There was no reason for Hinata to resist Neji. They were in broad daylight and plenty of people saw them together before he took her to an empty training ground. They walked for a while and she noticed how his teammates didn't follow him. Well they did, but it was a large gap between them to give them privacy. Same with Team 7. She could still feel the antsy energy of a certain blond ninja though.
When Neji finally stopped (which she thought he never was going to) he turned her around to face her and yanked her into his embrace. Into a hug.
This was beyond confusing for her.
She felt awkward and didn't return the hug back. Pale lavender eyes just stared off into the distance of the one-sided show of affection. She started counting in her head to see how long he was going to do this.
Over 30 seconds. She never thought she'd see the day Hyuga Neji was so sentimental.
When he released her he stared at her for a moment and gave her a small smile, "I figured you wouldn't return the affection. Still I've wanted to do that for some time." Hinata slowly nodded her head in an understanding manner even though the both of them knew it was no understanding coming from her end.
"Hanabi-sama is doing amazing. She misses you dearly. Cries for you almost every night."
He noticed the small, almost invisible clench of her jar as she continued to look past him. She hummed at this and gave the same nod that she gave a moment ago. "We cannot do this Neji."
"I know that the damage done to you isn't as severe as a typical ROOT ninja's. Four years-"
"Is enough time Neji. Trust me."
"Your family misses you. Hinata"
Her eyes finally looked at him and he saw a familiar look of anger, of hate looking back at him. He knew that look very well. It was a look that he had for years towards her. "No. No I don't think they do Neji."
"Are me and Hanabi not enough to consider family that miss you?"
He watched as her jaw clenched again and she didn't say anything. She looked forward again at the empty space in front of her and said nothing. This caused Neji to actually smirk at her. She's become stubborn he sees.
"I should be going. I must get rest for the upcoming mission. I will be at the designated meeting area when it is time to leave." She sensed the others approaching and absolutely was done with questions and probing for the day.
Neji arched a brow at her, "This mission is a team mission. We discuss things as a team."
She wanted to rebuttal that she technically was not part of their teams, but Lord Danzo put her on this mission with high hopes she could complete where Sai failed at. She would not let her savior down. "Okay Neji."
"Okay?"
"Yes."
Neji frowned at her slightly. That was too easy. She had more bite earlier, now it seemed like she was back on mission mode. Which made him start to guess what her main objective was with everything. Something was up. He'd be watching her from here on out.
The eye connection they shared let one another know to be on the alert for the other. Hinata had to remember, Neji had the same all-seeing ability like her. However, according to her observations she just had a wider range of seeing everything.
"Well this is awkward."
Neji looked at 'Wire' for a little moment longer before staring at Tenten, "Everything is fine."
"Doesn't look that way exactly." The two Hyuga's eyes roamed over to the upcoming Team 7, "No Kakashi-sensei we are fine. I was just telling Wire to stay while we discuss the mission."
Naruto frowned at the name and looked off to the side mumbling something about her name being Hinata. Sakura elbowed him in the stomach and whispered harshly for him to shut the hell up.
Hinata looked at the two, than towards Sai, and then back at Naruto and Sakura before frowning. One of her biggest pet peeves when looking at how the two interacted with one another was the hands on communication. Was it really needed to put hands on one another?
Kakashi noticed 'Wire's' disgusted stare before a blank expression washed over her. "Don't worry. That is just how they interact with one another. It is how they function properly as a team."
The words 'I know' were on the tip of her tongue, but she ignored it and just nodded her head in understanding towards Kakashi. The group found themselves settling down at the training grounds as Kakashi explained how capturing Itachi instead of killing him would be their best option if they want to get to Sasuke.
Again, all this for one person.
So much man power and money being put into this one person. Who by the way was a criminal now. Shouldn't more attention be put on killing the Akatsuki members and stopping there grand plan and then focusing on the mentally scarred Uchiha?
Wire had to fight off a yawn at hearing everything. It would look rude and as if she didn't care about the former member of Team 7. "Are we boring you Wire?"
Said person's eyes snapped to Kakashi's and she didn't say anything. Why would he think that? She didn't do anything to appear rude or bored. "Sometimes no facial expressions are worse than having a facial expression."
Aww, okay. She would need to stash that bit of information in her mind for later use. The copy-nin was GOOD.
"I am very much alert and understand every and anything you have said Kakashi-sama. I do not want you to think that I am not paying attention. My apologies." Kakashi didn't say anything to what she said for a moment, he continued to stare at her, and her line of vision did not falter at his gaze.
No matter how much they wanted to.
"Being attentive and caring about a mission are two different things."
Hinata looked off to the side like in thought before slowly nodding her head, "You think I do not care Kakashi-sama?"
"I know you don't."
Hinata looked back at him and her eyes turned into steel. She'd take the flak from Lord Danzo later, "Because I do not. A mission is a mission. I will perform this mission just the same I do any other mission with all due respect. I will not give you any less than I have with any other mission. I do not care for Uchiha Sasuke though. I could care less if he lived or died right at my foot."
Maybe she should have kept that last part to herself.
Naruto immediately grimaced at her word choices, "Damn Hinata. Well you don't need to be here if you feel that way Hinata."
Slowly she turned her head to the loud male voice next to his pink haired teammate, "Why are you upset? Do you think everyone else is here because they 'care' about the Uchiha traitor? I am here because I was assigned to do this mission with you all. Nothing more and nothing less. Also, please address me as Wire."
Naruto gritted his teeth at her and couldn't believe who was talking like this right now. This was Hinata. His friend. He remembered Hinata to be nice, friendly and encouraging. Who was this asshole? "What happened to you."
It was more of a rhetorical question. She concluded he didn't really care what happened to her. Just the fact she wasn't supporting this ridiculous dream to get his teammate back. "Don't be foolish Uzumaki. Look at the world we live in. Why ask such simple questions."
The look he gave her spoke volumes. She wasn't supposed to break. She wasn't supposed to let them tear her down. She was better than that.
So he thought. What immature, illogical thinking. In her reality she was a coward that was another victim to society.
Wire continued to ignore his look before getting back on subject, "Uchiha Itachi was able to massacre his clan and be part of the largest and strongest terrorist organization so far. With a partner that is just as strong. How exactly are we supposed to capture him? Better yet, how are we doing this without actually killing him?"
It was a fair and honest question. While this just put her closer at physically getting the younger Uchiha and Uzumaki at an altercation so she could make her move. This was a very…odd concept of a mission.
This just made her think. If she DID find Itachi before anyone else, than she could use this as a method to find the younger Uchiha. He would be weakened just as much from fighting his brother than he would fighting Naruto. Maybe she would get lucky and he would even be killed by his brother.
That being said her comfortable solid shadow clone limit was two at the moment. Any more than that and her clones wouldn't be able to do things as precise as she'd like them to. The clone she'd sent after Itachi would be her limit. Which would mean if anything happened while on the mission, she couldn't use her shadow clones without her spying clones being either detected or dissipating.
Still weighing the pros and cons, it would do her a lot of good to know where Uchiha Itachi was.
How though? She was supposed to be keeping an eye on Sasuke and Naruto, which was her best bet. Surely if Sasuke was to find Itachi first than that would be a winning situation. Her clone could watch them both. Leaving her with a free clone. Herself will of course physically go on this mission and if they come across Itachi along their path than she would send a shadow clone to pursue him.
Sounds like a plan. Monitor and observe Naruto, Sai and Itachi and kill Sasuke. Sounds like an impossible and a stretched plan, but she wasn't Lord Danzo's trusted ninja for nothing.
"Well Wire we have to find them first correct? We will be doing that by using my ninken. We of course have two Byakugan users. To find Sasuke should not be as difficult than to find Itachi. Since he is someone a little more trained on staying hidden."
Hinata nodded her head as if she understood what Kakashi was saying before looking off to the side. Being completely done with the conversation. In her mind she was figuring out how to go about spying on Uchiha Itachi. The man was no easy foe. He was intelligent, hardened and cold blooded. It seemed his main objective was Sasuke and Sasuke's main objective was him.
Another disordered relationship.
Hinata continued to listen in silence. There was logical conversations and lectures and then there were sentimental and emotional conversations. Promises and emotional bouts pertaining to the Akatsuki after Uzumaki. She listened to it all. She was used to absorbing information in that wasn't really of use.
When they were all dismissed she thanked the heavens because she wanted to leave immediately to her quarters. "Will you not be going back to the Hyuga residence?"
Hinata looked at Kakashi confused, "No Kakashi-sama. I will be going back to my quarters. I will see you all in the morning."
She wanted to ask him why the hell would he think she would be going back there after 4 years but decided against it. It wasn't worth the backlash and the copy-nin being on her ass from now on.
Team 7 and Guy watched as she disappeared into the wood line and Naruto couldn't help but to have an agitated look on his face, "Neji."
"Just leave it alone Naruto." Neji turned around to make his way home as well, "This was her decision. She wasn't forced to go anywhere, and she knew of the consequences if she left. That is the most I will tell you."
Like lighting, Naruto ran in front of him to block his way from walking. Neji glared at him and while physically moving him was tempting, he was rather drained from the emotional day and would much rather Naruto leave him alone on his own. "Neji…just answer me this."
Said person had to stop himself from groaning, "WHAT Naruto."
"Did your clan disown her? Please tell me that isn't the case. Please tell me she wasn't disowned. That she left because she had nothing left."
Neji paused for a moment. He looked at Naruto up and down and concluded that he hid a lot of knowledge in that solid head of his. Hinata was basically disowned. Her title as heir taken away and she was pretty much being removed from the main family.
Naruto was more observant than he thought, "Yes. Yes she was. That's all Naruto. Just drop it for the rest of this mission."
With that Neji maneuvered around the stunned young blond and went on his way home. Naruto stood there for a moment in total shocked silence. This couldn't be true. How could they do that to her? How was anything she did voluntarily if she was disowned? He watched as Tenten came towards him and placed her hand on his shoulder in a comforting way.
"If it makes you feel better. We had no clue what so ever that Hinata was still in the village either. Honestly I thought she ran away or something. Neji keeps anything Hyuga related tight lipped. You couldn't pry information about his family out of him even if you tortured him."
Naruto still frowned at this, "Why did they treat it like this insane secret? People were worried about her."
"Naruto. She is in the ROOT organization. The organization functions different than the regular. Her previous life is obsolete. Whoever her previous family and friends were the relationship is no longer. It works better that way."
Naruto looked at Sai as he spoke and still wasn't satisfied with the reasoning. This was insane. It shouldn't be this way, especially for her. This was Hinata they were talking about. She didn't deserve to live like this. She didn't deserve to be disowned.
He wanted to talk to her.
Hinata watched Naruto in the shadows. He was an odd one. Funny, and he called her weird all those years ago. Now look who's weird. Now look who's walking around in the woods looking for some kind of trap door that would lead him to some underground world. Maybe he took that dungeon thing from Lady Tsunade serious.
What a rare kind of gullible he was. Guess it was time to show herself, he was starting to look desperate. Hinata supposed he was looking for her.
"Uzumaki."
In his defense, it was 10 at night and he was in the middle of some random area he tracked her aura at in the creepy woods. He did all of this knowing that people were after him. If she was him she would have probably jumped out of her skin too.
"Hinata! You scared the shit out of me."
He was holding his chest pretty tight and was taking in deep breaths. She frowned at him. Absolutely annoyed with his name choice. "Please stop calling me that."
He frowned back at her and relaxed a little, "That was your birth name. Your mom gave you that name and you seemed to like that. That is the name I know you as. So that is what I will be calling you. It's not rude when I'm pretty sure you liked your name."
He noticed her eyes become steel-like and she just stared at him from the shadows. "What do you want Uzumaki. Being out this late before a mission is utterly imbecilic."
He rolled his eyes at her. She was beginning to sound annoying like Neji. "I'm sure you have a brain like Hinata. Take a guess and tell me."
She continued to stare at him with those wicked eyes, "Do you really feel as if you could have snuck up on me?" Of course he has no idea how she has been practically stalking him for months. Watching him and his former teammate. He had no idea how she was planning on taking someone precious from him.
So yes. Since he didn't know any of these things he might have felt he could catch her by surprise.
Naruto scuffed at her accusation, "I didn't want to 'sneak up on you'. I just wanted to find you…to umm, you know. Talk."
What. The. Hell. For.
There was absolutely nothing to talk about between the two of them. What was this about? The Whole ROOT-nin thing? Why did this concern him? This was all so confusing? They were hours away from going on a mission she was sure he was nerve wracked about. Considering it was an opportunity to get his comrade back. Why was he wasting time he could be using to rest and focusing it on her? Just WHY?
While all this was running through her mind all she could bother saying was, "About what?"
Naruto frowned at her lack of communication and the fact she still stayed in the shadows. It took her a while to respond so he knew a million and one thoughts had gone through her head.
"Was joining ROOT really your choice? Or did your family become total assholes and disowned you?"
Her facial expression didn't change, and she just continued to give him that steel look, "It doesn't matter Uzumaki. The main focus is the mission at hand."
That was enough to let him know Neji wasn't giving him the run around again and that she was indeed disowned. "Did they have to be this extreme? Couldn't you have just separated and lived on your own or stayed with your sensei? I don't understand why this…ROOT of all things was your choice?"
'Because I'm a coward you fucking nutcase! Can't you see that I was always a useless coward?! Just let me go. Forget about me. Like everyone else has. I'm dead weight.'
"Uzumaki?"
Naruto was a little caught off guard when she called for him in a manner like she had to ask him something. "Umm yeah?"
Hinata finally came out the darkness and he could see her persona took a downward spiral. She looked indifferent, but at the same time he could tell she was angry at being probed. He felt like he didn't take in her features earlier today or maybe it was the fact they were in the darkness with just the moon as light to shine on her.
Either way he could clearly see she was unique. Her hair grew from her sporty short cut down pass her waist. The color was fighting between midnight black and a dark purple. Her eyes, as angry and destroyed as she was, her eyes never changed from having that hint of lavender oppose to other people in the Hyuga clan.
Her chest was filled out and even in her ROOT uniform that was similar to Sai's, he could still see her obvious hourglass figure. Interesting though, he was now a little taller than her.
Hinata's jaw clenched just slightly, "What does it take for you to hate someone?"
He quickly blinked back to current time at her question? "What?"
"What do I have to do for you to hate me?"
He stopped looking at her and stared off to the trees behind her, "I just want you to be in a better place Hinata. You don't have to get so upset."
She continued to walk closer to him at a very slow pace, "Do I have to kill someone you care about? Who? Is it Sakura?"
He continued to ignore her poking.
"Sai?"
Still silence.
"Maybe…our old teacher. Iruka-"
She advanced close enough for him to reach out and grab her, stopping her mid-sentence. He ended up pushing her against a tree and pinned her there with force by gripping her shoulders. He looked at her with wide, unfocused eyes and she was starting to realize the top people precious to him. Good to know, stored for later use.
"Don't. Talk. Like.THAT. What is wrong with you?! Why are you doing this to yourself?! I just want to help you Hinata!"
His eyes were filled with so much emotion. So much passion. Anger, sadness, fear. Meanwhile she returned a passionless look at him. She gripped both his wrist and applied enough pressure to let him know she would not hesitate from breaking them.
The two stared at one another for a moment. Hinata deciding she had enough and was ready to retire for the night, "Help people that want your help Uzumaki. I am not one of those people that want your help."
His hands dropped to his sides and he just looked at her. Sadness washed over him upon realizing that she was very much far gone.
Maybe the Hinata he knew was very much gone?
She had just threatened him. The Hinata he knew would never do such a thing. She threatened him on such a deep-rooted personal level too.
"Are we done? Sleep is something we both must have. I don't have a 'special' gift like you Uzumaki. I require an ample amount of sleep."
Shock soon overcame him, and he was stuck for a moment. Hinata simply pushed passed him to leave. By the time he regained his focus he whipped around to further question what she meant by that, but she was gone into the darkness again.
He was sure she knew his secret. If that was the case, there was a lot more she knew and wasn't telling.