Happy Sunday everyone!
I really ramped up the evil in this chapter so be prepared. It's Hinata's turn to get her hands dirty. This is a really important chapter so I think it's the longest by far. Lucky you! Enjoy!
Chapter 10
On with the story
Over a year later, one month from graduation...
Sasuke
I couldn't help smiling as Hinata and I sparred. We exchanged blows back and forth, neither of us gaining advantage on one another.
I knew Hinata wasn't holding back. She promised me she wouldn't this time. I didn't either. I sent bone-crushing kicks and punches towards her, which she narrowly dodged. She thrust her palms at me swiftly. She landed grazing strikes but didn't allow chakra to burst from her palm. If she did then she could accidentally kill me. She didn't need to use her chakra to strike, her palm-strikes were strong enough. Also, given that we were sparring in front of the whole class we decided not to actually use jutsu. I didn't use any ninjutsu or genjutsu and she didn't use her exploding palm technique. This was pure taijutsu.
Given how strong we both were it would have been very alarming for the class to watch us move at our true speed. So instead Hinata and I wore gravity tags under our clothes, slowing us down significantly. Naruto made sure to make all the tags the same weight so Hinata and I sparred on equal ground.
Hinata and I had been going at it for a while. I knew Mizuki would call off the fight soon so I did something drastic. I went in and took a palm-strike straight to the chest in order to land a kick to Hinata's gut. I gritted my teeth. Even without her exploding palm technique her hit hurt. If she hit me like that a year ago she would have broken several of my ribs. However, after so long training under Naruto my body was a lot more durable.
The power of her strike sent me sliding back on my heels. Dirt kicked up beneath my feet. Hinata was sent sprawling to the ground. She rolled a bit before flipping herself up with a handstand and twirling herself back into her fighting stance.
"Alright, that's enough." Mizuki called out.
I stood up straight, a pleased smirk on my face.
"Damn, I lost." I admitted with a chuckle.
"What!? You didn't lose Sasuke-kun! Did you see how she took that hit? You totally kicked her butt!" Sakura screeched from the side.
My pleased expression faded immediately upon hearing the voice of that harpie. My usual "fanclub" had been spectating from the side. They cheered me on ignorantly. They were so damn annoying.
"It was really close Sasuke-kun." Hinata chimed, drawing my attention to her.
I ignored my annoying fanclub and headed over to Hinata. I could see she had a little twig in her hair. Without thinking I casually reached forward and fished the stick out of her purple strands. Her hair had gotten long. Naruto liked long hair so Hinata grew it out. It now flowed down to her back.
"You don't have to try and make me feel better, Empress. I'm ok with losing. Just means I have to work harder to get stronger." I whispered.
No one was supposed to hear me calling Hinata "Empress" so I always whispered when speaking to her like that. It had become second nature.
"Hanabi would have been really impressed if she were here." Hinata commented supportively.
I nodded, my eyes wandered. It would have been nice if Hanabi was here. Can't hurt to show off every once in a while.
Hinata and I went our separate ways, finding our own spots to sit alone and watch the rest of the sparring. Hinata walked over to sit a few feet away from Naruto. The emperor had been watching the entire fight. He seemed pleased. He sat in seclusion under the shade of a tree, his arms resting behind his head. He still maintained his "dobe" persona though I always noticed the intensity of his gaze. Even while just sitting Naruto felt like a king. I was surprised no one else noticed.
General P.O.V
As Sasuke and Hinata parted ways neither of them seemed to notice or care about a number of heated glares being sent towards Hinata. Sasuke had been sworn to Hinata's protection for so long that they didn't even notice how intimate their behavior seemed to others.
They had no idea that Hinata only belonged to one person.
Hinata
I checked my face, turning my head from side to side while washing my hands. Class was almost over and I wanted to make sure I was nice and freshened up for the afterschool walk with Naruto. I'd gotten in the habit recently of heading to the bathroom a little before school ended.
I heard the bathroom door swing open to my side. It was a bit strange for anyone else to use the bathroom at this time since everyone should be in class. I guess when nature calls there is no stopping it.
"Hey." Someone called out to me, drawing my attention.
As soon as I turned I felt a rough shove against me, forcing me to take a step back. I was immediately on alert. I was a split second from attacking and killing whoever touched me. When I saw it was Sakura I calmed down and allowed myself to stumble backwards, my back hitting a wall.
"Sakura? What's going on?"
Her and Ino stood side by side, both glaring at me. They closed the distance and stood over me menacingly.
I was a bit shorter than them both. They didn't scare me of course. I could kill them with one finger. Still that probably wouldn't be a good idea. I'd learned my lesson about showing my strength. They couldn't actually hurt me so I'd play along with their game, for now.
"Stay away from Sasuke." Ino warned.
I frowned.
"What are you…"
Sakura slapped me. I recoiled in disbelief. The slap didn't hurt but the gesture was extremely upsetting. I held my cheek while on the verge of tears. It took everything I had not to retaliate.
"Don't fucking play dumb. We see the way you act around him. Look, we know you have a crush on that loser Naruto. Just ask him out already and leave Sasuke alone. He's too good for you anyway. The dead-last is much more fitting." Sakura hissed.
Then they both turned around and walked away. I was absolutely stunned. I don't ever remember being so angry. How dare they. I balled my fists, my entire body shaking in fury. The worst part is that I knew I couldn't hurt them. If I did then that could get Naruto-kun in trouble. I cried. More out of frustration than anything.
I've been dealing with those two for a while. They never stopped making fun of Naruto for being dead-last and they never stopped bullying me for defending and liking him. When I beat Sakura a year ago she clearly didn't get the hint. I wasn't direct enough. Now I had to deal with their...their...INSOLENCE!
Naruto
"Naruto-kun?"
"Yes Hinata-chan?"
"When you...punish people, um...how does it feel?"
My brow raised at Hinata's question. It seemed to come out of nowhere. We were curled up in bed, the moonlight shining through our bedroom window. I spooned her, my arms wrapped securely around her body. I couldn't see her face.
"It feels good." I stated simply.
I've told her that before so I wasn't sure what she wanted to know besides that.
"So like...when they glare at you and upset you, punishing them makes you feel better about it?" Hinata pressed.
My eyes wandered in thought.
"Yea pretty much. It's cathartic. Eventually they get this particular look on their face. It's like they know how much they fucked up. You can see their regret and it's probably one of the most satisfying feelings there is." I mused.
Hinata went silent after that.
"Why?" I asked.
"It's just...well…" Hinata began.
"Do you want to try it?"
Hinata started to grind her thighs together. I could tell how nervous she was.
"Hey." I called out to her.
She turned around so I could finally see her face. She was lost in thought, glancing off to the side. I placed a finger under her chin and raised her head to direct her gaze to mine.
"I told you, you can do whatever the hell you want. If you want to punish someone then go for it."
She began to poke her fingers together.
"A-are you sure Naruto-kun? What if someone finds out?"
I shrugged.
"No one has found out so far. Hinata-chan, as my Empress you will have complete domain over the subjects of my world. Everyone is yours to play with, to do as you see fit. I'll deal with the consequences. Don't worry your pretty little head. I'll take care of everything. Just, do. The world is yours. I'm strong enough now to protect you from anything. Go nuts!"
Hinata bit into her bottom lip in contemplation before smiling at me and leaning forward to steal an intimate kiss.
"Thank you Naruto-kun." She cooed.
I grinned brightly.
"Anything for my Empress."
Sakura
My head ached so much. My entire body was sore. I tried to raise a hand to cradle my forehead but my arms wouldn't move. A feeling of panic welled up inside me.
I fluttered my eyes open, releasing a pained groan. My gaze was blurry. It took awhile for my vision to clear. My eyes widened when taking in my surroundings. Where the hell was I!?
I was in some kind of poorly lit room. It looked kind of like a basement. I could see a closed door on the far side. I shivered. My back was pressed against the wall, my butt rested on the cold floor. I tried to move my arms but I couldn't, my wrists were bound. I've never been so terrified in my entire life. Did someone kidnap me?
The last thing I remember was getting ready for bed in my room. I was in front of my vanity mirror brushing my hair then everything went black. I think I saw a shadow in the mirror but I couldn't make out who it was.
A muffled voice drew my attention to the side. Oh my god. Ino!?
Ino was sitting down next to me with her arms bound behind her back by rope. Her ankles were bound too, just like mine. I could see the rope was tied to a pipe on the floor. I tried to talk to her but both our mouths were covered by duct tape. She was just as scared as I was.
The door opened on the far side of the room, drawing both our attention. My eyes went wide when I saw who it was.
Hinata? Hinata!? She walked in with an eerily calm look on her face, her hands resting on her pelvis. Why was Hinata here? She couldn't have done this right? She was here to rescue us for sure. Right?
Hinata walked up to us and looked down with a blank expression. She glanced at both of us, her eyes narrowed.
Then came the smack.
I recoiled from the blow she gave to the side of my face. Ino got one soon after. I couldn't help the tears pouring from my eyes. I tried to speak but she smacked me again. My face throbbed. Every muffled cry I gave was met with another smack until I went quiet. She finally stopped.
"I'm sure you are both wondering what you are doing here." Hinata finally spoke up.
I looked at her cautiously, glancing over to Ino. She matched my gaze. Neither of us knew what to do.
"This is a long time coming. I'll teach you some respect." Hinata stated in a haunting voice.
I thought for a second that this might be an imposter. No way this was the meek Hinata we knew. But her voice was the same. She even moved the same as she turned her back to us and walked over to a table. I began to twist my wrists, trying to get free. I could see Ino was doing the same.
Hinata grabbed something from the table and made her way back to us. It was a pail. She sat it nearby and watched us. I think she noticed what we were trying to do. Her eyes narrowed.
Hinata dropped down to her knees. She raised her palms before striking our chests. I screamed. It hurt so bad. What was she doing!?
"I see you are trying to escape. You can't. I made sure of it. If you keep trying you are only going to make me more angry."
Whatever she was doing to me was more painful than anything I've ever felt. It felt like I was being electrocuted. Her finger dug into my rib and I convulsed in agony. Finally she pulled back and I began to whimper. I went still, hoping not to make her any angrier.
"Better." She said while reaching forward.
I flinched away from her. She didn't strike us again. This time she removed the tape on our lips.
"Hinata stop this! Why are you doing this!? You'd better let us go." I shouted with tears streaming down my face.
"When everyone finds out about this they are going to lock you away for good. They might even execute you. If you let us go right now then maybe we'll have them go easy on you." Ino spoke up angrily.
Hinata glared at us before thrusting her palms into our chest. The pain came again like a wave.
"Ahhhh!"
"Hinata stop! Help!" Ino screamed.
"Shut up!" Hinata yelled, thrusting her hand against us again.
I coughed violently, gasping for breath.
"Hinata please…" I pleaded.
"When I get out of here…" Ino ranted.
I looked over at Ino in panic.
"Shut up Ino!"
"No, she's dead."
Ino was livid. Hinata stood up and balled her fists. She shook her head and glared down at Ino.
"I won't let you just...keep being like this. I...I'll teach you no matter what it takes." Hinata stated resolutely while focusing her ire on Ino.
I watched in horror as Hinata began to beat Ino. She slapped her, hit her with palm strikes and poked at the girls body. Ino screamed at first but after a while she stopped making noise. I was mortified. I'd never seen Hinata so angry.
"Hinata, please stop. We've learned our lesson." I begged.
"No!"
Hinata had tears pouring down her face while she screamed those words. Her face was bright red. She fell back on her butt, finally ceasing her attack on Ino. Ino looked beaten now, the girl's head bowed. Hinata was panting, hugging her knees to her chest.
"Why are you doing this Hinata?" I tried to reason with her.
She glared at me.
"After everything you've done you really have to ask?"
I was taken aback. I took some time to think. My eyes widened in realization.
"I'm sorry for making fun of Naruto and teasing you about him." I blurted out.
She narrowed her gaze.
"What else?" She questioned.
My mind raced. I shook my head in frustration.
"Um...I...Um…"
"I'll make it easy for you." Came another voice.
I recognized that voice. Oh my god.
Sasuke walked into the room, closing the door behind him. He walked forward with his usual cool stride, pockets in his hands carelessly. I was shocked.
He walked over to Hinata and held out a hand for her. She took it and rose to her feet. Sasuke bowed to her.
"Empress." He declared respectfully.
Ino raised her head now and had a look of disbelief just like me.
"Sasuke-kun?" I questioned.
Sasuke eyed me before turning his attention to Hinata.
"You should gag them. I could hear them from upstairs. To do this right this is going to take a while and I'd rather not hear their annoying voices. If you approve Empress." Sasuke proposed.
Hinata nodded.
"Thanks for the advice Sasuke-kun. Please take care of it. I...I need a minute."
Hinata walked away from us over to the table again. While she did Sasuke bent down and took a roll of duct tape from his pocket.
"Sasuke-kun?" I questioned desperately.
He shook his head and narrowed his eyes.
"Pathetic." Sasuke spat scornfully while placing tape over my mouth.
I whimpered now. What did I do to deserve this?
Hinata
It was easier to torture them with Sasuke there. After a while my hands stopped shaking. I was so angry but at the same time I couldn't help feeling guilty with every blow. Sasuke seemed to care less than I did. I wanted them to suffer but it was still hard. Having someone else there with me to share the experience made it easier.
After a few hours we left Sakura and Ino in the cellar and turned off the lights. I was in a pretty good mood during training. Naruto asked me about it.
"You seem especially upbeat." Naruto pointed out.
I nodded.
"I am. I actually feel great."
He raised a brow.
"Oh?"
My eyes wandered.
"Well...you remember what we talked about last night?"
Naruto's eyes trailed off. He only took a moment to remember. His eyes widened. I could see that he figured it out.
"That was fast. So you found someone to punish?"
"Mhm."
"You little devil." He teased.
And that was that. He didn't even ask who it was. I don't think he cared. I guess to him it didn't matter. What mattered was that I was happy. Naruto's support emboldened me.
I tortured Sakura and Ino for two more days. It was a little bit easier now. I fed them and gave them something to drink. I didn't plan on keeping them for good. I just wanted to make sure that they learned to never disrespect Naruto or me again. With Sasuke there to help I think they realized that they had no chance with him so hopefully after this they wouldn't bully me about being near Sasuke either. I don't think they'd be bullying anyone ever again.
After a while I began to ignore their screams. I scared even myself but how much I began to enjoy it. That is until, I...I think I might have gone too far.
Naruto
Hinata seemed really happy lately. She must have been having a lot of fun with the punishment. I was pleasantly surprised. It actually warmed my heart. I was pretty sure that the enjoyment of torture was a weird and rare thing. I didn't think I'd find anyone to enjoy it with me. It was nice to know that Hinata found it satisfying as well. Made me feel a bit less lonely in that regard.
I never asked who she was punishing. I wanted to send her the message that to me it didn't matter. She could have the Hokage for all I cared. No one was off limits. I wouldn't let anyone stop her. I wanted her to feel empowered. In hindsight maybe that wasn't the wisest choice. Oh well, I'll handle it.
Today I immediately noticed Hinata's sour mood. Usually she'd go to the basement right after school to spend a couple hours there. Then she'd come to the clearing to train. I didn't mind that she trained a little less than Sasuke and Hanabi. Hinata had multiple clones training for her at all times so she could afford to take time out of her day for fun. But today she came to the clearing after only 10 minutes. She looked distressed.
She walked up to me rubbing her arm nervously.
"Hinata-nee-chan, are you ok?" Hanabi stopped her sparring session with Sasuke to call out to Hinata in concern.
"Empress?" Sasuke questioned cautiously.
Hinata headed straight for me and fell into my arms, burying her head into my chest.
"I...think I messed up Naruto-kun." Hinata whispered in a vulnerable manner.
I nodded in understanding.
"Let's go see." I instructed while leading Hinata out of the clearing.
"We'll be back." I called out to Hanabi and Sasuke.
They maintained concerned looks but they didn't question it. They knew I'd take care of it.
Hinata opened the door to the torture room and looked back at me tentatively while leading the way. I went wide eyed. Goddammit.
Sakura and Ino were sitting passed out on the floor. They looked terrible. Their clothes were dirty, hair frizzed and unkept. I could see obvious bruises on their bodies.
Hinata stood in front of them with her head bowed, the girl poking her fingers together.
"It's Ino." She explained.
I nodded and walked forward, squatting down in front of Sakura.
"Hey." I called out, tapping Sakura on the forehead.
She slowly lifted her head, growing a look of surprise when seeing my face. She looked at me cautiously. I don't think she knew if I were a friend or foe. I grabbed her chin and lifted her head roughly. She whimpered and closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. I think she realized at that moment that I was not her friend.
I turned her head from side to side, gauging her reaction.
"Well she's fine at least." I stated carelessly.
Hinata bit into her bottom lip, nodding at me before shifting her attention to Ino.
I moved to Ino now and did the same thing. Ino didn't respond. I lifted her head and saw the look in her eyes. She wouldn't look at me. She was gazing out at nothing.
"Hey!" I said while giving Ino a small smack to the face.
She recoiled but gave no other response. I sighed.
"I see."
"What's wrong with her Naruto-kun?" Hinata whimpered.
I stood up and reached an arm for Hinata. She recognized the gesture, immediately scampering over to my side and leaning against me. I wrapped an arm around Hinata and led her out of the room.
Once the door was closed I turned to her.
"Naruto-kun?" She questioned desperately.
I could see how upset she was. I pulled her into my warm embrace to calm her down.
"It's ok Hinata-chan. I know what happened."
"What is it?"
"You broke her."
Hinata let out an audible gasp, covering her mouth with both hands.
"W-what does that mean?"
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Well, it's hard to explain. I'll try as best as I can. Basically everyone has different pain tolerances. When you push someone to their limits and make them lose all hope then they recede into themselves. It's a coping mechanism. They've lost all hope so they just give up." I explained.
Hinata looked at me in horror.
"Oh my gods."
Tears were streaming down her face now.
"Oh Naruto! What do we do? I didn't mean for this to happen. I just wanted to make them pay and I guess...I just went overboard. I...Naruto!" She rambled, sputtering.
I placed a finger against her lips.
"Shhh, it's ok."
She shook her head.
"But how Naruto-kun? I...did this. I broke her. I...I'm a monster. I was just having so much fun and I didn't….Oh god."
Hinata broke down, wrapping her arms around herself and backing away. I grabbed her and pulled her back into my tight hold.
"It's ok. It's ok. We can fix it."
"But how Naruto-kun!?"
"Don't you trust me?" I questioned.
That snapped her out of her despair immediately.
"Of course I do Emperor Naruto-kun." She said in alarm.
I narrowed my gaze.
"Then why are you still crying if I told you I can fix it?" I challenged.
She wiped her tears rapidly.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She whispered pathetically.
I chuckled and leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead.
"No need to apologize. Just calm down and I'll take care of everything."
"Ok Naruto-kun."
She laid her head against my chest and went quiet. We maintained that hold until her nerves were settled.
I had Hinata work side by side with me for the next few days as I showed her what to do.
"In order to make this right we have to give Ino hope again. All you've given her is the stick. Now she needs the carot."
We clothed Ino with clean clothes and set out a table and beds in the basement. We knew she wouldn't try to escape. We took care of her over the next few days. Hinata stayed with her, tending to her needs. We promised her that we'd let her go when she got better and was able to behave normally.
"That's the carrot. The promise of freedom."
"Are you sure it will work Naruto-kun?"
"It will work well enough. You only had her for a few days so after some therapy she should be fine. I'm just glad you got me right away otherwise the damage would probably be irreparable."
We kept Sakura locked up but didn't torture her. Sakura wasn't broken but I needed to make sure she knew the consequences of behaving disrespectful towards me and my empress.
After a few days I felt that Ino was ready to leave. She wasn't fully healed but at least she could function. I knocked her out and left her in the forest. We knew she'd be able to find her way home.
When I returned to the basement I found Sasuke and Hinata sitting at the dining table. The basement was filled with furniture now. We used it as a sort of recovery-ward. I took a seat at the head of the table. Hinata and Sasuke sat opposite each other. There was a long silence.
"So do you really think she'll be ok Naruto-kun?"
I placed my arms behind my head and stared up at the ceiling.
"Probably." I stated simply.
Hinata didn't seem to be satisfied with that answer but I didn't want to lie to her.
"This is my fault. I should have said something." Sasuke spoke up now.
"No, you can't blame yourself Sasuke-kun. I did this." Hinata insisted.
"Enough." I spoke up now, drawing both their attention.
"Sasuke, it is your job to look after My Empress. If she makes a mess you are supposed to clean it up. She needs your guidance and advice. You should have read the situation better and advised Hinata on what could happen." I lectured.
Sasuke bowed his head in shame.
"Hinata-chan, you didn't tell me about the nature of your punishment. You didn't tell me what you were doing and who you were doing it too. It stopped my ability to intercede and show you proper guidance."
Hinata bowed her head and wrapped her arms around herself.
"I should have asked you about the details of what you were doing. I should have been more involved. In my arrogance I allowed you to suffer needlessly instead of helping you draw from my experience. I know all about this and I could have prevented it." I continued.
The two looked at me tentatively.
"Still, no one is to blame. Blame implies that we did something wrong. I won't let us think like that. Hinata-chan you were well within your right to do whatever you wanted to them. An outcome happened that you didn't like but that didn't make your actions wrong. These types of things are always going to happen. We deal with them when they happen. It's called consequences. Beating ourselves up about it won't do anything. What we do is learn from it. Simple as that." I stated resolutely.
Hinata poked her fingers together. I could see that she disagreed but she didn't want to contradict me. Especially not in front of Sasuke.
"Speak your mind Hinata-chan."
"It's just, how can what I did not be wrong? After what I did to them, to her. I didn't like it. Now that I've gotten a chance to go over the past few days I feel sick." Hinata admitted.
I nodded in understanding.
"You just discovered something you don't like. Doesn't make it wrong." I clarified.
Hinata held a confused look.
"I think I get it." Sasuke spoke up, drawing our attention now.
"Empress, in the Emperor's world right and wrong is what he says it is. He's granted you exception to the laws and rules that will be imposed upon everyone else. You can kill, torture, maim, and do other bad things that would be bad if anyone else did it. But in this world the Emperor has granted you special rights. Only you. So this isn't about what you did being wrong. If you don't like it then don't do it. Do something else. You can do whatever you want and it's all justified." Sasuke explained.
I nodded in approval. Hinata took some time to think about what Sasuke said.
"Why is it ok for me to do these things if it isn't ok for anyone else?" She questioned.
I grinned. Now we were getting somewhere.
"Because laws and morals are arbitrary. People just make them up as they go along. That's why this world is so chaotic. Everyone thinks about morality differently. Different cultures, families, religions. Even then a lot of them don't adhere to their own rules. It's all a shitshow. When you boil it down, most everyone does what's in their best interest or the best interest of their families. Morality is a fairy tale. Functionally, historically, it has just been used to control people. That's where I come in. I will make the law of the land real not because I am more right, moral, or ethical than anyone else. My word will be the law of the land because I am the strongest. I won't just be an emperor. I will be a god, dictating right and wrong. The atrocities we commit will only be justified when we do it, which means that everyone else will still have to follow my laws in order to survive and thrive in my empire.
I will shape this world in any way I see fit and if anyone defies me they will be devoured. In doing so I will monopolize the evil in the world, making the evil die with me. Hinata-chan, you are a part of that as well. We can do whatever we want because it's our job to be the judge, jury, and executioner. We will cause a lot of pain by bringing the world to heel. Someone has to do it so that the innocent people of my world won't have to. There is no other way to create a world full of innocents without someone monopolizing evil. Since that's going to be us anyway, we minds well enjoy ourselves. In the face of all that what's a little torture? This is child's play compared to what comes next."
Hinata
I think I finally got it. What I did wasn't wrong because Naruto is the law. If he says it isn't wrong then it isn't and that's that. Still…
"I still don't want to do that again Naruto-kun."
Naruto reached an arm out for me. I was happy to follow his silent command. I got up and moved over to him, sitting on his lap. He held me close.
'Then you don't have to."
Naruto lifted me up and held me bridal style. I sighed contently. I was still a bit upset but being carried by Naruto always felt really nice and it did a lot to cheer me up.
"Sasuke, let Sakura go in the morning. Make sure she knows her place." Naruto instructed.
"Yes Emperor."
Sasuke gave a respectful bow as Naruto carried me away. We went to bed early that night. Tonight had been really stressful.
Naruto
"Naruto-kun."
"Yes Hinata-chan."
"I...don't think I hated it all. For a while there I did enjoy it…"
She fidgeted a bit. I raised a brow. Why did she feel the need to say that? Unless…
"Did you do that for me?" I questioned suspiciously.
Hinata hesitated.
"A little I guess. I wanted them to pay for being so mean to you and me. But...I also wanted to be more like you. I've been watching you for so long, just sitting on the sidelines. I felt like if I joined in then I could be closer to you, understand you better. I wanted to share your passion."
I shook my head and raised a hand to trail through my hair. She looked up at me cautiously.
"I'm sorry I couldn't enjoy it in the end." She whispered under her breath.
I signed and squeezed her tight.
"Hinata-chan, you are so adorable."
I got her to blush. Good.
"Thank you Naruto-kun."
I chuckled and leaned down to give her an eskimo kiss.
"You don't have to force yourself to do those types of things just to impress me or to be close to me. No one is closer to me than you and that will never change."
She nodded, avoiding my gaze.
"I guess I just get insecure sometimes. I love you so much and I just want to be as close as possible."
I raised a brow.
"Do you feel like we aren't close?"
She shook her head frantically.
"No, nothing like that. I love how close we are. It's just that I want to be perfect. I want to share everything you do. That means sharing your passions too."
"Where is this coming from Hinata-chan?"
Her eyes wandered.
"Well...Sasuke and Hanabi still aren't dating. Maybe they never will. But they still talk to each other all the time about their passion. Which is how to grow stronger. They speak excitedly towards each other, challenge each other, push each other. Their eyes sparkle when they train together. Even if they don't end up dating, they will make perfect partners."
It all made sense now.
"I didn't realize you felt that way. What can I do to make you feel closer to me?"
I was genuinely surprised. Hinata and I were inseparable. We had been for years. I shared with her every bit of my life. I didn't keep secrets from her, I told her everything. I didn't think it was possible for me to be closer to a person. That's how I felt but what mattered right now was how she felt. This was my Empress. I would do anything to make her feel better, to make her feel as happy as possible, as close as possible to me.
Hinata thought over my question. She frowned.
"I don't know. My passion is your passion. Outside of spending time with me and training, punishing the villagers seemed to be your favorite thing. I wanted to be more a part of that but I see now that I didn't need to be. I was being silly. I'm sorry Naruto-kun."
I thought over Hinata's response.
"You don't need to be sorry. I really appreciate you wanting to be closer to me. Actually, I have an idea."
Hinata looked up to me curiously.
Hinata
"Ah! Please stop! Emperor, empress! Please!" Sakura screamed.
Naruto stood behind me, holding me close as he guided my hand. I held a kunai, cutting into Sakura's side. I could see her insides. Well, the illusion of her insides.
Naruto cast a genjutsu on Sakura and me. It allowed us to be in a virtual realm where I could inflict pain on Sakura but it wouldn't actually show on her physical body.
"Ok Sakura-chan. You've been so good that we are going to let you go tomorrow." I stated happily while pulling the kunai from her body.
She panted and looked at me doubtfully.
"R-really?"
I nodded. As I nodded the genjutsu dissipated and we were back in the attic. Sakura was still on the cold floor. Her clothes were clean now. We took better care of her since breaking Ino. I didn't want to break Sakura too. Naruto said that we could torture Sakura a little bit more without breaking her. He showed me a number of techniques I could use for the future.
I bent over and undid Sakura's bindings, freeing her. She rubbed her wrists and looked up at us tentatively.
"I hope you appreciate this." Naruto spoke out with his eyes narrowing.
"Yes! Thank you Emperor Naruto, Empress Hinata." Sakura said with a deep bow.
"Here. Show us how appreciative you are." Naruto said, raising a foot in front of Sakura.
Sakura took a moment to contemplate Naruto's meaning. Her eyes widened. She immediately dipped her head down to kiss the top of Naruto's foot.
"Good girl." Naruto praised.
"Thank you Emperor." Sakura stated obediently.
Naruto raised a brow, looking over to me. Sakura got the hint, crawling forward on all fours to kiss my feet as well.
"Is this good, Empress?" She questioned.
I looked to Naruto. He nodded in approval.
"Yes, that's good."
"Thank you." Sakura blurted out, bowing again and placing her head to the ground.
Naruto turned around and brought me along. I clung to his side.
"Follow." Naruto commanded.
Sakura didn't need to be told twice. She rose to her feet. As soon as she did Naruto stopped, turning his head to the side to glance harshly over to Sakura. She froze and immediately dropped down to her knees. Naruto began to walk again. She got the hint. She crawled on all fours, following us close behind.
"You see Hinata-chan? This is more satisfying than breaking them. You cause just enough pain for them to show proper respect. The best part is that they deserve it. They earned this. I've broken a few before. I understand why you would feel bad about it. Honestly it bummed me out too. So I don't do it anymore. I teach them just enough so they learn respect but they are still able to act as functioning and useful members of society." Naruto lectured as we made our way into the basement room that we'd turned into a healing ward.
I nodded in fascination, looking back to Sakura who was still crawling behind us.
"How do you know when to stop?"
I wanted to know everything I could. Naruto was a great teacher.
"You have to get good at reading people. You'll get better with time. This could be an alternative to devouring those who commit lesser sins. Give them a second chance."
"Wow. I didn't think people would get a second chance in your world Naruto-kun."
"Yep! The reason I punish people is because it's satisfying. But being merciful can also be satisfying too. It's the best of both worlds really." Naruto said in a chipper manner.
I marveled at him.
"That's so beautiful Naruto-kun."
He rubbed his nose with a big grin.
"Thanks babe." He stated happily, bending down to give me a kiss on the cheek.
I swooned, fluttering my lashes adoringly. He let out a demonic growl. I shivered. After a moment of our lingering gaze Naruto turned us around to face Sakura. She was waiting patiently on all fours, bowing her head submissively.
"That will be your bed. I trust you won't try to leave without permission." Naruto proclaimed, pointing to the bed that Ino had been sleeping on in the last few days.
"I would never dream of it Emperor!" Sakura assured us.
She crawled forward and began to pepper Naruto's toes with kisses.
"Alright alright. Rise and get to bed." Naruto stated in a huff, waving her off dismissively.
Sakura finally stood up and bowed at the waist. She walked meekly over to the bed and climbed under the covers without another word.
Naruto and I made our way up the stairs. He closed the basement door behind us once we reached the top. I noticed that he left the door unlocked.
"Aren't you afraid she'll try to escape Naruto-kun?"
Naruto chuckled.
"Not in the least." He stated confidently.
I made a mental note of that, of how much it took for Naruto to feel confident that he'd thoroughly trained someone.
In the years I've been with him and helped him punish the villagers I had only seen bits and pieces of what Naruto did. I was never a part of the full process. There was a lot I didn't understand. I didn't ask questions, I wasn't curious. I just did what Naruto told me.
Things were different now. I was more hopeful and very curious. Showing mercy after torture was a lot better than just continuing to inflict pain until they broke. Naruto made it fun again. The best part was that we did it together now. He tutored me, helped me, gave me advice and was eager to answer all my questions. I could feel us growing closer. It made me so happy. I think this was the start of something beautiful.
There was never anything wrong with our relationship. Naruto loved me more than anything, I had no doubts about that. But I still felt the need to improve.
This was my passion. Getting better and better at being Naruto's perfect wife. This was a hard few days but I've grown a lot from it. I only planned to grow more. I'll show him.
By the time we made it back to bed it was almost morning.
"Thank you for teaching me today Naruto-kun." I whispered sweetly.
"Anything for my Empress. Thank you for being so perfect."
"I'm not perfect yet Naruto-kun. Even though things are alright now, I still messed up."
Naruto slapped my butt, making me squeak and look at him meekly.
"Stop that. I said that you could do whatever you want and I meant it. There will be consequences for everything you do, good and bad. And I'll deal with them happily. So I don't want to hear about you "messing up," or "doing wrong" or anything like that. It's impossible. Just do what you want. That's the benefit of being my Empress. So cut it out. You can do anything. Well, mostly anything." Naruto's voice trailed off.
"Mostly?"
He grinned and rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, anything except cheat on me. If I ever found you with another guy I'd probably go crazy." Naruto said lightheartedly.
"I would never!" I stated in alarm.
He chuckled.
"Good."
I rubbed a circle in his chest with a finger.
"I want to be so perfect that you never think about doing anything like that either." I whispered under my breath.
"How could I think about anyone else when I have such a perfect wife already?"
I smiled brighter than I had in days. We shared a passionate kiss.
"I'm so glad to hear that Naruto-kun. If I ever found you with another woman, well...I wouldn't feel guilty about breaking her."
I let out a surprised shriek. Naruto rolled over on the bed so he was on top of me. He bit into the side of my neck dominantly. A shiver of pleasure creeped up my spine. This was so sudden. I was not prepared for his forceful onslaught.
"Naruto?" I questioned in an infatuated daze.
"You can't expect me to control myself when you say sexy stuff like that." He growled.
I filled our bedroom with squeals as he pounced. We didn't get much sleep that night.
General P.O.V
Knocks rattled against the wood of a door. Dull eyes stared forward, waiting for the door to open.
It swung open, a woman on the other side. The woman let out a sharp gasp.
"Ino!" The woman cried out while dropping to her knees and engulfing the blonde in a hug.
Ino rose shaky arms up to embrace her mother.
"M-mommy." Ino whimpered.
Ino's mother pulled back, scanning her daughter's face. Seeing her daughter's expression broke her heart.
A man sprinted into view, freezing when seeing the image before him.
"Daddy." Ino spoke up.
"Sweetheart." He called out, dashing forward at blinding speed to join his family in that sweet hug.
He immediately noticed the girl's face.
He and Ino's mother exchanged glances. Their eyes narrowed.
Whoever did this to their baby would pay dearly.
That's the end of the chapter. Please review.