The Sacrifice – Part 1
Hinata POV
She never enjoys going out to meet with the ladies from the other families. Always prefers spending time by herself, locked in her room reading and getting lost in the world of a good novel.
But her father sends her at the ladies' meetings either way. 'Do not let the other clans think less of us because of your absence' but what he doesn't know is that they already do. They think less of her, bully her, and she never stands up for herself.
At the start it was hurtful, by now it is routine. It's easier to just let them laugh and push her around than it would be to try and do something only to annoy them more.
However…the ladies too are getting bored of her lack of reply. So, their tactics changed lately, they pull her hair, trip her, one of them even 'mistakenly' ripped her kimono. He disheveled appearance is starting to raise suspicions.
Deciding that she finally had enough and adding the fact that the bullying intensified anyway, she is no ready to stand up for herself!
And she did, last meeting she chewed them all a new one. When one of them tried to trip her she kicked her foot, making that lady fall. They gasped and Hinata panicked for a second internally. But she stood her ground still.
So she expected things to be better this time, they saw how tough she is actually!
…But…
"She's from the bravest clan. I'm sure the old tales don't scare her."
"Yes! Go Hinata, when we were playing with the temari ball it rolled all the way into the yard. Go retrieve it. You're the toughest of us all"
They're walking, or more like she is being pushed, towards the old haunted house.
Centuries ago, the mightiest clan all fell one night, the village mourned and placed flowers at the gate of the mansion, but during the night someone painted each white lily red with the blood of the fallen.
People say that a demon did it, that it was the one to kill them all. Nobody dared enter, all the bodies were left there to rot. One brave boy among the crowd said he doesn't fear the demon, that the bodies need to be properly buried and ventured into the house.
But he came back empty handed. He said there's no body to be found in the estate.
Even now the tale is sill very much alive, the house has not been lived in since. Some people have went inside only to tell horrific tales of red eyes watching them from the shadow of a tree, eyes that pull them in, eyes that have bloody intent.
"The temari ball was a gift from my father. It's so so important"
"We would go but we're scared. But you're really brave, aren't you?"
Neji would laugh at them, at the teasing of 16 year old ladies. He would laugh at her for not being able to say no and leave.
They push her further, one of the girls has her hand on the door, she's shaking. Two other girls push her in and they close the door behind her.
She's scared. Turning around, trying to open the door but it won't budge. The ladies on the other side are laughing.
Sasuke POV
He felt it, the moment the door opened. Eyes opening. Legs uncrossed from under him. He was perfectly still like a statue sitting atop a rock under a big cherry tree.
Bare feet paddling on the cold and dusty wooden floors, dragging sounds come from behind.
There's a soft and familiar fragrance in the air the closer he gets to the front door.
Frowning at his own unfamiliar feelings. His heart beating a bit faster.
How many years have passed since he last saw a human? He doesn't know. Time is not a concept he can grasp.
The house appears to be in worse shape than last time he opened his eyes.
The floors creak.
Coming to a halt the moment his eyes fall upon a small figure. Crouched to the floor, crying, breathing heavily, hands over her head, head buried in her knees.
Taking one step closer, the floor creaking. Lilac eyes looking up at him through tears. Her mouth open, perhaps to scream but fear paralyses her. She cannot scream.
She looks familiar, but he's still not fully awake, and his eyes are blurry.
Walking closer to the girl, he can hear laughing on the other side of the door.
He bangs on it loud and hard. "SILENCE"
The other mortal girls scream, they run away. Leaving this one behind for him. An offer? A sacrifice from the village to appease him? It was about time.
Arm extended, hand gripping the neckline of the girl's kimono, dragging her into the yard where the moonlight shines so he can see her better.
There's this voice in the back of his head telling him that he knows her.
The girl is now shaking and violently crying.
Her face hidden away, looking the floor.
Crouching, annoyed, his hand gripping the girls' face. It's his first time touching a human in centuries, he forgot how…soft and meek they are.
Girl flinching slightly at the touch, her cheeks will have fingerprint-like bruises.
Pretty face illuminated by the moon.
He does remember her.
"Hinata"
Hinata POV
Her fear rendered her unmoving, she isn't even crying anymore. Eyes opening up, looking into the red eyes of the…creature.
He looks human enough, but he has black horns that turn red at the tips, his ears are pointy, there are black and red scales on his neck, a big and heavy tail behind him.
…
A d-dragon?
Autor Note: For a somewhat depiction of what I mean about Sasuke's form in this story look up 'Imbibitor Lunae' from Honkai Star Rail, aka the 5 star version of Dan Heng. That's where I kinda took inspiration from. Pretty dragon boy.