Prodigals
Chapter 03
Party All The Time
or
In Which Sasuke Is Embarrassed and Naruto Is Possessive
It had been about a week since the Rookie Nine's little reunion at Korean Barbeque Palace and already Sasuke had transformed into his reclusive prepubescent self. Naruto and Sakura were unable to locate even simple traces of his chakra signature. They had checked everywhere: the training grounds, his apartment, the training grounds, Kakashi's apartment, the training grounds, the old Uchiha compound, the training grounds…
"Where could he be?" murmured Sakura to herself. She was not feeling very confident; if he was this withdrawn after only a few short days in Konohagakure, maybe he was planning to do something – rash. But he had seemed so open with Hinata… but maybe that was it. Maybe there really was something going on.
Mentally smacking herself, Sakura shook her head. I haven't seen the boy - I mean, really seen him - in years, and I fall to pieces when he shows the slightest sign of unhappiness? Ridiculous! I'm a kunoichi of the Hidden Leaf, damn it!
"No worries, Sakura-chan! We'll find him, don't even worry about it." One thing had reverted for the better – Naruto's attitude. He was his old cheerful self again. Sakura smiled at him.
"You're right, we – hey, is that Hinata-chan?"
Naruto's electric blue eyes lit up immediately as he swiveled his head to where Sakura had pointed. "It is indeed!" He disappeared with a tiny pop. Sakura watched from a distance as he snuck up behind Hinata and made her jump a foot in the air.
"Naruto-kun! You shouldn't do that," she groaned, placing a hand over her erratic heartbeat. "I'm not used to being snuck up on…" On the inside, she was amazed. She really hadn't sensed him at all.
"I know you've been gone for a while, but you should know that Konoha's Number One Unpredictable Ninja… loves to torture the people in his hometown the most! I – OUCH! Sakura-chaaaaaaaaaan…"
"You idiot! That was so rude!" Turning to Hinata, Sakura's demeanor changed immediately. Flashing the Hyuuga a bright smile, she apologized for Naruto. "Sorry about him – guess some things never change, right? Anyway, Hinata-chan, Naruto and I were just wondering if you knew where Sasuke might be."
"I'm a little shocked he hasn't told you… well, maybe not completely."
"What? What is it?"
Hinata tapped her chin. "Hmm... how to put this… Okay. As I'm sure you're aware, we did not get off scot-free for abandoning the village. We both got punished, but Sasuke got the worst of it, because he ran off to Orochimaru, our number one enemy. And, well, part of his punishment…"
-
"No. Way." Naruto was gaping, open-mouthed. This was simply impossible. Sakura was speechless, a glazed look on her face.
"I'd have to say that Tsunade-sama thought up the most demeaning punishment," said Hinata lightly, an amused lilt to her voice.
The three were looking into the open window of Iruka-sensei's room in the Academy, watching as Sasuke recited basic hand seals with ten-year-olds. He was glancing at them every so often and every time he did, his scowl deepened.
"He's stuck there every day until lunch, and then he gets a mental health check up from the Hokage once a week, as ordered by the Elders. After that, he's free to do his own thing. I suspect he's been avoiding you so he wouldn't have to talk about it."
"Same old, same old," muttered Naruto, grinning at Sasuke and waving cheerily.
"Hinata-chan, what else do you have to do?" asked Sakura curiously.
"Well… even though Hokage-sama knows we're well above chuunin-level, she's making us take the Chuunin Exam. She says we're going to pass no matter what… but we still have to go through with it. That was definitely a blow, knowing our skills but not acknowledging them. Also, we can only get certain missions… namely, ones that wouldn't give us the chance to compromise our loyalties. But believe me…" Hinata's eyes became glazed and faraway, losing the warm glow that made her so much more approachable than other Hyuuga.
"Our loyalties lie in one place only – Konohagakure no Sato."
Naruto grinned, though it was a little more toned down than normal. "Good to know, good to know," he said without a hint of insincerity or doubt.
Her face lightened as his subtle excusal of whatever might have happened to her in the past six years. She was about to respond when they heard a dull ringing sound.
"That's the lunch bell," said Hinata. "Iruka-sensei lets him leave then, so he's probably –"
There was a slight, almost inaudible whoosh. When Sakura looked back in the classroom, Sasuke was nowhere to be found.
"– already gone."
Sakura was smiling sympathetically.
Hinata was looking sheepish.
Naruto was grinning amusedly.
Sasuke couldn't look at any of them; instead, he scowled off into the distance.
"You know, Sasuke-kun," Sakura began, attempting to placate him. "You could have told us."
"Hn."
Naruto had a hand stuffed in his mouth, desperately trying to muffle his laughter. Sasuke's classic stone-cold glare did not deter his behavior in the slightest.
"Sasuke, they would've found out sooner or later," Hinata said. "Don't pout."
"I do not pout."
"You so do."
"Not."
"So."
"Not."
"So – like a spoiled child."
"I am NOT a spoiled child!" Sasuke hissed loudly, turning away from her and crossing his arms over his chest, looking very much like a spoiled child.
"Hey, Hinata-san, Sasuke-san!"
A boy was running toward them, waving excitedly. He had an average build for a sixteen-year-old boy. Though his brown hair and eyes were fairly unremarkable, the boyish sweetness of his face made him stand out against the other teenage boys in the crowded Konoha road.
Hinata smiled and waved back. "Hello, Shige-kun," she said when the boy drew closer. A tiny pink tinge appeared on his face but Hinata didn't notice. Somebody else did.
"Hi," Shige said, with a tiny, embarrassed squeak to his voice. After letting his gaze linger a little too long on Hinata, he turned to Sasuke with a smile, which soon drooped. "Err… is something wrong, Sasuke-san?"
"No," answered the Avenger coolly. "What do you want, Tatsuoki?"
"Um, well, I've been looking all over for you both!" said Shige, looking a little nervous again. "The Hokage has to talk with us about the Chuunin Exam."
"What about?"
"I don't know, she wouldn't tell me. I'm really worried. What if she doesn't let us compete or something?"
"Don't worry so much, Shige-kun. I'm sure it's nothing like that," Hinata reassured him kindly. He looked at her devotedly. "Of course you're right, Hinata-san…" he sighed, almost dreamily.
"Hey Hinata-chan, you never introduced us!" Naruto said suddenly, stressing the –chan suffix as he threw an arm around her shoulders and leaned his face down so that their cheeks almost brushed. Hinata's face pinked accordingly. The blonde jinchuuriki stared down at the younger boy with a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes. Shige withered.
"A-ah, so sorry Naruto-kun. Shige-kun, this is Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura, Sasuke's original teammates. Naruto-kun, Sakura-san, this is Tatsuoki Shigeruki, Shige for short. He's our teammate for the upcoming exam."
"That's nice," said Sakura. She was clearly amused by Naruto's behavior. "What happened to your team, Shige-kun?"
"Um, first our sensei, Akimichi Choumi, decided that she wanted to open a Korean barbeque restaurant and stop being a ninja; after we got a new teacher, Taro, one of my teammates, got severely injured on a mission, and decided he didn't want to be a ninja anymore either. Anda-chan already made it on to chuunin level." He was clearly dejected.
"Oh, Shige-kun, don't worry about it. It's good that you're showing perseverance; that's one of the key aspects of a shinobi's lifestyle," Sakura said supportively. He seemed to cheer up a bit.
"Thank you, Haruno-san! We should probably go see the Hokage now, though; she sent me to find you two a couple hours ago."
"Uh oh," said Naruto, looking at Hinata knowingly. She turned her head to listen to him and their faces were almost touching.
"You better get going. Nobody keeps granny waiting for long."
"Not even Kakashi-sensei - mostly," Sakura added. Hinata nodded. "See you guys around."
"See you around, Hinata-chan!" Sakura elbowed him hard in the stomach.
"Oh, uh, and you too, teme!"
-
Shige couldn't help but fidget, even though both Sasuke and Hinata were as still as stones.
How can they be so calm?! I mean, she's the GODAIME HOKAGE! Being personally called to her office either means you've done something really good or really bad… and with my old team's luck…
But as it turned out, it had been neither really good nor really bad – it was simply necessary and urgent.
"Shigeruki, we've got an important matter to discuss with you," Tsunade began solemnly. "If you were not already aware, Hinata and Sasuke are former missing-nin of the village."
The boy turned to gape at Sasuke and then Hinata. They chose to continue to focus on the Hokage.
"They are in the middle of their repentance, and part of that repentance is participation in the Chuunin Exam later this week. However, both of them are high-profile ninja, with very powerful enemies. It wouldn't be a surprise to anyone if some of their enemies attempted to infiltrate the exam."
Shige found his throat was suddenly very dry and he fought the urge to swallow. The three experienced ninja in front of and next to him watched as his face went pale.
"I'm sure that you've figured out by now that puts your life directly in danger. I'll understand if you wish to drop out."
"WHAT? No way, Hokage-sama! I've worked too hard to get where I am right now! I can do it!"
Yesterday, during the written exam, he had felt super confident; but now, Shige was very close to eating his words as he stood outside the Forest of Death. Signing a death waiver usually wasn't the most reassuring to do, in any case.
"Shige-kun, you look so worried. Honestly, this was the easiest part of the exam for my team when we were twelve. It shouldn't be any trouble at all for us now."
Sasuke snorted. Hinata rolled her eyes. "The odds were against Team 7, however. But I'm sure that if Orochimaru hadn't been after them, they would've passed more easily."
"Orochimaru?" asked Shige, wide-eyed.
"When the Hokage said we were 'high profile', she meant it," said Sasuke, a smirk playing about his lips.
"On your mark," Anko yelled, her voice echoing around the contestants. "Get set…."
Hinata and Sasuke exchanged a glance. They would be letting Shigeruki lead them through the forest; it would be more of a learning exercise for him than either of them.
"GO!"
-
They had made it to the Tower in a record half hour. Shige had, though nervously, thought up a passably clever plan once Hinata had located a team from which to pilfer a heaven scroll. The rest had just been straight running back to the Tower and avoiding the subsequent obstacles. Upon reaching the tower, they had opened the scroll and Iruka had explained to them (really, to Shige) about the purpose of the last test before wishing them then luck and poof-ing away.
A bored-looking Anko was sitting at a desk in the receiving hallway of the Tower, twirling a kunai between her fingers lazily. She wasn't due for a patrol for another half hour. When she caught sight of the three of them, however, she toppled over ungracefully.
"What the – how the hell did you finish?!" she exclaimed, staring at them. "The exam only started forty five minutes ago!"
Hinata smiled serenely; Shige scratched his head nervously; and Sasuke made a 'pfft' noise and looked away.
"Ugh," said the exuberant kunoichi. "Kids. Well, I guess you're hanging out here for the next, oh, five days. There are many rooms where you can recuperate, but pick one room and stay there. I don't mediate fights, got it?"
"Of course, Mitarashi-san," Hinata said finally, as her teammates were unable/didn't want to form coherent sentences around Anko. "Thank you for your help."
The next one hundred nineteen hours and fifteen minutes seemed excruciatingly long and boring to all three. By the time the fifth day rolled around, Sasuke had been reduced to playing twenty questions.
"Is it living?"
"Yes."
"Does it have gender?"
"Yes."
"Is it male?"
"No."
"Is she a human?"
"Yes."
"Is she a ninja?"
"Yes."
"Does she have pink hair?" Hinata threw in innocently. Sasuke glared at her.
"What did you say, Hinata-san?"
"Nothing, Shige-kun. Continue."
"Okay. Is she a medical ninja?"
"Yes."
"Is she strong?"
"…yes." Unfortunately for Sasuke, Shige was exceptionally perceptive when it came to twenty questions.
"Is she beautiful?" he asked cheekily. Sasuke's eyes widened almost unnoticeably.
"…she –"
There was a loud knock at the door. "Hey, guys!" It was Moegi. She continued to yell through the door. "We're finally starting – the time limit just ran out! We gotta go downstairs!"
She, Konohamaru and Udon, also known as Team 3, were competing in the Chuunin Exam as well, for a second time; because their sensei Ebisu was wary of sending them into enemy territories, he had only signed them up to compete in Konoha. As the fourteen-year-olds were now exceptionally talented (not so much as the Rookie Nine, yet), it wouldn't be long until they made it to chuunin level.
Another participant in this year's exams was Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi, who passed them in the hall on the way downstairs. The thirteen-year-old had quickly excelled, and she had graduated in the class ahead of Konohamaru's; however, Hiashi had forbidden her to compete at any chuunin exam not in Konoha, to keep her eyes safe.
Hanabi turned up her nose at her sister; Sasuke managed not to beat the girl's face in and ignored the shadows that flitted through Hinata's eyes as Hanabi snubbed her. He knew what it was like not to receive the acknowledgement of someone important to him; luckily for Sasuke, Itachi was now on his "must-kill" list and he didn't need to worry about impressing him. Hinata, however, didn't have that luxury.
The prelims flew by, once again necessary because of the number of teams that had passed the second test. All of Team 3 had made it through to the finals, much to Ebisu's delight. Only Hanabi had made it from her team; Hinata, Sasuke, and Shige had all made it through. From foreign villages came an Iwa nin, a Suna nin, and a Kumo nin.
"Congratulations," said Tsunade, dressed in her Hokage uniform. "You have braved the depths of the Forest of Death and fought your opponents totally blind. But the final portion of the exam is a bit different. A month from today, you will be competing in a tournament-style format. During this month, you will be expected to train and gather information on your opponents. Now, in order to determine who you will be fighting, we will now draw lots."
There was quiet few minutes in which they all drew numbers from a box.
"When I call you name, please state the number you drew," said Shikamaru, the jounin who had been proctoring the exam.
"Konohamaru."
"Six."
"Moegi."
"Three."
"Hinata."
"One."
"Shigeruki."
"Five."
"Nii Yuugito, of Kumogakure no Sato."
"Two."
"Sasuke."
"Nine."
"Makatsu Daichi, of Iwagakure no Sato."
"Four."
"Hanabi."
"Seven."
"Damashi Masato, of Sunagakure no Sato."
"Eight."
"Alright." Shikamaru scribbled on his notepad for a moment before clearing his throat.
"The Chuunin Exam Final matches will proceed as such: Hinata versus Yuugito; Moegi versus Daichi; Shigeruki versus Konohamaru; and Hanabi against the winner of the Masato versus Sasuke match."
Sasuke had noticed with dismay that he was had to fight an extra match. How annoying. When he looked to Tsunade, he saw her looking directly at him and smirking. His scowl deepened. Damned old bat – she planned the whole thing!
"We'll see you in a month, ladies and gentleman – prepare yourselves," said Tsunade, her smirk widening a hair as she observed the genin. With a loud crack, she and the other jounin sensei disappeared.
Shige let loose a long breath as they were dismissed, sagging in relief. "Phew! Glad that's over."
Sasuke raised his eyebrow delicately. "What are you so relaxed for?"
"I mean, that's the hard part, right? The Forest of Death? Now I've only got to fight people, you know, instead of wolverines and things."
Hinata looked at him with a slight smile. "Shige-kun… Sasuke was in the finals the first time he took the exam."
"So?"
"He trained with the Legendary Hatake Kakashi, studied obsessively, worked himself nearly to death and learned a super-powerful, near-forbidden assassination technique."
Shige was staring at her, mouth agape.
"And he still lost. Give that a little thought when you train this month, okay?"
-
As soon as he had heard about their successes, Naruto had organized a party for Sasuke and Hinata.
"But Naruto-kun, we just had one a couple weeks ago…"
"This is a completely different celebration, Hinata-chan! We've got to celebrate all over again!"
"And besides," Sasuke added wryly. "Party simply means that we all go to Korean Barbeque Palace or Ichiraku and hang out."
'Who'd thunk it? Uchiha Sasuke, party advocate.'
"I guess…"
Thus, Hinata found herself walking to Korean Barbeque Palace two days after the preliminaries, wearing a white halter top and denim capris with the customary white cloth wrapped around her forehead. Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun; and, with a nice pair of heels, she felt she had completed the outfit.
"Hi, Naruto-kun…"
"Hey, Hina – whoa!" He looked up from where he was helping a waitress set up their table and blushed slightly. "You look good!"
She mimicked his red face threefold before shyly tucking a stray lock behind her ear. "Thanks."
"So… you excited about the exams?"
"Kind of… I mean, Tsunade-sama totally rigged them so Sasuke and I would fight in the finals. It's less fun that way."
"You know, 'fun' is not usually a term used to describe an exam where you have to sign a death waiver."
"Hey – you know what kind of a weirdo I am, Naruto-kun…"
"Not anymore." He looked at her for a minute with an expression that she couldn't read.
"I… I'm so sorry Naruto-kun, I've been standing here like an idiot while you're doing all the work! Let me – "
"Tch, don't worry about it," he said nonchalantly, looking away from her. "I'm almost done."
After a few minutes, the old Rookie Nine started to trickle in, minus Chouji, who was cooking in the back. Again, Hinata felt a certain comfort fill her like a warm drink on a winter's day. It was a nice feeling, and one she got with increasing frequency nowadays.
"Hinata-chan!" Kiba said with a grin, sliding into the seat next to her. "What's shakin'?"
"Nothing really, just waiting for you," she replied with a smile. Shino materialized out of nowhere and sat down across from them.
"I hope this baka is not bothering you, Hinata," said Shino in his famous monotone.
"What was that, Bug-boy?!"
"You heard me."
"Why I oughta – OUCH! Damn it, Ino!"
"You're ruining the evening already, idiot!"
"Troublesome woman…"
"What was that, Shikamaru?!"
"Maa, maa, Ino-chan, I'm sure that Shikamaru didn't mean it unkindly."
"That's a lie and you know it, Chouji, he always means that I'm troublesome when he says it!"
"You're the one who's ruining the evening now, Ino-buta! Could you be a little louder?"
"Sorry, billboard brow, but your large forehead was taking up so much of the table I couldn't restrain my irritation…"
"WHAT?!"
Hinata smiled, giggling softly at their antics. She liked her quiet time, that much was true; but when your constant traveling companion was quiet too, well, sometimes the silence could be stifling. That, plus hearing all their voices again, made the evening quite enjoyable for Hinata -
For a while, that is.
"Mind if I crash the party?"
Standing at the head of their table was Yuugito, dressed in a short, strapless black dress that clung to her slim frame suggestively.
"Yuugito-san! Long time, no see," said Sakura, smiling kindly at the Kumo kunoichi. She smiled back tentatively.
"Tell me about it. Say, is Naruto-kun here with you by any chance?"
"Yuugito-chan? Is that you?" said Naruto's excited voice. He had returned from the bathroom and he enveloped Yuugito in a quick hug. "What are you doing here? How's life been treating you?"
"She's participating in the chuunin exam," said Shikamaru mildly. "I didn't know you knew her."
"Yeah, we had a mission where we ran into her a while back – two years ago, I think," said Sakura, tapping a finger to her chin in a thinking pose. "I'd be surprised if you didn't hear about it… she was a hostage of the Akatsuki we were hired to apprehend, and, well, you know how Naruto has a certain effect on people – even when he was so aloof…"
The others grinned knowingly while Naruto and Yuugito talked for a bit. It was painfully clear that she was infatuated with him, and her every nuance and little giggle seemed to be directed at him. Naruto, to his credit, either had absolutely no idea or was cool as a cucumber about it and didn't respond to her advances.
"You guys didn't tell me you had Yuugito-chan in the exam with you!" said Naruto with a grin, turning to Hinata and Sasuke happily. His smile faltered.
Hinata had turned away from him, her face obscured by shadow, hands clasped tightly in her lap. Sasuke's arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were narrowed calculatingly at Yuugito, who wilted slightly under his gaze.
"Guys?" Naruto asked, a bit cautious. "Is something –"
"I'm getting a little tired," said Hinata. Her voice was cooler than ice. She stood up smoothly from her kneeling position at the low table and arranged her sitting pillow neatly. "I think I'll turn in for the night."
"Hinata-chan, what are you –"
"Good night, Naruto-san," she said stiffly, brushing his hand away. She slipped into the shadows and with a small pop, she had disappeared. Naruto looked at Sasuke. The blonde was perturbed by her behavior and by his demotion from –kun to –san.
"What –"
"I don't think you understand exactly how much she loathes Kumogakure and everybody in it," said Sasuke quietly. "It's akin to my hatred of Itachi. And she deserves that hate. More than anyone."
He stood up as well and began to walk to the exit.
"Where are you going?" Naruto asked desperately.
"Damage control," Sasuke said casually. Naruto's frown deepened.
"Don't bother. We needed to talk anyway."
A tiny whirlwind covered his escape, and within seconds he had vanished as well. Sasuke strolled back to the table and set upon his barbeque politely. Everyone else was left to deal with the tension that had built uncomfortably. Yuugito looked crushed.
"Umm… who exactly is that woman to Naruto?" she asked Sakura carefully. The pink-haired woman was staring at the entrance to Korean Barbeque Palace in a way that was both amused at Naruto's overprotective streak but more so confused at Hinata's distant behavior and apparent hatred of her friend Yuugito.
"I really don't know…"
Hinata walked through the fast-emptying streets of Konohagakure angrily.
I thought I came home to be rid of my past, not repeat it! I can't believe she thinks she can just – she can just – waltz into my village and near my man and –
Whoa. My friend. My friends, plural, actually. Waltz into my village and near my friends and pretend as though she doesn't even know how completely deranged Kumogakure is! How dare she?
Fury was pounding in her ears, but hopelessness was too.
I will never be rid of this. My past will always haunt me, won't it?
"Hinata!"
She turned around with surprise.
"Naruto?" she asked softly. He was standing there, looking at her with a frown on his face. He really did look handsome – with his hair flopping down in his eyes, unhindered by a forehead-protector; his black and orange jacket was unzipped slightly, leaving lean, taut skin and a mesh shirt exposed. Combined with the golden tan, sky-blue eyes, and prominent but not bulging muscles, he screamed "sex" whether he was aware of it or not. Several girls on the streets pointed and giggled. They were ignored.
"Hinata, please tell me what's wrong," he said softly, using her uncertain state to grab a hold of her hands with his own. "Please." He looked down at her pleadingly.
She sighed and looked away from him. "It's a long story to tell. One I wouldn't want to bore you with." One I wouldn't want to relive ever again.
"My attention span has increased a lot in the past six years," he said earnestly. "I won't be bored, and that's a promise."
"I…I-I don't really know how much I can tell you anyway," she said as she pulled her hands away and turned around. As she began to stride away, Naruto quickly caught up and walked in time with her. His sharp shinobi eyes had caught sight of something.
"Does it have anything to do with that mark on your neck?"
The genjutsu must've come undone!
Gasping, she quickly used both her hands to cover her neck. Hinata felt her earlier fury become misdirected at the blonde in her dread to hide her most shameful secret.
"It's none of your business!" she snarled, clearly angry and upset.
She took off again, except this time she was moving at speeds that no normal person could see. Trees, houses, people, and streetlights flew past her without notice. Panic had gotten a grip on her and she needed to get away before Naruto could see her disgrace.
When Hinata finally stopped, she took a deep breath and looked around. She chuckled darkly.
"Talk about a flashback…" The reason I was experimented on in the first place.
She was standing in front of the Hyuuga Compound. Shaking her head, she plopped unceremoniously down on the nearest bench and buried her head in her hands.
I hate how one little thing can put me in such a bad mood and ruin a potentially nice evening.
One little skank, you mean.
Basically. Don't I deserve that? One potentially nice evening or two?
Of course, came the comforting contralto of her… partner-in-crime. She preferred to think of their relationship as that of equals as opposed to warden and prisoner, because the Five-Tails was such a wise and kind old spirit (not really even a demon, in the terms that the peoples of the Godaikoku defined "demon"). She had been like a mentor to Hinata in the past couple of years.
I'm sorry to report, however, that life isn't always fair.
Like I need the reminder.
"Whatcha thinking about?"
Hinata nearly jumped out of her skin as she realized that she was not alone.
"Wha… you… um, I…"
Naruto grinned softly. "Don't rush to answer, now. I'm not going anywhere."
"H-how did you follow me?"
"You're not the only one who's improved."
Hinata bit her lip apprehensively. What does he want to know, anyway?
"I'm not asking for your life story, Hinata. I just want to know why Yuugito upsets you so much. There's also something Sasuke said…"
Hinata's ears perked up. What did that baka say?
"That your hate for Kumogakure was more deserved than anyone else's. And that it rivaled his hate for Itachi."
"That's quite the compliment coming from my Avenger," Hinata said, mouth twitching in dark amusement. Naruto scowled at the use of the possessive article.
"Anyway," he said a tad too forcefully. "I would really, really… really like to know why. I don't want to make light of your previous – situation with Kumogakure, but back when we were genin, you didn't have this hatred for them - at least, I don't think so."
"That's because when I was a genin, I truly believed that the ninja who attempted to kidnap me and consequently ruined my life had been acting out of personal greed and selfish reasoning, not because he was ordered to by his superiors. I accepted the fact that he was not working with Cloud when he did what he did. But now… I know better. I know for a fact that he was ordered by the Yondaime Raikage himself to infiltrate Konoha under the guise of the peace treaty and kidnap me to experiment on my eyes." Or, more accurately, research a way to prevent them from being sealed – ever.
"Is that really the only reason?"
As usual, Naruto's natural perceptiveness was right on target. Annoyingly so.
"No."
Naruto, who was situated next to her on the bench began to inch closer, leaning towards her in anticipation. She took a deep breath.
"I – "
"Monster."
Naruto straightened up resentfully, hiding his quickly-growing rage under a mask of annoyance.
"Who goes?"
Hanabi slid out from the shadows. Her hate-filled stare, however, was not focused on Naruto, but Hinata. Her piercing white eyes seemed to judge her very soul. She had not changed much in six years; besides shooting up like a weed (she was almost as tall as Hinata by now when she was five years younger), her hair was still the meticulously-groomed wave of chocolate brown and her face still held the haughty superiority. Her clothes were still Hyuuga dress robes.
But, while she had never particularly liked – or disliked, for that matter – her sister, now her eyes burned with loathing when they saw the sibling who was as close to her opposite as they could get.
Hanabi would be tall and slender; Hinata was shorter, but more voluptuous. Hanabi was cold and regal; Hinata was warm and caring. Hanabi was the Hyuuga genius; Hinata was the Hyuuga failure. Hanabi was capable of hating her family; Hinata was not. This was why she looked away from her sister, shamefaced.
"Imouto," she said softly, unable to meet Hanabi's gaze. Her scowl deepened.
"Don't call me that," she hissed. "I will have no connection to you! I'm only here to deliver a message at the request of my father."
She flung an envelope made of heavy, expensive paper violently at Hinata's face. She caught it effortlessly.
"Thank you, Hyuuga-sama," Hinata said formally, bowing in respect as she stood up.
"Feh. Thank me by never coming near me again, demon."
With that final, cutting statement, she strode away, back toward the Hyuuga Compound. When Naruto glanced at Hinata, she was looking in the direction that her sister had gone, determinedly biting her lip as her eyes glistened dangerously.
"Hinata…"
"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun," she said. It was clearly an effort for her not to burst into tears. "But I really don't feel like talking tonight."
Naruto flinched at the look of utter misery on her face before he walked over to her and placed an arm around her shoulders.
"C'mon. I'll walk you home."
Wow, this was a long chapter. I hope I made up for the wait.
Vocab? Ummm... Godaikoku: "five greats", as in countries; Konoha (leaf), Suna (sand), Iwa (stone), Kumo (cloud), and Kiri (mist). Nii Yuugito - that really is her last name. I was reading the chapter when Kakuzu and Hidan are trying to capture her the other day.
I welcome questions, concerns, comments and even criticism with open arms. Seriously. As long as you tell me what I did wrong (in a smart way) then I will take that into account.
Happy Review Awareness Day! What?! You've never heard of Review Awareness Day?!?!?!!? It's a special day on which the readers are supposed to take the time (after patiently reading through the chapter) to leave a review for the sad, completely unpaid author! (I get no royalties people, this is FAN-fiction.)
Well? What are you waiting for?!
FPC