Hey guys, thanks so much for all your kind reviews! Special thanks to JadedGothButterfly who did an insanely great beta'ing job for this chappy:) She's got eyes like a grammar hawk! So you can thank her that this chapter isn't riddled with errors T-T

Life is a little crazy these days, but I'll try my best to update by the one month marker.

Also...on a personal note...I'm turning 30 in less than 10 days! :O So crazy...

Hope you enjoy the chapter my friends:)

Chapter Three: Roots and Flowers

She reaches out a hand and cradles his cheek, the kind of thing a lover might do, even though they are not. Not really. Only for a minute, maybe in another life, other circumstances…

"What the hell did you do to me?" Hinata recognizes the gruff voice even before the darkness resolves into two flashing eyes and a looming body swathed in black.

"Where am I?" Hinata breathes, her wide eyes darting every which way. The white light has faded to formless dark red. She feels like she is inside a womb.

Sasuke shoves her up against a wall—where the hell had that wall come from?—and growls in her ear. "I never should have trusted you."

"N-no," Hinata replies, looking away from his terrible eyes. "You sh-shouldn't have."

"What did you do?" he demands, shouting, pinning her arms above her head.

"It's a heavy s-sedative," Hinata whispers. "Orochimaru is taking you in for questioning."

Sasuke releases her, curses, slams his fist against the wall. Then he grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her.

"Listen to me, you stupid, stupid girl," he seethes. "I don't care if I die, but this is going to effect the whole village—the whole village! Do you understand?" He stops shaking her and peers into her eyes.

"You were planning a coup d'etat," Hinata whispers, looking away from him. "You and the rest of the Uchiha. You deserve what you'll get. T-traitor." Even as the words leave her lips, Hinata doesn't quite believe them—not anymore. Her heart trembles like a frightened animal.

"Shut up and listen," Sasuke snaps. "There isn't much time. Danzo and Orochimaru are the ones planning the coup—only this time, instead of hiring my brother to kill his own family," he growls, his red eyes flashing, "they've hired Suna to help them. I'm sure of it now," Sasuke mutters, as if to himself. "It all makes sense now—Karin speaking to Kankuro at the teahouse. If only I hadn't been so stupid," he hisses, glaring back down at Hinata, pressing her against the wall again.

"Suna is going to attack the Leaf, and Orochimaru is going to take advantage of it and finish off the rest of the Uchiha." Sasuke's red eyes spin like fiery wheels, capturing her gaze. Stars dance across her vision. Hinata whimpers under the force of his jutsu, her head pounding from the pressure.

"Wh-what are you—" Hinata whimpers, but Sasuke interrupts her, divining her question.

"I'm implanting information into your head. You need to get to someone with the Sharingan, or someone with mind jutsu—" He breaks off when the world quavers around them; the formless red light that surrounds them bleeds into black, then fades to pale gray. "Shit—I'm losing consciousness," Sasuke mutters. His whirling eyes still, dissolving into black.

"Sasuke…" Hinata trails off; she doesn't know what honorific to use anymore. Her teeth chatter as she gazes into the dark pits of his eyes.

Sasuke releases her, and her hands fall awkwardly to her sides. "If you ever loved this village," he snarls, "or at the very least, if you don't want innocent people to die—" he glares pointedly at her— "you'll deliver my message."

The ground underneath their feet rumbles, like the first knells of an earth quake. But Hinata stands still, still staring up into Sasuke's eyes, now black like a starless, moonless night. She reaches out a hand and cradles his cheek, the kind of thing a lover might do, even though they are not. Not really. Only for a minute, maybe in another life, other circumstances…

"I'm s-sorry," comes Hinata's whisper, tears blurring her vision. Sasuke becomes a vague silhouette, black streaked with blood-red.

He learns forward with a growl, and mutters in her ear:

"No one owns you, Hinata. Make your own choices."

With that, the genjutsu dissipates like a terrible dream. Hinata finds herself panting, draped over Sasuke's bare shoulder. Her hand is still clenched around the needle protruding from his neck. His eyes are closed, long lashes resting against pale skin. He looks peaceful. Almost. Hinata withdraws the needle with shaking hands and drops it on the floor. With morbid fascination, she watches Sasuke's neck as blood beads out of the puncture wound. Reaching out a trembling hand, she closes the wound, her green-glowing chakra illuminating his pale face with sickly light.

She untangles herself from his limbs, his arms falling away from her with muffled thuds as they hit the bed. His skin is cold. Hinata turns away quickly and replaces her under-robe and tie. Someone else will have to help her with her kimono. It's too cumbersome to do it by herself. Her eyes flicker to the living room where the blue kimono, her danna's gift, hangs on the arm of the couch, shimmering like a waterfall in the pale light. Her gaze lingers there for a moment, and she is flooded with so many emotions—she can't name them all, doesn't want to name them all—anyway there's no time. She needs to give the signal.

She's about to scurry out of the room, but stops to spare one last look at Sasuke, lying pale and naked on the twisted sheets. She can't let them find him like this. She locates his discarded clothing and replaces them, even though Sasuke's unconscious body is a dead weight, and her hands are trembling, and Orochimaru will probably punish her for wasting time. She doesn't care. It's the least she can do.

When Sasuke is clothed, his black hair still wild around his sallow face, she takes a deep breath and stands still, looking down at him. She raises a hand to her forehead, remembering. He's put information in her brain. She needs to get it to the Hokage. Somehow. Why her? Why should she care? It's not her problem. This village sold her, mocked her and used her and used her and now—look at what she's done.

Her hand lifts up, as if of its own volition, and strokes Sasuke's cheek. It is so cold. Biting her lower lip, she finds his pulse in the crook of his neck. It is slow, but still strong. Still alive. She leans over and brushes his cold mouth with hers. But this isn't some stupid fairy tale, Hinata chides herself, drawing away. Sasuke won't wake up until Orochimaru has administered the antidote. And then…

Hinata doesn't know what will happen to Sasuke, not exactly, but she has an idea. She's seen the laboratory, the tanks filled with green bubbling liquid, holding bodies that were once human. The jars of organs. The surgical steel implements that glint in the low lamplight.

She's been to the "teaching" cell too, the one where Hinata learns her "lessons." There are different implements there, ones meant to cause pain without marring appearances. Electrical prods. Tanks filled with icy water, made with trap doors that can only be opened from the outside. There's a machine that produces genjutsu, too; it's supposed to be as strong as anything made by a Sharingan, though Hinata's never been in trouble terrible enough to warrant such a "lesson."

Hinata turns away from Sasuke, unable to pursue this line of thought anymore. He's lying, she tells herself. He can't possibly be telling the truth. She's served Orochimaru her whole life. The Hokage was there when her father signed the papers, selling her, and Minato had said in a thin, reedy voice that there was more than one way to serve her country. That she should accept her destiny.

Anyway, Kushina had said afterwards—when the men had been busy murmuring about the proper seals to place on her body—that there was nothing Minato could do about it. Something about the council, his hands were tied. Some people were born to be roots, and others, flowers.

Did she understand?

No. But she said yes, accepted her fate like a good little girl, made the best of it. At least she was doing something productive; something she could excel at. There was artistry to being a geisha, a modicum of respect, an opportunity to live far away from her father and her family—a new life. A new destiny, a second chance, don't bring shame to your new master. Try to make yourself useful.

Hinata trudges to the window and flashes the lantern three times. She waits, hovering like a ghost behind the white curtains.

Hinata blinks, and three black-robbed figures stand before her, materializing out of thin air. Their white masks streaked with red regard her for a moment, then they stride into the bedroom without a word. Their white and red masks almost make them look like geisha, Hinata thinks absently. Masked and obedient, she knows she's not so different from them.

Roots and flowers, different ends of the same stalk. Only flowers wither in winter, while roots persevere, make it possible for more flowers to bloom in the spring. Hinata closes her eyes, and imagines geisha growing out of the ground. They bloom for one season, then wither with the wind and fall in the autumn, their bright kimono turning brown and sinking into the earth.

"Misaki?" someone calls.

Torn out of her reverie, Hinata blinks blindly in the half-light and turns towards the voice. It is Karin. She is not dressed in a kimono, but in black robes, her long red hair pulled back under her hood. Hinata had not heard her come in. Karin gives her a long, penetrating stare before helping Hinata back into her blue kimono. She does not say a word. The three Root members emerge from the bedroom, bearing Sasuke's prone body between them. His head lolls back, and his mouth is parted, as if in a silent cry.

Karin growls low in her throat. "Harm one hair on his head, and I'll kill you. Go," she mutters, glaring at them. They are gone in a flicker of shadow, leaving nothing but leaves in their wake. Hinata looks between the empty place where the Root members had stood and Karin. For the first time, it dawns on Hinata that Karin has more power than she imagined.

"Are you hurt?" Karin asks sharply. Hinata shakes her head. "Don't worry," she says, offering Hinata a tight smile. "Orochimaru-sama promised that Sasuke-kun won't be harmed."

"H-he d-did?" Hinata sags with relief. "Th-thank g-goodness." For a moment, Hinata is placated—she is not a bad person. She's done the right thing. But then, Hinata's shoulders go rigid again, and her head snaps up. "O-oneesan? I need to ask you something…"

Karin grins. "Sure. Anything."

"Swear to me that you'll tell the t-truth."

"Geez, I swear," Karin answers, rolling her eyes. "Spit it out already."

"Is Orochimaru—is he planning to overthrow the government?" Hinata's voice is soft, her eyes wide, but her hands are balled into fists, and she digs her nails into her palms.

Karin blinks, and her red eyes widen with surprise. "So Sasuke got wise to us," she says at last. "No wonder why Orochimaru-sama wanted you to rush the job."

"It's t-true?" Hinata squeaks.

"You don't need to worry about it," Karin replies, resting a heavy hand on Hinata's shoulder. "You've already won your freedom. You'll be sent to Mist tomorrow to start a new life, and none of this will concern you any longer."

"But—"

Karin tsks. "I don't have time for this, Misaki. Head back to the okiya. I'll be trailing you from above to make sure you aren't intercepted."

Hinata gulps. "Intercepted?"

"Let's just go," Karin snaps. She blows out the lantern. All the other candles have long since gone out, and the room is as dark as the night outside. Karin slips outside, leaving the door ajar. Hinata stumbles after her, her hand clenching the doorknob, but by the time she emerges, Karin is nowhere to be seen. She closes the door, the metal lock clicking behind her. Hinata flinches. It is a final sound, like a mousetrap snapping closed.

She glides down the empty, wet streets with her habitual geisha grace. The rain has stopped. Only a few wet drips fall onto her hair and clothes from the street lamps and tree branches above. The wind sighs, fluttering her kimono out behind her, making her shiver. Everything is still. Silent. Surreal. She can still feel the places where Sasuke has been, traces of skin, fingers, lips; also his rough hands clenching her shoulders, shaking her. It is like holding on to the fragments of a dream and trying to piece together its meaning.

Why? Before she had betrayed him, he had been so…gentle. She had closed her eyes and believed that he loved her. Ha—love. There's no such thing, Hinata tells herself. There is only one rule at the okiya, and that is to never fall in love. Karin said love was for assholes, and Temari said love was for suckers. The only thing Temari and Karin had ever agreed on was that a geisha only ever looked after herself; to do otherwise in this business was suicide.

If love is suicide, Hinata thinks, then what has she done to Sasuke? Murder? What about Orochimaru's promise that he won't hurt Sasuke? It doesn't make any sense, any of it. Orochimaru is lying about something—Hinata is certain of that. She closes her eyes and remembers the genjutsu, Sasuke's red eyes on a bleeding black background. She holds a clammy hand to her forehead.

She will find out what has happened to him. She owes him that much—to take responsibility for what she has done. To make choices. So. This is what she chooses: she will enter through the secret stone passageway, and she will creep through the corridors under the okiya. She will find Sasuke.

Her hands ball into fists. She will not abandon her danna, not if there's a chance—however slim—that he is right.

Hinata sucks in a deep breath of chill night air and hurries along the slick street, her zori making wet clacking sounds on the pavement.

#

It is well after midnight in the okiya. Hinata pretends to be asleep, lying taut in her bed. Across the room, Temari is gently snoring. Karin is still nowhere to be seen.

Hinata can feel something in the air, something crackling like lightning in the distance—a storm about to burst. Her skin tingles with it, her eyes burn. As silent as the wind rustling through the grass outside, Hinata rolls out of bed, sheds her nightgown, puts on dark leggings and a tight dark shirt. She is thankful that Orochimaru hadn't sent for her after her mission. He has forgotten to seal up her chakra network. She activates her eyes and scans the corridor outside. The way is clear.

She creeps like a cat, stalking around corners, her eyes gleaming like twin moons in the darkness. She sweeps down the stairs, skipping over the boards that creak, landing as lightly as a feather on the bottom floor. As she approaches the stone entryway, her footfalls slow, her breathing becomes heavier. She is really doing this. She is breaking into Orochimaru's study.

She's heard of others who have tried, in other okiya, to escape via the underground tunnels. Those trespassers had never been heard from again.

Orochimaru's tunnels lead between all the okiya and throughout the entire city. Hinata has seen it all before, has been taken on a tour of the subterranean labyrinth by Orochimaru himself, years ago. There are too many corridors to remember which leads where, but that is all right. Hinata has her eyes.

With her back pushed up against the wall, she looks through the stone entryway. No one. Holding her breath, Hinata pulls the hidden lever. The stone slides open with a rasp. Hinata's heart beats loudly in her chest—has anyone heard her? She waits in the hallway for half a breath. When nothing happens, she scurries forward into the dark maw of the entryway. The stone slides shut behind her with a faint rumble.

Hinata does not know where Orochimaru is hiding Sasuke, but her eyes are bright with chakra. They sweep through the hideout like a searchlight until she picks out the familiar pattern of his shimmering meridians. He is there—far down in the depths of the earth. Hinata bites her lip. She has never been that far down before. She's not sure how to get there.

She concentrates her gaze and picks out other signatures—Orochimaru and Kabuto are in the chamber with Sasuke, and Karin is close by. Hinata keeps biting her lip until she draws blood. What is Karin doing down there? But Hinata is too far away to see what they are up to. She can only see their faint, shimmering outlines, like ectoplasm; like the moon glowing through gauzy clouds. She must get closer.

She stalks down, down, down through the dark passageways, bare earth brushing her back where she presses against the tunnel walls. She sweeps her gaze up, trying to judge what part of the city she is under, but she cannot see through the ceiling. Orochimaru is no fool. The roof of every tunnel and cavern is made from leaden earth, proof against even the strongest Byakugan. She had forgotten; it's been years since she's been this far down in the tunnels. She's already past the training center on her left, a dark, dank cave completely lined with lead and strange, painted seals. Her curse mark burns at just the thought of that room, but Hinata doesn't let it deter her.

Her sandals make no sound as she winds down, deeper into the earth. She can see Sasuke's chakra more clearly now, partially because she is closer, but also because he is angry, and his meridians flare like blue fire. She has to hurry. But the tunnels are winding, like the kind of mazes minotaurs might haunt; just when she thinks she is drawing closer, the path meanders away from her goal, and she has to double-back and try another. The Byakugan does little good here. The pathways are close together and twisted, like a plate full of noodles; it's impossible to tell where one ends and another begins.

Hinata curses under her breath. She wants to hit the walls in frustration, but she does not, because dim torchlight comes into view, flickering along the far wall. Eyes wide with fear and with jutsu, she scrambles up the wall and hangs to the ceiling with the barest of chakra. She feels like a spider, dangling there. No. More like a moth, waiting for the spider to approach its quivering web. Hinata doesn't dare to breathe as the light creeps closer. Closer.

When the light fades, turning down some other corridor, Hinata stays clutching the ceiling, fear dilating her eyes. At last, when the cool darkness is complete once more, Hinata drops down, twisting in mid-air to land on all fours on the damp floor. She stifles a sneeze, then crawls forward, finding the faint footprints that had come so close to her, but hadn't found her.

She studies the footprints like a hunter tracking prey, dips a finger in the depression and furrows her brow. Medium build. Medium height. Wearing standard issue sandals. That's all she can gather. It's not Orochimaru—he would have left more of an impression. It's not Karin, either. Her zori would have made a different pattern. Kabuto, maybe?

She stares through the walls, watches the figure receding down the hall. He is suppressing his chakra, so she can't tell who he is for certain, and can only see his faint outline. He turns right, twice, and left, once. Cautious, she drops to her knees and scrambles after him. This could be a trap; though if Karin had sensed her, Hinata doesn't think her oneesan would have ratted her out to Orochimaru. But what if she's wrong?

What if it is a trap?

It doesn't matter, Hinata tells herself. If I die, I die. She squeezes her hands into fists and continues to pursue the path, now leading closer and closer to Sasuke. Nothing matters now other than finding out the truth. She doesn't want to live if it means… If it means what? That Sasuke is dead? Or that she's helped Orochimaru to overthrow the government? Why should she care either way?

She stops abruptly, sweating, the stale air becoming oppressive and suffocating. She shakes her head and forces herself to walk on, step by aching step. She doesn't know why she cares. She just does. That's good enough.

At that moment, pale light streaks the wall in front of her. She clamors up the wall and sticks to the ceiling like the terrified bug that she is, and crawls, upside-down, towards the light. A moth drawn to flame, she thinks, blinking until her eyes adjust to the light. She hovers by the doorway, hearing voices from further inside the cavern. She strains to hear them, but can only pick up stray wisps of conversation:

Help you? I'd rather die.

Oh, you might wish that, by the time I'm done with you. Ku, ku, ku!

Then mumbled, rumbled words that she can't decipher. She will have to get closer. Cold sweat trickling down her back, she edges out, closer to the light. She is in an antechamber, built like three concentric circles around each other. Her curse mark twinges. Her mark is the same design as this room, like a bull's eye.

She doesn't know what the significance is, and right now, she doesn't have the leisure to ponder it. She crawls forward on aching hands and knees, the blood rushing to her head as she darts forward along the ceiling, skirting the torchlight as best she can. The voices become clearer now.

I could give you power—power you've never dreamed of!

I don't need your damned power. A growl. Just kill me, you sick fuck.

And waste a beautiful specimen like you? Hinata focuses her Byakugan, sees Orochimaru running a pale finger down the side of Sasuke's face. A shiver runs down her spine. Sasuke's hands are bound above his head in manacles. His feet dangle a few inches from the ground. She bites her lip, because she knows what it feels like to be a moth pinned to the wall, waiting for the fangs to fall.

"What do we have here?" comes an amused voice just below her. Hinata freezes, makes a pained, chirping sound. "A cicada?" A rumbling laugh, then Hinata is plucked from the ceiling by smooth hands. Trembling, Hinata twists to see Kabuto, his eyes glinting with amusement and malice.

Hinata is too terrified to say anything. Her eyes deactivate from fright and she stares, wide-eyed, at Kabuto. He tilts his head to the side, making the light glint off his glasses, obscuring his gaze. It is as if he has compound eyes. The effect is terrifying.

"I can imagine why you've come," Kabuto says, his voice thick with double meaning. Hinata starts trembling. "I can promise you, though, that your precious Sasuke-kun won't be hurt."

Hinata squirms in Kabuto's grip and gapes at him. Something about the way he says it—he's not lying, but he's not telling the truth, either.

From the other room, the voices become clearer:

If you give yourself willingly to me, I might be able to save a few of your family and friends. Your father, for instance—or that girl, Sakura. She'd be useful. Naruto though… Hinata clenches her eyes shut, imagines how Orochimaru must be spreading his hands wide, palms up, with a shrug.

You're wasting your time, Sasuke growls.

And you are killing your friends—if you resist me, I'll give orders specifically to kill. Sakura will die, and it will be your fault.

No. It will be yours, asshole.

A slap resounds throughout the cavern. Hinata clenches her teeth. She knows it will be her fault, oh gods, whatever Orochimaru is planning, he's going to kill people—people she knows, people she helped to kill—

"Kabuto," comes a shrill, female voice, "let her go."

Hinata opens her eyes to find Karin glowering down at both of them. Kabuto holds on to Hinata for a tense moment, just to show that he can, before he drops her to the floor. She falls with a thud.

"You better have a good reason for why you're down here," Karin seethes, hands on her hips. Hinata brushes off her leggings and stands, trying and failing to still her trembling limbs.

"I w-w-wanted to speak to O-orochimaru-sama," Hinata whispers.

"Are you insane?" Karin replies, shaking Hinata by the shoulders. "You can't just—"

"Ka-rin," comes Orochimaru's voice, rich and rumbling, "do bring our guest in."

Hinata is led into the main chamber, Karin leading in front, Kabuto cutting off escape in the back. When Kabuto shoves Hinata down on her knees in front of Orochimaru, Karin doesn't protest Hinata's treatment. Hinata stares down at the ground, not daring to raise her gaze.

"Ku, ku, ku—what do we have here?" Orochimaru says, stepping forward. His cold hand clutches her chin and forces her to look up into his amber eyes. "You do know what the punishment is for coming to my party, uninvited?"

Hinata gulps.

"However," Orochimaru continues, running a sharp fingernail down the side of her face, "I'm rather pleased with my pet today, and so I will allow it. This once. Now, Mi-sa-ki-chan," he says in a velvety, musical tone, "what do you want?"

Hinata closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "I want to help you," she whispers, slowly, so that she won't stutter. Her eyes snap open. She remembers every hateful thing Orochimaru has ever done to her, has made her do, making rage flash in her pale eyes. "I want to k-kill them."

Orochimaru leans in closer, until his warm, stale breath wafts over her face. "Oh?"

"I know there's g-going to be a w-war," Hinata whispers. "Let me fight."

Orochimaru laughs, a deep, rumbling sound, like the grating of earth. "Your father sold me a treasure when he signed you over to me, Misaki. Now then. I want you to watch this." He smiles, pointed teeth glinting in the pale light. Hinata's gaze betrays nothing; she's worn a mask for so many years, with and without makeup. She knows that if she's resolute, not even Orochimaru will see through it.

He turns from her, though the motion feels more like a snake coiling and posing to strike. For the first time, Hinata's gaze raises up to Sasuke's, who stares at her with such venom, she's surprised that his eyes aren't glinting red—though of course, his manacles are also chakra restraints. Hinata forces her gaze to be impassive, though inside, her heart drops like a stone falling into deep water, sending ripples of despair through her. As Orochimaru advances on his prey, his long fangs now protruding from his mouth, dripping and inky, Hinata knows what Orochimaru is about to do.

She cannot look away from the bottomless black pits that are Sasuke's eyes as Orochimaru slinks towards his prey. He pauses for a moment, smiling his toothy grin, before his head darts forward. He sinks his teeth into Sasuke's neck. Sasuke's eyes widen in pain, and he gives a strangled cry before convulsing, like an epileptic having a seizure. His eyes roll back in his head. Foam flecks his bottom lip. Hinata doesn't turn away. She stands there like an impassive statue, memorizing the lines of his contorted face. She has done this to him. She will not look away.

Orochimaru stalks over to Hinata once more, patting her head with fatherly pride. He's studying her face, gauging her reaction. When he sees nothing but scorn in her gaze, he chuckles. "You've done well, Misaki-chan. Your oneesan will take you back to the okiya now."

Composed, Hinata bows her head, murmurs her farewell, and turns after Karin down the long, dark halls. What a fool Orochimaru is, Hinata thinks; all the contempt in her eyes had not been for Sasuke. It had been for Orochimaru, but mostly, it had been for herself. In the cool darkness of the tunnels, Hinata allows a single tear to fall from her cheek onto the earthen floor as she walks, silently, behind Karin. The only sound is the sputtering of the torch in Karin's hand as they wind upwards towards the surface.

"You're an idiot," Karin says at last, pausing in the unmarked passageway. "You could have been free—free! Orochimaru was going to make you the new okaasan at the okiya in the Hidden Mist. Why—"

"Oneesan," Hinata interrupts, "what is Orochimaru going to do with S-sasuke? Why has he given him the curse mark?" It doesn't make sense. The curse mark, though a sign of ownership, is also a source of power. Why give that to an enemy?

Karin tsks, then looks towards the wall. The shadows flicker over her face from the wavering torchlight, making her look suddenly very old, and weary. "The curse mark will make it possible for Orochimaru-sama to take Sasuke's body."

Hinata tilts her head, her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Take his body? What do you…mean?" Her voice is a breath of air, barely even a whisper.

Karin exhales sharply. "Orochimaru-sama is going to transfer his spirit into Sasuke's body before the battle," she says, her tone clipped, business-like. "With the Sharingan, we won't lose—"

Karin is not prepared for when Hinata shoves her against the wall, her fingernails digging into Karin's shoulders. "I thought you l-loved him," Hinata hisses. Hinata's tears are falling freely now, flowing like a waterfall down her cheeks, splattering Karin's black shirt.

Karin tsks again as she shoves Hinata away, her red eyes flashing like fire. "I do love him," Karin snaps. "And this way, we can be together, forever. What?" she mutters, narrowing her eyes at Hinata's incredulous look. "You think a lowly, foreign geisha like me could ever get close to Sasuke-kun? Let me tell you something, Konoha," she growls, advancing on Hinata, until Hinata's back is pressed to the wall, "I do what I have to do to serve Orochimaru-sama."

Karin turns away sharply, leaving Hinata sagging on the wall, her breath caught in her throat. Hinata pushes herself up, slowly. "You don't believe that," Hinata whispers, her voice hoarse with emotion.

"Shut up," Karin says with a sniffle, "before I kill you."

They fall silent after that. Hinata follows Karin up through the twisted intestines of the tunnels until they reach the familiar training room, its dark doorway seeming to writhe with half-seen, nightmarish forms. Karin's steps slow. She turns to look over her shoulder at Hinata.

"You're lucky," Karin says at last. "You got to be with Sasuke before…"

"Before he becomes Orochimaru," Hinata finishes for her, vitriol dripping from her words. Defiant, she meets Karin's gaze.

"We all take what we can get, and we survive, day by day, by any means we can," Karin counters, her voice without inflection. Hinata has heard this platitude before from her oneesan. It's a lie that's been repeated too many times, like cheep metal that's been over-polished, its veneer worn away.

"Yes," Hinata says, her mouth turning downwards, as if the words leave a bad taste in her mouth.

Karin offers her a half-smile before walking forward once more. "Anyway," Karin says with forced cheerfulness, "the invasion is three days from now—it'll take time for the curse mark to take effect, for Orochimaru to complete…" She pauses. "For the jutsu to be complete. Then, Konoha will be ours."

Hinata doesn't ask who Karin means when she says Konoha will be ours. It doesn't matter. Hinata has all the information she needs. "Yes, oneesan," is her dull reply.

They pass Orochimaru's study on the right, and then, the exit looms ahead of them. When Karin pulls the lever and the stone door slides open, fresh air fans their faces. Hinata sags with relief. She feels like a live body that has been entombed and crawled its way up to the surface. She stumbles forward, weary and overwhelmed.

Karin takes her arm with a smirk. "We should rest tonight. Tomorrow, we begin the preparations."

Hinata nods, at a loss for a reply. Her mind is reeling with information, with plans. She will deliver Sasuke's message.

She has to.

#

"I wish to visit my mother's grave," Hinata says, looking down at the polished floor.

Guren arches an eyebrow. "But…today? We're doing inventory today," she says, gesturing towards the pile of kunai glinting on her desk. Guren doesn't quite trust Hinata—Hinata can tell.

It's the way Guren looks at her with that unbelieving stare because, rather than be relocated, as was the plan, Hinata has chosen to stay and fight. Hinata has always been treated like the precious jewel of the okiya. And no one in their right mind wears a jewel in the middle of a battle; no one trusts the jewel that asks to fight in that war—a war all the other geisha are forced, against their will, to fight.

Hinata clears her throat. "I'm worried that after the war…property might be destroyed." She forces herself to meet Guren's wary stare. "I'd like to visit my mother's grave while it is still standing. B-besides, I always visit her grave at this time…"

"Fine," Guren finally replies, leaning back in her chair, her fingers clutching a pink crystal. "But your oneesan will accompany you."

"I don't—"

"For your own protection," Guren mutters, her dark eyes flashing. "No one has noticed that Uchiha Sasuke is missing—yet." Hinata gulps, then bows her head.

This could be her only chance to find someone who specializes in mind ninjutsu.

Hinata goes upstairs to her apartment and begins the slow process of applying her makeup. She has to lay on the white powder thickly to cover the purple bags under her eyes. Karin comes in while Hinata is painting her lips and Hinata pauses, her brush hovering in the air.

"You don't think it'll look suspicious, sneaking into the Hyuga cemetery two days before the invasion?" Karin asks.

Hinata shakes her head. "It's the first Monday of the month. The main family will all be at a clan meeting, leaving the branch family to guard the gates. They always let me in. Neji-niisan makes sure of that."

Karin sits down at her own mirror with a harumph. "It must be nice, to have a grave you can visit. Konoha burned my whole village to the ground—villagers included."

Hinata doesn't answer. It's a complaint she's heard before from Karin. She knows from experience that any and every answer she might give can and will be used against her. Instead, she finishes painting her face, then dons a bright pink under-robe. When she turns around, Karin is watching her intently.

"Let me help you with your kimono," is all Karin says.

When they are dressed, Karin rummages inside a chest at the foot of her bed. "Here," she mutters, shoving a cloth packet into Hinata's hands. Hinata opens the pouch slowly, cautiously. Inside, there are rows and rows of hypodermic needles, each marked with tiny labels: poison with red residue; poison that causes seizures, and many more.

Hinata almost drops the packet in surprise. "W-what—"

"They're antidotes," Karin explains in a pedantic tone. "You should carry them from now on whenever you leave the okiya. The antidotes on the right side are for poisons Konoha uses; the ones on the left are for the poisons Orochimaru has created."

Hinata tucks the packet inside of her green obi, then smoothes down her kimono, purple and shimmering like an iris in sunlight.

"I would like to stop by the flower shop," Hinata says, slowly, so that she will not stumble over her words; so that she will not give herself away. "My mother liked peonies."

"Eh? Fine," Karin mutters. "Let's make this quick. I still have work to get done this afternoon." She grabs Hinata's arm and practically drags her out of the room, down the stairs, and into the bright sunshine.

Konoha looks the same as it always does: bustling shops, children running in the central square, the busts of the Hokage looming on the monument. The sun burnishes their huge faces, making them look golden. Their carved eyes all seem to glint and stare at Hinata as she makes her slow progress down the central street towards the flower shop.

"I'm going to go grab some makeup," Karin says, waving lazily. "I'll meet you out front in ten."

"Yes, oneesan," Hinata says, affecting a bored tone. In actuality, her hands are shaking, and her heart is thumping in her chest. This is perfect.

She will be alone with Ino, who always works Monday afternoons. Hinata has bought flowers regularly since becoming a geisha—Ino knows her. Trusts her. Now is her chance. Hinata bows to Karin, then enters the flower shop, the door jangling closed behind her.

"Welcome to Yamanaka Flower Shop. Can I help you?" asks a tall, blonde woman at the counter. Hinata frowns.

"Um…is Ino in today?" Hinata asks.

The woman shakes her head. "I'm afraid she's helping to run shifts at the hospital today. I'm her mother."

"O-oh."

"Is there anything you're looking for in particular?" the woman says, coming forward with a bright smile.

Hinata bites her lower lip and bows her head. "P-peonies. White peonies."

"Ah, the symbol of purity, wealth, and romance. Is this a gift for a boyfriend, or…?" she says, handing Hinata the bunch of flowers.

Hinata doesn't say anything, just takes the flowers, places a few coins in the woman's hands, and scurries out of the shop. The door slams closed behind her.

"Took you long enough," Karin mutters, taking Hinata's arm in hers. Hinata doesn't respond. Karin gives her an inquisitive look, but remains silent. They walk in silence to the east side of town, where elaborate rose hedges border the walkways. They are just starting to bud with white flowers.

Hinata hardly notices where they are walking, doesn't take note of the guards that wave her through the ornate gates. Her nose is full of the sweet smell of the peonies, and her heart is full of grief and regret. Marigolds and rue would have been better flowers to bring, Hinata thinks, as she lays her white peonies down on her mother's grave. She kneels on the cold, hard stone and prays, forcing her tears back with all her might so that her makeup will not smudge.

There has to be another way.

Thanks so much for reading! Please review;)