A Will of Namazu
Author's note 1 : As I expected, I managed to put a Naruto/Hanabi scene at the Hyuuga compound – I had to, anyway. What did you like in the previous chapter that marked you ? ^^ I'd like to read your thoughts. As for Hinata's training I will detail it as much as I can because I truly want you to see how she will struggle to get stronger. Hence the title of this fan-fiction – she lacked confidence, she will learn to trust her own skills. She lacked leadership, she will learn to lead in her journey.
Author's note 2 : So I've just re-watched How To Train Your Dragon 2 lately...and I loved it! The black dragon is just so cute when it smiles! #iamafangirl. Anyway, I thank you all for those reviews and adds in your lists. Here is the chapter where we would see Hinata beginning a different training from the Hyuuga training.
Oh! And I've been thinking about this : why don't you try to listen to a song that matches each chapter ? If you're thinking of one in particular, please feel free to listen to it while reading the chapter. I'll add some songs of mine in certain chapters of A Will of Namazu when I deem it good.
Find a song to listen to while reading.
Chapter Three : Flexible and Balanced in the Wind
Nature surrounded her, watched her – waited for her. Where her keen eyes couldn't see due to the clothing around them she still had her ears, her nose and her hands. Relying on her other senses would help to sharpen them even more and improve her skills ; the Byakugan could see and notice everything through miles if the user extended his sight but if he was suddenly rendered blind, he would be considerably weakened and defeated easily. So easily killed. She had strengthened her Byakugan in secret and had selfishly kept it for herself so she could see within miles and miles away – if she could extend her sight beyond her own imagination, there was no way the young kunoichi would be able to refrain herself to stop this kind of training (it felt good not to train under Hyuuga training because she could rely on her imagination to toughen herself). Hinata stood perfectly still on the spot she decided to use as a practice field, bare-footed and blindfolded. Practice was the best way to grow stronger and stronger until she finally reaches the level she was looking for and the young kunoichi couldn't help but think of the time that would take – years, surely. Patience must be mustered so she could become strong and mature enough to heal properly. There were wounds that needed to be tended with ways that no one could ever imagine and Hinata being one of those persons in need of healing, she just knew that crying won't ever work. It won't. Training her other senses in the wild with the other elements won't be easy but Hinata had found the idea wonderful ; since water was her element she had thought that starting by wind as an element of balance and grace would greatly help her in certain conditions. She was gracious enough on water and wondered what it would feel like if she was able to do the same while being carried in the wind.
She tilted her head on the side and allowed the gentle breeze to brush her long, silken hair. Sniffing through her nose she recognized many scents – the fish she has just caught, the non-agressive and appeasing smell of the wood, her lavender perfume she always used. Concentrating now on her ears she relaxed and listened ; there were all kinds of noises around her that she easily identified in her head – the chirping of birds, the rushing of water in the river nearby, the rustling of leaves and the whistling of the breeze, noises that she has been accustomed to since her departure from Konohagakure. Noises that she had started to appreciate if she didn't count the robbers she could encounter during her journey. She took a huge gulp of air, then exhaled. She repeated the same action twice.
And she started to move.
She may not have been the strongest Gentle Fist user in her clan but balance was something Hinata greatly excelled at ; others would always think she was graciously and elegantly dancing through the wind when she fought, which was something that she had always felt proud of. Hanabi would complain about her lack of grace and balance and almost whine to Hinata until she complied to teach her how to be as gracious as she was. Her movements were slow at first but picked up in speed when the wind started to gain in strenght : her long hair floated around her like a dark and glistening curtain and followed all her gestures, her body seemed to find its way through the powerful element simply by letting itself get carried on – it turned on its sides, twisted sometimes with this incredible grace. Hinata rarely touched the ground but when she did, it looked like she just lightly bounced again in the air and floated around. It wasn't like she was fighting the element, more like she was dancing with it. Like a leaf.
Leaves, as they are weightless things of nature, let themselves be blown away because they didn't stand a chance against such powerful element. They couldn't. But there were things that a simple leaf could teach to someone ; though they are defeated by a more important force of nature they represent the element of simplicity. They don't think as they are blown away – air as an element of lightness could also be interpreted as a symbol of harmony and freedom. It allowed those it blows away to be lifted towards the sky and gravity no longer had effect on people. Hinata had to become the leaf if she desired to master balance in the wind. The leaf always found its way through the wind. So will she in time and with well-found patience.
'I must free my mind from anything, everything. No thinking.'
Freeing and emptying her mind was something she needed to work on. There were still thoughts lingering about Konohagakure and their inhabitants, about Inuzuka Kiba, about Aburame Shino – about Uzumaki Naruto. The name would always make her feel warm and secure whenever she hears it or thinks about it but now...it left her with a bitter taste in her mouth. This only added fuel to her new training as she ground her teeth in anger. This was her mistake : as she twisted her feet tripped on a root and she nearly lost balance, sending her backwards. Hinata instinctively flipped her body on itself and steadied herself on the grass – on all fours. Good reflexes she relied on and were still sharp.
First mistake – never let your emotions cloud your actions. It also applies during training. Oh, she knew that too well for having let the blonde Jinchuuriki play with her feelings. Groaning sharply Hinata slammed her fists on the ground, releasing shaky breaths as she tried – forced herself – to calm down. Again there was the distraction that caused her to lose her concentration and her emotions to take over her mind, it was starting to get on her nerves.
'This isn't going to work if there still are things linked to Konohagakure…'
She couldn't deny it : there was her family who must be both shocked and angry about her sudden departure from the village. The Elders must have held a council meeting by now and decided to strip her from her status as heiress, giving it to her little sister. At this thought Hinata felt a pang of guilt clenching her heart and she ground her teeth, finding herself overwhelmed by her own emotions. She had left her little Hanabi to do what she had always wanted to do since she had realized that she was more skilled than her sister – leading the Hyuuga clan and proving her worth to their father had been Hyuuga Hanabi's goal, strenghtened by her hardworking character and forged by her will of fire, but was she even ready for this ? Such position required a lot of composure and skill that was beyond any will Hinata could have mustered even if she had accepted her position as heiress to the clan – her own will wouldn't have stood a chance against the pressure the Hyuuga Elders applied on the Clan Head. It would have been crushed. She would have been crushed had she stayed in this dreaded village. Hanabi was worth the title – because she didn't lack confidence. Though Shino, Kiba and Akamaru had always been there to support and train with her there was always that spark gleaming in her bright eyes : whether it was a spark of determination or despair, Hinata had always pushed herself to her limits but her confidence was the last thing she couldn't master. Yet. Hanabi had been better at almost everything and that was why their father had praised her training instead of Hinata's. The Hyuuga Clan favored strenght and skill the most among other things in a shinobi.
Her ties with Konohagakure were still existent, she could feel it. Naruto with his cheerful and excessive personality. She slightly dug her fingers into the earth, her body stiffened with uneasiness. Naruto with his sky blue eyes shining with this unwavering determination to protect everybody.
''Stop,'' she muttered.
The images wouldn't, however. They still flowed in her mind, persistent and hurtful. It took every bit of her self-control to remain neutral as she struggled to maintain order in her mind.
Naruto laughing and claiming Ichiraku at his favorite place in Konoha.
Her body visibly stiffened and her eyes narrowed behind the blindfold she was wearing. She ground her teeth together, brows furrowing in increasing irritation. ''Stop.''
The more those dreaded memories of Uzumaki Naruto, the more Hinata felt herself panting from stress and...rage. While she willed her body and mind to listen to her there were those images flashing rapidly, showing memories the old Hyuuga Hinata wouldn't forget and erase from her mind. They just wouldn't leave her alone.
Naruto asking her if she wanted to have ramen with him, flashing her his foxy grin she had grown to love. She loved him. She loved him so much...
''STOOOOP !''
Her own yell startled her. It even scared some birds and chipmunks around as they scattered away in frantic movements in their branches. Hinata didn't yell – she had never yelled since she had been a child and never once she had raised her voice on Hanabi (until recently before her departure). So hearing herself yell at nothing in particular since no one was talking almost frightened her and she stilled, panting and out of breath. Her heartbeat was too fast. However, the images and memories stopped flowing and haunting her.
Relaxing and freeing her mind of everything were two things she couldn't seem to learn, not right now. Not yet. There were still too many things and strings relating her to Konohagakure and Hinata had yet to clear her mind of those memories. Strong bonds like she had with Shino, Kiba, Akamaru and the others were absolutely made of steel and incredibly hard to destroy ; where her own family failed to provide her with the love and friendship Hinata craved, she had found them within her teammates and friends. Shino, Kiba and Akamaru were...they were everything to Hyuuga Hinata and she had sworn she would do anything to protect them, to protect this bond they all had together. Selfless as she was with them, she would always care for their well-being before her own and to that they had sometimes reprimanded her. Forsaking those memories of her friends and family was proving to be harder and more hurtful than she had originally thought : she still could remember Tsunade's stunned expression when Hinata had announced her plan to leave the village, she still could trace the information reaching the Hokage's mind as she processed it. She could even imagine Shizune's reaction. Yes, they must be all crushed. But they would eventually move on, like always.
Because Hinata would do everything to sever her ties with them in order to find solace.
'A blind one could see many things that others couldn't. Right, Hatsue ?'
Hatsue was a Hyuuga kunoichi of jounin rank from the Main House and one of Hinata's favorite Hyuuga members of the clan because of her calm, almost soothing personality. She was both strong and kind, which was rather contrasting with their clan rules ; where most of the Hyuuga schooled their emotions behind this serene and blank mask Hatsue didn't bother showing her true feelings and emotions. She never did, just like Hinata. What made her appear weak to others just steeled and strengthened her resolution and determination. As a kunoichi Hatsue was strong but one day, one of her missions turned awful to her and the results were disastrous.
Hyuuga Hatsue had lost her sight due to a powerful genjutsu cast on her and the straining of her Byakugan to break through the deadly illusion. Blindness was something that no Hyuuga could have handled, they valued their sight with so much praise and pride that the very idea of becoming blind due to an injury of that magnitude had become their worst fear. The decision from the Elders had been immediate and Hyuuga Hatsue was rendered a lady of the Main House, married to another member of the Main House and had given birth to two children. When she had first heard the news about Hatsue's ordeal Hinata had been sad for her.
She mused about it while eating her now lukewarm fish. Hatsue had never seemed to be burdened with her handicap, on the contrary : it seemed that she had used it to her own advantage by sharpening her other senses and thinking about other things that had no link with the life of a kunoichi. Incapacited she may be, but ever sharp and useful she remained without her Byakugan. Never helpless, Hatsue had held no everlasting grudge against the shinobi who had stolen her life but the changes had come with great difficulties to adapt to this new kind of life ; the eyesight of a Hyuuga was more precious and more valuable than his own life and suddenly being rendered blind disturbed his world greatly. Hinata had no doubt that Hatsue must have felt useless, immensely weak. Defeated. However, there was that burning spark of determination dominating over the fear inside her core that persuaded her to move on, to get out of the over-protective and forced shell disposed around her by the Hyuuga and adapt to her new kind of life as a blind woman.
Hinata had always admired her. Hatsue was someone who seemed, for reasons she still couldn't understand, to see more than her eyes could have seen when they were still functioning ; Hinata had watched her movements closely as a child, intrigued and – very – eager to learn how Hatsue was capable to know her surroundings and move without hurting herself (and with such grace nonetheless!). She knew exactly where to retrieve a box her mother had given her when she was a young girl and where to sit while avoiding obstacles within her way. It was puzzling to watch, but full of ways to learn tactics. In a way, Hyuuga Hatsue wasn't completely blind per se.
For the first time in days she smiled. It was faint but there. Learning from Hatsue was a very good idea to improve her flexibility and balance in the wind and since it was one of her elements, Hinata felt furthermore inclined to remember and follow the secret training Hyuuga Hatsue had taught her during her childhood.
''A sound mind works with a sound body,'' she recalled Hatsue's words. These were her main rules to remember and use when she trained as a blind woman. Through wind and water she wanted to be as fluid and deadly as possible – beyond this level would be marvelous – and the likelihood of learning more powerful techniques of ninjutsu with the scrolls she had taken with her was high and terribly tempting. ''Your sound mind must be like the void where no one can enter or whoever does will find himself lost. Impenetrable like a fortress and hard like steel. Then the blind cannot be corrupted and will see through blackness.''
Void. Your mind must become a void.
She took a gulp of fresh air, breathed evenly and sat there waiting. Patience had to be learned through rough training and in battles where abilities were praised and prepared, something Hinata had learned through many battles. So she waited in silence, ignoring the cicadas singing somewhere in the back and the rustle of small animals in the grass. It only lasted for some minutes ; when the wind suddenly blew against her, sending her hair flying around her, Hinata stilled. There! Through her blindfolded eyes she could notice faint, very faint spots. If she tried to decipher them in the blackness she would assume they resembled the objects she had recognized as rocks, boulders and the slump form of her duffel bag. There were her surroundings.
Hinata almost grinned largely with a small cry of joy. It was a beginning – a weak one but definitely present and existent.
''Void,'' she murmured. ''My mind will become a void, then.''
'Something is wrong.'
Even though he had helped the Shinobi Alliance to win the Fourth Shinobi War, Uchiha Sasuke wouldn't be forgiven so easily for his crimes and he knew it. His return to the Hidden Village of the Leaf hadn't gone unheard of anyone – especially rogue shinobis and robbers who were willing and vengeful enough to slaughter the last Uchiha. After Team Kakashi has been briefed about the sacred scrolls that had been stolen from the Shion family the three of them had continued their journey towards the Snow Country, but Sasuke's Sharingan hadn't been deceived at the mansion.
He didn't seem to pay attention as the couple talked with his teammates and his sensei, his crimson eyes watched carefully the maid positioned behind them. There was something strange emanating from her as if her calm and aloofness were only visible to hide...was the blush Sasuke had seen on her cheeks also made up and absolutely fake ?
His gaze was drilling holes into her bones and despite her cool and impassive demeanor, he knew that she was bluffing. Who had not heard of the infamous and deadly Uchiha Sasuke yet ? He was ready to bet that this so-called maid had something very important and threatening to hide behind this suspicious behaviour of hers and his Sharingan was already active, ready to put her under his Tsukuyomi after he had robbed her of her secrets.
''The scrolls were given in our family from generation to generation,'' Shion Daichi told them as he relinquished in the embrace of his wife sitting at this side. ''They were sacred because they hold many secrets that only members of our family may know about. I haven't been able to go through their history yet but there are…'' He seemed to hesitate, gulping loudly in an attempt to mask his evident fear. ''Those thieves said that they have known about the scrolls for a very long time and have been planning to steal them s-so, we thought that setting guards all over the mansion would protect us b-but…''
''Only four of them survived the attack and the others…'' Shion Kaoru shuddered, eyes closed in anguish at the memory. She opened them again and set them on Kakashi. ''We don't understand, it was as if they knew where to set their traps and kill our bodyguards.''
His hand shot up and tightened painfully around the 'maid's neck in an almost bone-crushing grip. Sasuke ignored her startled gasp and his teammates's exclamations as he stared at the girl, unmoved. How long was she going to keep this up ? It was starting to irate him.
''Sasuke!'' Sakura wailed, frantic.
He didn't even acknowledge her. ''You're good at lying to your 'employers' but did you really think you could actually be able to fool me ?'' His voice was coated with drip sarcasm and mockery as his crimson eyes took in the writhing girl in his grasp. ''Stupid of you to think something like this. How long have you been working for them as a 'maid' ?'' He drawled the word with contempt.
''Hey, what's your problem ?'' Naruto came to him, grabbing a fistful of Sasuke's shirt. His blue narrowed darkly at him. ''Why are you attacking this poor girl, she hasn't done anything to you!''
''You seriously think she is that innocent, Naruto ?'' Sasuke growled harshly.
''Yes!''
Sasuke stared at him.
Buffoon.
The orange-clad ninja suddenly went flying backwards and crashed into a tree as Sasuke violently threw the 'maid' at him, irate and infinitely annoyed with the Jinchuuriki. The Uchiha ignored Sakura's wails as she ran toward her teammate to help him up and the girl, his eyes narrowing and teeth gritting in furious irritation. Who could be more dumb and idiotic than Uzumaki Naruto himself ? It was becoming more and more difficult to resist the very tempting urge to set him on fire with a Katon for his stupidity and obliviousness. Sasuke was even ready to bet that Kakashi himself had already guessed that the girl was an imposter and part of the thieves who robbed the Shion family – despite him having been reading his porn while the couple was talking and mostly crying their heads off.
Naruto wasn't up on his feeth that Sasuke already had the girl pinned to the ground. As swift as ever he slammed two kunai deep into her four limbs and the earth to maintain her in place. The bloodcurling scream escaping her lungs was like music to his ears, full of sudden pain, almost making him smirk at her. Her expression twisted and twitched uncontrollably as her chest heaved, releasing harsh breaths, and her eyes never ceased to open and close. She was struggling to stay conscious. Good. Sasuke deliberately sat on her belly to face her, ignoring the sudden gasp and the shocked exclamation from his idiotic teammates, and merely glared murderously at the girl. Kakashi, though he wasn't reading his damn porn, was strangely silent and impassive as he just watched the scene.
''I'm not going to ask you again,'' the Uchiha said calmy, yet scathily, his Sharingan swirling.
Naruto and Sakura shared a glance before looking at their sensei, who ignored them, and anxiously turned their attention back to Sasuke and the girl. After several seconds she managed to crack her dark eyes open, still twitching as the pain throbbed in her limbs. Her breath hitched upon seeing the famed and deadly Mangekyo Sharingan.
Her voice came out hoarse. ''I-I…''
She coughed harshly, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. Sasuke's grip on her throat had left red marks of his fingers and surely done some internal damages to her vocals. Good enough.
''It started three months ago...I was charged with the task to i-infiltrate the Shion family and study their whereabouts u-until my superiors could come up with a plan to steal the scrolls.'' Her coughing came back as she avoided Sakura's half-surprised, half-disappointed glare. ''Shion Daichi didn't seem to trust me s-so I concentrated on his wife because sh-she appeared to be so naive and k-kind…'' Her dark eyes drifted away with a somewhat saddened look but Sasuke scoffed. He wasn't buying it.
''Please, don't tell me you've grown attached to her. Remorse ? That's nice and all but I'm not stupid like those two in the back. The likes of you don't care about anyone and anything except money.'' She flinched under his sarcastic and suddenly went still when she felt cold fingers grasping her chin and tilting it until she could look at the terrifying Sharingan of Uchiha Sasuke. ''You're a good liar and trying to confuse me with crocodile tears won't work. Did you try to use that on that woman so you could kill her ?''
''No!'' the girl blurted out, feeling herself panick. ''I-I really like Lady Kaoru!''
''Hn. Yet you still betrayed her trust. How disgraceful of you.''
''Y-you don't understand!'' she cried out.
She tried to bite out another scream as the traitor mercilessly plunged two other kunai in her shoulder blades, but failed anyway. Naruto looked about to lunge towards Sasuke and pummeling him but remained on his spot, unable to watch this kind of torture and the grass stained with her blood. His fists were clenched painfully against his sides and his jaws were starting to ache due to his teeth gritting together. Again he saw nothing under the surface of her innocence and cute behaviour, he just thought that she was being respectful and enthralled by Sasuke. Again he was fooled so easily and once again it was Sasuke who first noticed that something was wrong with her, not him.
Fool.
The silence was once again cut by the girl's panicked rambling. ''M-my masters swore that they won't kill them, they just needed the scrolls! Their deaths didn't matter to them!''
''Then why did you stay behind ?'' Sakura cut in, her voice dry.
''I...want to stay with them,'' the girl admitted in a whisper. She gulped rather loudly. ''You probably won't believe me but I-I've grown to...care for Lady Kaoru. She is a kind and loving wife and she reminded me of my own mother when she was still alive. Have you ever known the love of a protective mother ? Mine disappeared on me years ago and I was left alone. Until I found the Shion family.''
The silence that met her answer was almost deafening and painful. Without even noticing it Sakura and Naruto were holding their breaths, anxiously waiting for Sasuke's reaction. Kakashi's visible eye stared at his pupil with growing tension.
Sasuke's face had gone blank just like his brain. The girl's words were echoing in his mind but he didn't seem to notice it, too stunned to react. A mother ? A protective and loving mother ? Yes, he knew that feeling. He had known the feeling in his childhood before all this happiness was tainted with blood and hatred, fueled with cold-blooded revenge and loneliness. There was also Itachi's betrayal that burned and ruined everything for him, ruined every chance to grow like any happy child with a family and – as stupid as it sounds to him – with to view the world in another way. All of this was gone and ripped from him, he wouldn't have the chance to know that again. And yet this girl still thought that those masters of hers would gladly welcome her back after her betrayal. She still had hope.
Hope. There had been no hope for him back when he was the lone Uchiha in Konohagakure.
Then his expression contorted with indignant rage as his Sharingan swirled. His Tsukuyomi would be his answer. Her memories will be stolen and then she will know how hope could be mercilessly ripped from her just like how it was ripped from him.
''Sasuke!''
The Uchiha ignored the loudmouth and annoying blonde and kept leaping from branche to branche. His teammates and sensei tried to follow his very fast pace and none of their calls had yet to catch his attention. His mind was set to Snow Country, where they would find those robbers and retrieve the damn scrolls. This was also where he would let his mind go on wild rampage ; he needed to kill. He needed to see blood and hear terrifying screams coming out from those bastards after what that girl had dared to say about mothers and love. Said girl was settled on his back, her eyes wide and seeming to look faraway, her face twisted with an expression of sheer terror disturbing her features. Sakura had tended her injuries and had bandaged her limbs, albeit reluctantly because of the intensity of the Uchiha's death glare drilling holes in her back. Sasuke's Tsukuyomi had caught her in his deadly illusions while she has been crying for mercy but he had been unmoved. Her mind needed to be broken for what she had said to him.
Have you ever known the love of a protective mother ?
He had heard no malice in her words but even words don't have to be expressed to understand malice from someone's mouth. It wasn't in her eyes either but Sasuke had felt it – his instincts never failed him. Everyone had heard about the bloody Uchiha massacre and the infamous Uchiha Sasuke that had murdered his own brother for revenge, he wouldn't have been be surprised if she had used this knowledge to throw him off balance. His sanity was being questioned but if it wasn't for this mission given by Tsunade, Sasuke would have gladly shown that girl how much he missed his mother and everything about her. In more extremely painful and horrible ways.
''Sasuke-kun…'' It was Sakura. She appeared on his right, looking worried. ''Sasuke, are you—''
''Shut. Up.'' His voice was disturbing, devoid of emotion.
It didn't seem to be enough for Sakura. ''But—''
This time his crimson eyes shot up at her, full of malice and dark. The young woman obediantly clamped her mouth shut and swallowed almost fearfully, finally understanding the message. Good girl.
But not Naruto.
''Bastard!'' he exclaimed loudly, oblivious to the very foul mood and the killing intent clouding over the raven-haired man. ''Will you listen to me ? Why did you have to put her under a genjutsu ? Okay, she is guilty, but you just could have let her go! Where is the harm in letting go and forgiving her ? Answer me, Sasuke!''
Again he was ignored. The Uchiha just kept following a path toward Snow Country with the girl hanging on his back, stuck under a very powerful and mind-breaking genjutsu only Uchihas would know how to break through. And Naruto didn't know whether he should be decking Sasuke for snobing him or yelling obscenities at him. But the Jinchuuriki couldn't get this memory out of his mind : the look on Sasuke's face wasn't blank or angry. It was a mix of anger...and insanity. While his eyes screamed 'mangled murder' when he put the girl under his Tsukuyomi his hands shot up and would have pierced through her throat, her head – her entire body with his katana if Kakashi hadn't moved. He and Sakura were too slow to react.
His heart had skipped many heartbeats and he had found himself out of breath. Naruto had never been so scared shitless for an innocent civilian. What they had witnessed back there wasn't something normal. This wasn't the Uchiha Sasuke they used to know years back when they were genins, this man had looked both enthralled and ready to make a bloody, mangled mess with the young maid. This wasn't the Uchiha Sasuke Naruto had grown to accept as a friend, a brother and a rival, this man leaping in front of him was a stranger looking exactly like Sasuke who was as merciless as the most cold-blooded assassin of the ANBU – if he wasn't already an ANBU. Naruto wouldn't probably admit it but he was almost afraid to call his dearest friend a monster.
Night was falling and they needed to rest. But Sasuke wouldn't hear any of it and kept leaping from branche to branche. Naruto tried unsuccessfully to tune out the furious growls of his stomach but couldn't erase his tortured expression – because damn, he needed to eat!
''Sasuke.''
Kakashi's stern voice made Naruto and Sakura stop immediately and, surprisingly, Sasuke too. He didn't turn around but his posture indicated that he was listening, albeit grudgingly. The Copy-Cat shinobi crossed his arms over his built chest and stared 'lazily' at his student.
''I'm not speaking out of concern to prevent you from going into a killing rampage, it's not my business.'' he said. ''But as your former sensei I'm asking you to stop and rest until the morning. You running up like this in this state of mind isn't healthy at all and, if I'm correct in my own assumption, slaughtering every living person of that gang – including this girl on your back – is the only way for you to calm down those murderous pulsions coming off from you. If you choose to keep running to Snow Country you will jeopardize the mission and probably ruin the slightest chance to come back in Konoha and live there as a shinobi. Tsunade will probably put you in prison and she will do it gladly.''
The Uchiha still didn't budge.
''Don't be stupid Sasuke, you're a lot smarter than that.''
There was a long, tense moment during which no one dared to move – or breathe, depends on who was trying to remain calm and composed. Sakura was eying Naruto, Kakashi and Sasuke from times to times, biting her lips in nervousness and clenching her fists together on her sides. The Jinchuuriki was watching nothing in particular and seemed out of space but if someone was attentive enough, he would notice that his posture was a little tense. As if he was ready to move in case of some 'incident'. Kakashi was staring at Sasuke, silent and patient. Waiting.
Another minute passed. And the girl slipped from the Uchiha's back and started to fall down, down. Down. Down to a certain death and down to a broken skull due to the height.
There was a horrified gasp as Naruto plunged to catch her, having prepared himself for whatever would have come out from his friend. He receptioned the young 'maid' in his arms and landed on the grass, then snapped his head up in silent dread to discover if Sasuke had taken advantage of the surprise to disappear. He was immensely relieved to see that the raven-haired hadn't moved and was staring ahead of him, still eerily silent as a shadow. Sakura, having landed beside him to check any injury on the girl, was absolutely livid. His heart, beating madly after this tremenduous and horrifying event, had trouble calming down and Naruto was even more astonished to find himself out of breath.
By the gods.
This was...Naruto shook his head, refusing to believe it. Rejecting it. Denying it.
''Tsunade, we demand to know what is going on in this village.''
The busty Hokage didn't even raise her head to acknowledge the two intruders and poured herself a cup of sake.
''Really ? I owe you bastards absolutely nothing. Not even something close to an explanation.''
She also didn't have to raise her head to see their scowls and for that she was thankful ; the urge to pummel the Elders's faces was already starting to itch in her fingers and she had to clench her left fist shut in order to remain aloof and composed. First they didn't call a meeting and dare to barge into her office, then they demanded an explanation ? This had to be a joke – and thank God she had managed to reach her bottle of sake before those old sacks of bile came in, because she would have already started screaming her lungs off.
Both Elders sat down on the chairs and stared at Tsunade with the scowl still in place. Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had never understood their Hokage's motivation – and maybe they never will. Watching her gulping that sake of hers at this hour of the day, while she must be working instead of slacking off, was astonishing and upsetting. The Sannin was upsetting herself. How she managed to rule the village and be as hard as steel was mind-blowing, forget the fact that she was still refusing to step down.
''Hyuuga Hinata,'' Homura said sternly.
Sharp, brown eyes slowly looked up towards them. Then narrowed dangerously. ''What about her ?'' the Hokage asked nonchalantly.
''We want you to add her into the Bingo Book.''
The snow was pure white as it fell on her. White and so beautiful. She had always loved winter as it was the month of her birthday and, of course, because of the snow. Playing in the snow had been one of her favorite games back when she had been a child, forgetting the cold weather and the chilling temperature of the wind. For wind and water were her elements Hinata had always felt close with winter and snow.
Her slender, feminine hand rose to caress her covered and secure eyes with a gentle brush. Secure and unseen you must remain. Dressed with a snow white, fluffy coat to blend within the harsh snowstorm, the young Hyuuga had heard something quite interesting in the tavern she has just left ; apparently a gang of skilled trap masters robbed a rich family that possessed three 'sacred scrolls' that must contain dark secrets and numerous jutsu that only powerful shinobi could learn and control. What was very helpful with drunken men was their uncontrolled talking, then anyone who was attentive to the most interesting story in a tavern could grasp some extremely attractive things, whether they were true or not. But nothing could go unnoticed by a Hyuuga, not even some wrapped piece of map.
''Snow Country,'' her soft voice announced.
She turned around. Through her hood and with her instincts she could feel the gaze of the injured man behind her, his ragged breaths coming out ever slowly. His limbs were mangled in a weird angle that must be unbearable for him, blood dripping from some parts of his body. He was already losing consciousness due to blood loss but he was using his last reserves of strenght to look at the woman was going to end his pitiful life.
''It's fine,'' she told him as she approached his slaughtered body in such graceful way that he couldn't help but admire her in his last moments. He couldn't see her eyes but he somehow guessed that they must be reflecting nothing but emptiness. But her voice was so enthralling! ''You've helped me and in return, I'll help you.''
Numb. He felt numb and so defenseless. So useless – so weak. He looked up as she hovered him, now silent. And beautifully terrifying. His heart skipped a beat as she raised her two hands in a way he had never seen before. He watched, still enchanted, as they stroke towards him at an alarming speed.
He never saw his blood splatter everywhere but the woman, tainting the splendid, white snow.
'Your void is yours to remain as it is. Tainted in black or white.'