take a while." Kurenai respectfully ignored the near slip in names.

"He's not going anywhere any time soon," her teacher countered. "Unless the truth is so dangerous that-"

Hinata bit her lip - Kurenai won't back down until she understood. "It's the same kind of reason why you never returned to the Moon Kingdom after regaining your memories," Hinata gritted out. She averted her eyes, hating that she had to strike at a tender topic. Kurenai paused and then nodded.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that alone," she whispered. Guiltily, Hinata turned and knelt to grip her teacher's hand.

"I, of all people, can understand falling for a man from the wrong kingdom," she told the elder woman. Kurenai smiled faintly, her eyes tinged with pain.

"He was a good man, even if his loyalty was with the Sun Kingdom. My son can't take his family name, but I will always honor him." The older woman blinked, expertly hiding away her grief with a mischievous smile. "Even if the other boys give Oushou endless grief for being named after the 'king' piece of a game." She sighed. "Well, I guess that's still better than being named after a cute little rodent. What in the world was Queen Mikoto thinking when she named the Sun King?" Kurenai shook her head in disbelief. Hinata bit back a snicker, half hoping Itachi was somehow spying on this particular conversation. While the success of her movements against Yue never gave indication he was using the information he gathered, she always got the sense he was watching over her.

And over Sasuke.

Kurenai saw the sudden shift of emotion on Hinata's face and placed a gentle hand under her chin. She tilted Hinata's face up.

"I hope that one day, when you remember him with more joy than pain, you will tell me the name of this man who made you so strong," Kurenai said gently. "When you stormed our rebel camp with Akamaru, I didn't recognize you at first because your eyes blazed so brightly with the will to fight. Before, you would have only bowed your head and endured."

The memory of Sasuke's face, haughtily sneering at anyone who dared to beat him down, came to Hinata's mind. Though it wasn't nearly so simple, tears began prickling her eyes as she smiled up at her teacher.


Akamaru knew where to go.

Within a few days, they broke through the other side of the forest, facing a distant view of the desert between Moon and Sun. It was a cold scene of jagged, dusty earth broken against an unyielding sky.

"Where are we, Akamaru?" Hinata whispered to the dog. Akamaru woofed comfortingly, assuring her that this was the right way. He began to take a seemingly random path, sniffing at innocuous trees before readjusting his path. He was following a pattern of two circles, looping again and again back to the same place.

On their fourth lap, they gained a shadow that flickered at the edges of Hinata's senses. When Akamaru completed the pattern, their visitor dropped from the branches of the nearest tree, revealing herself to be a tan blonde with hard eyes like the sky behind her. While she wore the practical uniform of someone accustomed to desert life, her pale hair was pulled up into four tight ponytails - an outright silly hairstyle on anyone else.

"Who is this?" The blonde was addressing Akamaru, who whined but didn't move. Hinata's hood was back, so her family lineage was obvious. Taking charge, she dismounted and approached . The blonde didn't look at her, but remained in a relaxed position that belied how quickly she would be able to unfurl the enormous fan strapped to her back.

"My name has been taken from me, but I was once known as Hyuuga Hinata." The other girl met her eyes in recognition.

"No-Name Hinata. The King Killer. We know of you."

"Just Hinata will do."

"What is your business here, King Killer?" A smirk played at the edge of the blonde's lips, challenging Hinata to correct her.

"And who am I telling my business to?"

"Temari. Temari of the Sand." Blue eyes narrowed, intent on her reaction. Hinata kept her face smooth and calm. She had suspected. The sharp features and sharper blue eyes pointed to a Sky Kingdom native and the still crisp pronunciations meant Temari had been old enough to remember the Amaterasu War.

And Hinata was not in the mood for polite euphemisms.

"I am here to overthrow the Hyuuga, Temari of the Sand." The other girl was visibly disconcerted, but she hid it with an expression of haughty skepticism.

"Not the Moon Kingdom?"

"I'd like to believe the people of the Moon Kingdom are still innocent."

Temari snorted. "You have to fight the Mooners before you can get to the Hyuuga."

"Not if the 'Mooners' don't want to fight."

"What, you just want a bloodless war?" Temari mocked. Hinata only nodded.

Realizing that she wasn't kidding, Temari eyed her carefully, as if finally seeing Hinata through the cloud of epithets and rumors attached to her name. The blonde came to a silent decision and readjusted the strap that carried her fan.

"Follow me, King Killer."

Temari led her back into the forest, circling around to a hidden trail sloped into an old river bed, long sucked dry from the desert. The shifting gravel made it difficult for Akamaru, but Temari was surprisingly patient in waiting for him.

"This is a side entrance - easier to find but also easier to defend." Hinata nodded, understanding the implied warning. She wasn't trusted yet.

Their guide didn't speak again until they'd reached an enormous boulder that blocked their path. Temari stepped forward, flashed through a series of hand seals, and placed one hand on the rock. Then she reached her arm inside the boulder genjutsu and pulled back, opening a hidden gate none of them could see.

Temari bit her thumb, allowing a single drop to well up before flashing through the handseals for a summoning. A small weasel flopped onto the ground in a cloud of smoke.

"Tell Seidou we have a guest," the blonde instructed the summon. The little rodent squeaked an affirmative and did a tiny salute dispelling itself. Temari then stepped back and gestured for Hinata to proceed through the gate.

"Make your entrance, King Killer. But take note, we only have a council, never a king." It was a warning wrapped inside an insult. She will have to convince many people, not overtake only one.

Hinata took a slow breath and then climbed onto Akamaru's back.

"Thank you, Temari of the Sand."

"Don't thank me yet, King Killer."

Akamaru leaped through the gate before Hinata could repress a wince.

The dry river bed continued, offering only one path to follow. The loose stones had been cleared away, and Akamaru bounded forward with the ease of familiarity. The reds of the earth blurred around her, until she felt like she was falling, hurtling, towards the inevitable.

Akamaru slowed when he reached two guards dressed in the loose, practical uniform of desert travelers. They only nodded, already informed of Hinata's arrival. They let her pass, and the narrow walls of the river bed fell away to a camp of slanted tents like sails on the sea. The people tending to their business all paused to stare at her in silence. Then the crowd parted, allowing three people to step forward. They all wore pale hooded headpieces, to shield them from the harsh beating of the sun, but it also prevented Hinata from seeing their faces.

The center figure stepped forward and spoke with voice of an older, wise man. "What brings you here, traveler?"

"First I must ask - what is your aim here?"

The man shook his head.

"I can only answer once we know yours. Your name to start."

Even out here, the most desolate, lawless of places, politics and fear had an iron grip. Hinata could feel them look at her, watchful and wary.

"I tire of these games," she declared. "I was once known as Hyuuga Hinata, Crown Princess of the Moon Kingdom. I was the King Killer. I was a traitor. I was Hyuuga." While the three leaders remained unaffected, she saw a shiver ripple through the crowd in recognition. She was addressing the right people then.

"These titles are no longer my burden to bear yet this is all you wish to know of me," she continued. Hinata pulled at Akamaru's fur and he reared on his hind legs with a thunderous growl. The movement swept her hair behind her like a dark banner as Akamaru's growl echoed around them like the chorus of an army.

"What's in a name?" she asked. "What use is it if I do nothing? I seek to make it a word of power against the Hyuuga, but I need comrades. If your aim aligns with mine, will you let me join you?"

Her words settled like a heavy blanket over them, and there was a pause before the three leaders moved. They bowed their heads together in hushed conversation. One of the hooded figures stared at Hinata for a long moment before nodding. Then the man turned back to Hinata.

"On Lady Temari's word, we have allowed you in this sanctuary. And on yours, we welcome you as a comrade."

Hinata dismounted and bowed deeply. "Thank you."

The man gestured to the person next to him. "Kurenai will take you to your quarters. We shall do proper introductions at dinner tonight."

Hinata didn't think too much on the familiar name, as it was a common one in the Moon Kingdom. The woman headed for one of the side tents, leading Hinata past the curious eyes of the camp residents. Akamaru was taken away by another.

The woman entered and Hinata followed. It was strange that she had yet to speak. In the darker interior, the woman drew back her turban and turned. Long dark waves spilled out, framing a pale face and red eyes that Hinata thought she would never lay eyes upon again.

"You've grown, Hinata."

"S-sensei?"

Kurenai smiled sadly, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but I've missed you."


Poke.

"Hey, Sousuke."

Poke.

"Hey, Soso."

Poke.

"Hey, Soso."

Sasuke whipped his head in the direction of the pokes, wishing his eyes weren't ruined so he could unleash Mangekyou hell on his tormentor.

Or at least glare.

"What?" he snarled with all the ire he felt.

Oushou was unimpressed. A bedridden and blind man with the chakra levels of a newborn was not very scary, after all.

"You sleep too much," the brat informed him. Sasuke grimaced. He'd pretended to sleep more, in attempt to catch the Other again. But either the Other was unnaturally good at going unnoticed (unlikely) or he/she simply hadn't visited in the past few days. The lack of success and the lack of actual, unfeigned sleep left the ex-prince in a prickly mood.

Naruto's illegal bastard/spirit animal didn't help.

"I'm injured," Sasuke said stiltedly. "That is what injured people do. They recuperate." Not that he was very successful when he kept getting jabbed awake by The Most Annoying Brat On The Face Of This Earth.

"Recooprate? What's that?"

"Heal, recover, rest," Sasuke listed with a snap. "Let me do so in peace."

There was a moment of silence.

"But you already are resting," was the matter-of-fact assessment. "Is it very, very hard to talk?"

Out of any other child's mouth, it was an innocent question that asked exactly that. Yet, Sasuke got the distinct sense that his intelligence was the main concern. Sasuke gnashed his teeth, wondering what kind of hell this was. Was this all just one of Itachi's excessive punishment genjutsu?

The thought of his brother suddenly leached all his energy from his body. Sasuke realized his eyes had been open behind the bandages and deliberately closed them with a deep sigh. The darkness was so disorienting.

"Why are you here?" he asked when his blood was no longer trying to pound its way out of his eardrums. "Didn't you get into trouble last time?" He heard a noise. "Brat, I can't see you nod."

"Oh. Yeah. I did. Mama gave me lines."

"Then why are you here?"

"Helping."

"You're not doing a very good job at it, then," Sasuke quipped. Oushou huffed and blew a raspberry.

"How do you know? If you die, no one but me will be able to get help."

"Dying is a better alternative to this torture," Sasuke muttered. He'd forgotten how irritating children were, especially when they didn't give a damn who he was.

Oushou laughed. "I like you, Soso. You're mean."

"Don't call me that. It's Sousuke. And you've mastered the art of the backhanded compliment, I see," Sasuke replied. It was hard to remain as sour as he aimed to be when the child was laughing so sincerely like that. Even if the child was calling him 'mediocre' with the nickname.

"What is a backhanding compliment?"

"Backhanded compliment. A way of complimenting someone while still insulting them," a new voice said as someone else entered.

Sasuke stiffened. He hadn't felt the chakra until now. His senses were more compromised than he'd realized. He needed to heal quickly, and then get out of here.

"Jo!" Oushou greeted happily. "This is Soso. He's mean and gives backhanded compliments." He carefully pronounced the new phrase he learned.

"A delightful person indeed," Jo said with a slight chuckle. From the sound of his voice, he was slightly older, but far more reserved. What was with all these kids that talked like adults out here? Even though Seidou was presumably a nomadic village in the desert, Jo and Oushou only had the rough intonations of peasantry if Sasuke listened for it. While Oushou would only endanger his blood pressure, Jo seemed like someone who could provide useful information.

"I am," Sasuke said. "But only to those who are not cheeky nuisances to the ill and weary." A tilt of his chin removed any doubt about just who the "cheeky nuisance" was. Jo laughed.

"What's a nuisance?" Oushou inquired suspiciously. "It's a bad word, isn't it? Mama says that bad words lead to bad thoughts. Bad thoughts lead to bad actions. Bad actions turn you into a bad person," he recited, making it very clear who the "bad person" was. Jo made a noise of agreement.

"I don't think that's how she meant it, but yes. The actual quotation is..."

Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes. This was his punishment - Naruto and now Sakura in children form. Maybe he should have let Orochimaru kill him after all.

"If you two enjoy your lessons so much, why are you hanging out here?" Sasuke probed. "I'm just a boring, sleeping patient." There was a conspiring pause and he could practically feel their nervous glances.

"So, Soso, what happened to you?" Jo asked nonchalantly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, even though no one could see the action behind the swath of bandages. It was a clumsy change of subject at best, and Jo probably thought he wouldn't notice that it was a cover to pry information. Too bad for him, Sasuke had grown dodging the sly questions of political climbers in the most infuriating way possible.

"What do you think happened?" he asked innocently. "Does it look like I tripped or something?"

"No...?" replied Jo.

Sasuke fought back the odd urge to snicker.

"Though that would be less embarrassing than losing so badly in a fight..." Jo concluded sagely. "Thankfully that's not what happened, right, Soso?"

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. There was something incredibly distasteful about being outwitted by a child. And that nickname needed to go.

"I don't get it," Oushou muttered. "I thought Soso was in a fight. Because he's always mean."

"Who knows? Maybe he's lying."

"Only naughty people lie. Do we need to tell Mama? Will she make him do lines?" Oushou sounded entirely too excited at the prospect.

"Oy, that's only something brats like you do," Sasuke snapped. "I need my rest, so both of you, get!"

"Let us leave him be. I'll teach you some more shogi!" Jo said.

"Shogi shogi shogi sho-geek!" whined Oushou. "Why can't we play swords instead? Soso is so much cooler than you. I bet he doesn't play shogi like an old man!"

Sasuke couldn't resist. "Shogi is my favorite game in the world," he declared.

"Gross," was Oushou's immediate judgment as Jo excitedly challenged him to a game.

"In case you haven't noticed, it's mildly hard to play right now."

"You mean...you haven't always been blind?" Oushou piped up in wonder. "What did you do?"

"Asked too many questions. Careful, brat, you might end up the same way."

"You're mean, so I don't believe you."

Against all odds, Sasuke was beginning to suspect he enjoyed bantering with children. He fought back a smirk and opened his mouth to further tease Oushou when he felt it.

Gaara.

He had no trouble feeling that monstrous chakra.

Sasuke forced his broken body out of bed, crouched at a ready. The cane was the only reason he was able to stand. His chakra supply was small, but steady. His mind raced through the techniques still available to him - the list was pitiable. He will have to resort to trickery. And hope for a miracle.

He motioned for Oushou and Jo behind him. "Stay out of his sight. Gaara of the Sand can be very dangerous."

Neither child moved.

"Soso, you're silly. That's j-"

Sasuke gripped Oushou's arm and pushed him back. He began tearing haphazardly at the bandages even though he knew there was no hope after his battle with Orochimaru.

"You will release that child if you know what is good for you, Sousuke."

Gaara already knew the moniker Sasuke gave to the Woman, meaning that the sand-user had already investigated him.

Sasuke let Oushou squirm out of his grip. He heard tiny feet patter towards the monster. The killing intent from Gaara was directed solely at him. For some reason, Sasuke felt relieved that Gaara was only targeting him. Cold swept down his spine.

Gaara was considered an ally here in Seidou.

He ripped the final loops from his head and threw them at the ground. He forced his eyelids up, only to see more pitch black. His eyesight really had left him.

"Where the hell am I?" he spat, not one to admit defeat.

He swore he felt the redhead's nonexistent eyebrow rise condescendingly.

"Language," Gaara admonished. His voice changed slightly in direction. "You two, get out of here."

"But-"

"Now," Gaara interjected the brat's protest sharply. Oushou obeyed, with Jo following closely behind. The tent flap fell shut.

Now it was just Gaara and him.

"I will not harm you. I have my orders," Gaara informed him, though his tone made it very clear he was obeying them reluctantly. Sasuke's grip on the cane loosened by only a hair.

"What exactly is Seidou?" he demanded.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Sasuke's first impulse was to insult Gaara's intelligence for asking such an obvious question, but he stilled his tongue.

"Better to know, than to be surprised later," he replied instead. "Who are you affiliated with now? Akatsuki? The Sun Kingdom? The Moon Kingdom?"

Gaara took a moment before he answered. "You've changed, Sousuke. Before you would have already insulted me in several ways and made me dislike you even more." The way he said Sasuke's alias sounded like a taunt, but the rest of his words leaned more towards a compliment. The suffocating killer intent was gone, replaced by the firm, steady aura of a capable fighter.

"My question?" Sasuke prompted, hating how he was so weak Gaara didn't even consider him a proper opponent.

"None of the above," Gaara replied. "I determine my own values now."

"And which values would that be? Those that prompt you to kill me? Or sell me to the highest bidder?"

"You are quite self-centered. Even for a prince."

"Unless you've been living buried in the sand for the past five years, we both know I am not a prince."

Gaara made a noise that resembled amusement. "I'll ask again: Why does it have to be about you?"

"Because my life is the only one I have to live," Sasuke replied bluntly. He hadn't forgotten the years he'd spent trapped in his heritage, fighting to determine some sort of worth beyond what flowed through his veins. If his heritage had been anything else, he could have saved her.

"Admirable, but not right. It was an unfortunate coincidence that you are here. Luckily for you, others are more generous than me. If it were up to me -"

"Kill me already," snapped Sasuke, "if that will satisfy your ego. No need to gloat."

The sound of sand made him tense. With his senses so muddled, it would be impossible for him to predict much of anything.

"Stop." Sasuke felt the aura of the Other. She entered with a sharp snap of fabric, disapproval in her every movement.

"Hi-I-..." Gaara was actually rendered speechless. Just who was this new presence if she can cow even the sand-user?

"Gaara," the Other snapped. "Just stop. Oushou told me what happened here." It was difficult to tell what her voice actually sounded like when she was speaking in such low, hissing tones, but her voice seemed almost too sweet for the commanding way she addressed Gaara.

For a tense moment, it seemed that Gaara was going to kill her. But then he relented with a huff and exited.

"Sorry, I'll send someone to fix your bandages," the Other muttered and then followed. Even though it was difficult to catch the actual tones of her voice in her whisper, Sasuke felt a twinge at how familiar her tone seemed.

Hinata...it almost sounded like her...

He felt tired and numb, a sort of apathy that reached deep to the soul. Sasuke stumbled back to the cot, and laid down. Merciful sleep took him.


Hinata followed Gaara to his tent, speaking only when she was sure they were alone.

"Why did you do that, Gaara?"

He turned with a stony expression.

"I dislike secrets. Secrets mislead and lead only to lies. Better to be upfront about complicated emotions like love and hate," he replied. Hinata was well aware that he was thinking of his uncle, who'd pretended to love him his entire childhood, only to reveal his hatred after a failed assassination attempt on Gaara's life. The pain was quickly shuttered away behind jade eyes and he leveled Hinata with a look. "I know that it is your business to reveal the truth. But you should tell him before he figures it out on his own."

Hinata stiffened at the mere thought. "I can't."

"Then you know what must happen," Gaara concluded. "We've all worked too hard to let one man ruin it. And medicine is too precious out here to waste on him when we have our own men to care for."

Hinata bit her lip, but didn't look away. Gaara didn't miss her look.

"He's already developing immunity to the fogging herbs, isn't he? He'll be able to sense everything soon."

Slowly, she nodded.

Gaara's harsh expression softened slightly. "Soon, Hinata," he urged. "There is only so much medicine we can spare him. After he gains full lucidity, I will be forced to act in your stead, and I am not nearly so kind as you." He paused, and then left Hinata standing by herself in the middle his tent. Shakily, she wrapped her arms around herself.

Even five years later, Sasuke's mere presence was enough to unmake her.


"After the failed attack two weeks ago, three of our men are held prisoner in the cells of the Moon Palace. They..."

The messenger paused, blinking back tears in a way that reminded Hinata exactly how young the child was. He was barely a teen, a blacksmithing apprentice whose father was unjustly executed for a lesser Hyuuga's crime.

His brother was among the doomed three.

"Take your time," she urged, lowering her eyes to deflect the fact that she, too, was of Hyuuga blood.

"They will be executed in a day's time. Public hanging at noon."

"Thank you."

The messenger left, leaving only a few members of the rebellion sitting in the dim light of the tent. Hinata turned to the others.

"If I leave within the hour on your fastest horse, I can be in the city by dawn using the mountain pass. I have until sunset to get them out."

"Absolutely not!" Kurenai interjected. The woman bit her lip in self-disgust before she continued. "We can't risk you. Even if it means the lives of others."

Hinata stared back at the rest of the council - the circle of wary faces made for sharp contrast with her teacher's worry. What was a Hyuuga like her doing in a rebellion camp? What right did she have to waltz into their camp only months earlier and then sit amongst their leaders? A spoiled, albeit exiled, princess looking to avenge her hurt pride did not belong on the front lines. They needed her as a figurehead, and only as that.

"I can," she replied. "I'm the only person with the knowledge of the dungeon layout." The implied declaration of "I can earn my place" didn't need to be uttered out loud.

She had to prove herself.

Getting into Yue itself was easy. Moon soldiers frequently passed back and forth through the main gates. Using the distinct riding style of someone who was trained in Moon Country was all she needed. The foreboding walls of the much better protected Moon Palace would be a different story. At this time of night, all doors were locked or guarded, and Hinata had no doubt that after her previous intrusion, all entrances and exits were under heavy watch.

But it was only a problem if she had reservations against harming any she encountered. Hinata hadn't felt very kind for a long while.

The ride through the sleeping city was a vastly different experience than before, and this time, Hinata had no warm memories for her hometown. Not with the wind howling through the fabric of her burnoose. It seemed to scream at her for all her wrongs, all her mistakes. The last time she was here, she'd caused the death of her own sister.

But that was why she was here.

This time, she wasn't so foolish as to offer mercy.

Hinata dismounted, and with a pat, sent her horse racing off. Her steed was unmarked, the gear was Moon-made, and a loose horse was not uncommon. She will steal new rides for her and the prisoners.

Hinata only hesitated for a moment, and then she secured the cloth concealing her face and head and stepped forward to confront her first obstacle. She stared up at the wall that secured the palace's perimeter. The moon hung low and cold in the sky, casting a deep shadow against the wooden structure for her to hide against. Her voluminous robes of mottled gray would help her blend.

She could see the tips of spears as the patrol slowly paced along the top. Yet again, the Byakugan had made the Hyuuga arrogant, and they didn't bother to look down as she began to expertly scale the wall.

Within minutes, her outstretched hand traced the ledge of the topmost rail. She braced herself against the edge, sharp ears tracking the soft steps of the guards. There were three, and they followed a simple yet efficient guard pattern that she'd learned years ago. Any other infiltrator would be stumped for much longer.

Hinata tensed, fingers digging into her handholds so tight her muscles burned.

Even if her timing was perfect, she only had seconds. If even that.

Hinata exploded into motion.

She swung over the tall railing, and using that momentum, one guard was knocked out with a hard boot to the face. The next barely had time to react, before the staff of her naginata sunk into his gut, and he bent in half from the force of it. A blur of her weapon, and the flat of the painted blade finished his journey to the ground. The final guard only managed a gargled yelp before the other end of her spinning naginata clipped him in temple.

She landed gracefully, knees bending to soften the sound, and her cloak fluttered to a rest around her form moments later. Three bodies lay splayed at her feet.

Hinata didn't pause, immediately using her crouched position to jump into a dash for the stairs that led into the courtyard.

This particular patrol pattern was the worst possible one for her circumstances - it afforded her twenty minutes, at best, before her presence would be noticed. That was not enough time for her to locate the men. She only knew which wing of the dungeons she was most likely to find them.

Hinata did not run into further resistance until she reached the southern wing, where the Hyuuga kept the prisoners doomed for hanging. The guards themselves stood no chance against a shadow, but even a perfect camouflage was useless if she didn't know where to find the men. There were two sections of the wing, and she had the time to explore one.

Unless she used the Byakugan.

She hadn't used it since the day Hanabi died. It hurt to use a weapon tied to what killed her sister.

Bracing herself, Hinata activated her hated bloodline limit.

Her vision rushed out, as if she were traveling in all directions at lightning speed. Three men, sand gear, skin-hardened by days in the desert, not too emaciated since they were only held for a few weeks - there! She found them, in three adjacent cells.

Hinata quickly cut off her shaky chakra, clinging to the wall to steady herself as her body reoriented itself. Then she was off, all too aware of her time limit.

There were three guards patrolling that particular segment of the hall, all too easy to knock out with the butt of a tanto. The prisoners shuffled at the sound of unconscious bodies hitting the ground. One of them crept forward, a piece of jagged glass wrapped in cloth in his hand. He held out his makeshift blade warningly.

"Will you offer me water to drink?" he recited the code question.

"Not only do I have water to slay your thirst, I have words to slay your doubts, and the strength to slay our enemies," Hinata whispered, though the real signal was in the careful shuffle of her feet.

The man visibly relaxed and retreated. Hinata stepped forward into the dim lighting and began to methodically hack at the hinges of their prison door with the end of a tanto, ignoring the alarm jutsu. They would be discovered soon, regardless.

The final hinge gave with a crack, and the door swung askew. The three prisoners quickly slipped out of the gap.

"You know the way out?" the tallest asked. Even in the dim torch-light, she could discern the same gold-red hair as the messenger boy - the brother. Hinata nodded, though she doubted they could see her in the shadowed area she stood.

"Yes. We don't have much time. Follow my lead." She stepped out into the range of the torch. The three men stiffened.

Hinata winced. She'd forgotten to conceal her Hyuuga lineage.

"My name is No-Name Hinata," she said, a gentle reminder that she had no loyalty to the Hyuuga. But from the dark glint in their eyes, they had also remembered that if she was capable of betrayal once, she was also capable of it a second time.

They were already suspicious of her, and would not believe anything less than the persona of a traitor. There was no room for kindness. Maybe there never was.

The men jumped at the sound of faint shouts - the guards were coming. They turned back to her and she gave them a cold smile. Her pale eyes made her expression predatory.

"Follow me if you want to survive tonight," she said harshly. "Your life is in your own hands." Then she turned and dashed down the hall, cloak billowing silently behind her. To her relief, she heard three sets of footsteps galvanized into action behind her.

She led them efficiently through the shadows of the hallways, as if she really had never left this place, as if this place never left her. Her familiarity and certainty only contributed to their mistrust. She had no way to truly prove her loyalties, or lack thereof. But they followed her, for they had no choice.

In twist and turns of the dungeons, they met no obstacles, but the open space before the outer perimeter left them vulnerable. Soldiers were already gathering in the courtyard, weapons forming the silhouette of another fence. Their chances of climbing to the wall unseen were minimal, not to mention the additional challenge of stealing any horses. They will have to fight their way out.

"How fit for battle are you three?" she asked quietly. One of them cursed. The messenger's brother finally answered in a defeated tone. "We've been starved and beaten for a week. "

Hinata shrugged. "Good. Then, they will be surprised." She dashed forward, ignoring the soft squawks of disbelief behind her, naginata already drawn for combat when movement caught her eye. She looked up.

A dark figure hung for a moment against the moonlight, spiked hair and regal profile hauntingly familiar. She stopped, barely registering the fumbled steps of the men trying to avoid crashing into her. Even from that distance, she knew. Simply knew.

"Sasuke..." she whispered, more garbled sob than words. All her justifications crumbled so quickly before the reckless hope that maybe he had figured it all out, that something still could be right in her world. Then he was gone, like a trick of light.

"Breach in the northern tower! He can't be allowed to see her!"

The soldiers rushed to apprehend the other intruder, so sure that there was only one. This was their only chance.

Hinata made a sharp motion with her hand. To her surprise, the men obeyed immediately like seasoned soldiers. She glanced back, and saw renewed determination in their eyes. It was a startling realization - they were willing to follow her because of that moment of humanity in her, the culmination of all her choices and sacrifices. Her charade as the cold, cruel mercenary would never have earned her that sort of trust.

But her humanity had.


The next time he woke, so little had changed that it took Sasuke a moment to be certain Gaara's appearance wasn't just a nightmare. He lifted a hand and traced the fresh bandages over his eyes. Someone had changed them when he was sleeping, and he was still too weak to even notice the intrusion. The thought irked him, and he contemplated removing the bandages out of spite.

Shaking his head clear of such ideas, Sasuke eased himself up to grab a drink of water. His equilibrium tilted dangerously, forcing him to grab the edge of his cot for a long moment. As he was beginning to suspect, someone was feeding him something to keep him weak and docile.

In a rough movement, he tore the gauze that blinded him. It took a few blinks to confirm that his eyes were open, yet he saw only darkness. But judging by the sounds of human activity, it was day. He should be panicking, yet Sasuke only felt a sort of resignation. He'd known even before he overtaxed his eyes. With time and healing, maybe, just maybe, he could regain some sight in his right, but the left was gone.

In a hazy last ditch effort, Sasuke pushed his sluggish chakra to his fingers, igniting a tiny flame. He thought he detected something, but it could have just as easily been his imagination. He felt his chakra prematurely sputter out.

With a sigh, he fell back onto the cot, staring up at the ceiling with his sightless eyes. It was disorienting to look without seeing, and he could almost feel himself spinning.

He heard the faint sound of someone approaching. Sasuke felt around for the discarded bandages and deftly rewrapped them back around his eyes. He pulled the covers up in time to appear sleeping when Oushou stepped into the tent.

"Soso?" the child asked, uncharacteristically timid. "Are you awake? Sousuke?"

Sasuke remained quiet.

"Guess not," Oushou whispered to himself. With a little sigh, he headed back to the door.

"How could I possibly sleep with the kind of noise you make?"

Sasuke immediately cursed himself. He could feel the brat brighten up.

"You've been asleep for a week, Soso! Mama was worried."

The Woman must have overdosed him. Sasuke sneered at the incompetence and made an inward promise to crawl out of this hell hole as soon as he was able.

"Tell her not to drug me so much, then," he drawled back. He heard Oushou approach.

"Then be sick," was the snotty reply.

"I'd be less sick if your Mama isn't so bad at giving drugs," Sasuke argued petulantly. Why he was arguing with a kid over something so stupid, even he wasn't sure. Kami help him, he'd even degenerated to insulting the brat's mother. He needed to get off those drugs.

"Nu-uh! She's the best."

"Clearly not, since I'm still on the sick bed."

"You'd be dead if she didn't."

"How do you know? I might still be alive for another reason. Your Mama might have made me closer to death than I originally was by botching up the treatment."

"B-because Mama carried you in and you were bleeding! She looked s-sad and she only looks sad when she's worried someone is d-dying!"

Sasuke paused, realizing he might have pushed too far. The child was getting so upset he was starting to stutter. While the tick was oddly endearing, it was hardly a glorious thing to make a kid cry.

"I believe you," he finally admitted. "Please don't start crying."

"I wasn't!" There was a sniffle.

"Something in your eye, of course," Sasuke muttered. "Really living up to the 'Oushou' name there."

There was a pause.

"But I'm not Oushou."

"That woman called you 'Oushou'," Sasuke said suspiciously.

"You're stupid. Jo's real name is Oushou, like Oujou, a princess. My name is Nori. Kuri yells at Oushou a lot because he's s'pposed to watch me."

Sasuke was barely comprehending the overload of misleading monikers. Who was related to who, and how? The whole mess made his head hurt, so Sasuke picked the easiest route.

"Seaweed?" he grumbled. The food name would make Nori-not-Oushou truly Naruto's bastard child.

"Mean!" was the declaration. Sasuke was sure Nori was pointing a finger at him. "It stands for belief. Faith. In myself. In those around me. That was what Mama wanted most for me."

"And how old are you?" There was silence. He was likely holding up fingers. "I can't see you," growled Sasuke.

"Oh. Four. I'm a big girl now." Sasuke just sighed. He should really stop making assumptions. Next thing he knew, Nori-or-whatever-the-brat's-actually-called will claim she was some long lost lizard princess. He snorted at the absurdity.

There was a little yawn and a rustle of fabric. Then the side of his cot dipped. Sasuke stiffened. "What. Are. You. Doing?"

The brat actually had the gall to sit on his cot and lay on his arm.

"Nap time," was the cheeky answer. Then, he felt her snuggle. "Nighty-night." Her body slacked into sleep almost immediately.

Sasuke felt an eye twitch. Where was Oushou/Jo/the Babysitter? He was not some sort of cushion for children. What if she got a nightmare? What if she drooled? What if she wet the bed? If that was the case, how much would she be allowed to pee before it was acceptable to pitch her across the tent for such an offense?

And why the hell did he care if it was acceptable or not?!

Despite his panic, slumber was a contagious thing, and Sasuke felt himself grow sleepy. But for the first time, it wasn't the bone-deep sort of weariness he'd been accustomed to, but the warm laziness of a nap in the sun.

"Only because you're so annoying," he muttered. He was going to tell them to stop with the drugs tomorrow, because he was losing his mind.

But for now...Sasuke felt his eyelids drift shut.


AN:

-Big thanks to Rhinst for betaing and shooting down all those little inconsistencies!

-Well, the cat regarding Nori's parentage is probably out of the bag and birthing kittens at this point. Though a few of you caught scarily quick. Hopefully, I was still able to surprise you on some aspects.

-Nori's penchant for nicknames is not convenient for anyone. Including me when I'm trying to keep those names straight.

-Hopefully no one's tooo confused. I'll try to answer questions - just make sure it's an account that I can answer to! Sometimes some of you don't log in/don't accept PMs. And I can't answer your questions…(sadface).

-Sorry for the wait. The well runneth sad and dry.

-But...still let me know what you think! I'm getting back into the flow of things, and your comments are always helpful/great to read.