Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Requiem of the Living ❯ In The Night ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N: Ahem. Sorry about the delay and whatnot. This chapter might not seem like my typical style, and there are two reasons to blame for that. The first is that with summer having started up, I’ve read quite a few new books, and I find that with whatever books I read my own writing style shifts a bit. Ah well, se la vi. The second, and more important one, is that I wanted to impress a certain feeling on readers during this chapter. It is in a different character’s viewpoint, and rather than the regular telling of the story, there are more of their feelings pouring through. It’s meant to sound fairly rambled and jumpy, to fit the emotion. Meh. Just read.

Disclaimer: Nope.

Shadowed eyes watched the scene before them raptly, surprised pale features glowing in the moonlight.

Hyuuga Hinata had heard earlier from her teammate Kiba that her childhood crush, Naruto, had returned from his long disappearance. Forgoing her rigorous training she had quickly grabbed the item she had saved for this moment; a set of ornate chopsticks, decorated with laquer and small frogs -they weren’t worth much, but she knew his love for ramen and hoped he would like them- and wandered about looking for telltale signs of the blonde. It probably would’ve been easier had she activated her Kekkai-Genkai, the Byakugan, but she didn’t use her family curse.

It had taken her a few hours of stealthfully keeping to the back alleys of Konoha, observing the daily life with a hooded gaze before she found him, with the one thought of ‘I’m going to tell him.’ spurring her on, echoing ceaselessly in her head until it was a mantra.

She saw him wandering aimlessly through a little park, head down and shuffling his shoes through the dirt. Hinata let out a small, relieved sigh. She would tell him; she would pour her very heart and soul out to him, and it things would change for her. Things would be even better than they were a few years ago. There was no doubt in her mind about anything at this point. He would neither shy away nor reject her. Rather, he would welcome her with open arms, happy that she felt the same way about him as he did her, and they would be happy. That was all the Hyuuga wished for.

Just as she was about to step forth and march proudly to the place he stood from behind her hiding place in the brush, she was forced to stop in her tracks

Haruno Sakura had suddenly appeared from around the corner, not bothering to hide herself like Hinata did. In the still air, the quite only broken by the warm sound of crickets, the two gazed at each other, and before Hinata knew it, Sakura had rushed forward and flung herself into Naruto’s arms.

Light words were spoken, but the pale girl heard none of them. Her heart was thundering in her ears, blocking out all other sounds.

Ba-dum

She backed up, daring the scene before her to be a genjutsu, an illusion, a cruel trick...anything.

Ba-dum

They were still there, Naruto lightly running a hand over Sakura’s pink hair as she cried, mouth murmuring something that the Hyuuga could only interpret as comforting words.

Ba-dum

Comforting words that were meant for her.

Ba-dum

Her emotions quickly raged from shock to the now familiar paths of anger. Anger at everything; the world around her for being so morbidly cruel, her family for their impassive uncaringness, even slightly at Naruto for never, not even when she was right in front of him, seeing her for what she was. But mostly, Hinata was angry at Sakura.

Sakura was everything Hinata had aspired to be. Everything she had strived for. All the things the quiet girl had worked so hard for came easily, like nothing, to the blossom-haired chuunin. Despite her ostracization when she was a child, as of late she was considered an exotic beauty, flawless in her graceful movements. She looked perfect every day with seemingly no effort, whether she be leaving her home in the morning or returning there from a long days work.

Not only did she have the undying love of someone like Naruto, she had been personally recognized by the Godaime, someone Hinata herself had only managed to stutter a few brief words to. Sakura was training under the most powerful Kunoichi in existence, and was now thought to be the strongest of the female chuunin. The white orbed girl had seen Sakura’s skill in the medical field and her sheer brute strength. It was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

No one had seen a Kunoichi with so much potential since Tsunade herself. Trained by the best, Sakura was the best.

There was no way someone like Hinata could compete with someone like Sakura.

Not on the battle field, and not over Naruto.

Over the course of the years, as time took its course, Hinata had become something of a spiteful creature. Just as a bud should blossom when nature smiles upon it, Sakura had become a beautiful flower. Nature wasn’t as kind to Hinata, however.

Everyone was always complaining and angsting over such tiny problems that it made her sick. Yet she still listened intently when told these less-than-interesting stories. Did anyone ever once ask her how her life was? Of course not. She was just the other Hyuuga. Neji’s cousin.

She was fairly ignored throughout Konoha, but what was worse was that she was all but ignored at her own home as well.

Her father, Hisashi, had finally officially renounced her as the heir to the Hyuuga clan, proceeding to train her younger sister, Hanabi, in her place. There wasn’t much Hinata could do in the matter. Hanabi had challenged her. It was Hyuuga code to comply, and Hanabi had bested her in an official match, the higher-ups of her clan in audience.

While she still living in the compound, she had been forbidden from using her Byakugan, having been told that the Hyuuga-Failure didn’t deserve such wondrous gifts. To ensure this was followed, her own father had then marked her with a seal on her right hand, which was carefully hidden under gloves. She didn’t want anyone to know her weakness.

She had long since left her former home, now living off her meager mission salary in a third-rate low-cost apartment building. None of her team knew any of this, of course.

At first she had fallen into a slump. What did she fight for if it wasn’t her clan, as she had been told from a young age. It was in a confused moment of breathtaking realization unlike any other that she realized she’d fight and train for none other than Uzumaki Naruto. To be recognized by him, acknowledged by him. And so she trained to make up for her new disadvantages, in hopes that one day Naruto would smile at her in that was so characteristically his and she could finally be happy.

But Sakura had him too. She might not have known it or even returned it, but it was still blatantly obvious he adored the very ground she walked on.

The chopsticks in Hinata’s hand were suddenly subjected to tight constriction, the wood creaking against her palms.

Yes, Sakura had everything. Sakura had everything and she, Hinata, had nothing. Sakura took everything from her and was the reason for her suffering.

With a snap the lovely chopsticks broke in four uneven pieces, which fell softly into the grass below.

She would pay.

Hinata cast one last look of utter loathing at the couple astride her before silently stalking off.

They would pay.

The only question left was what to do next. As a ninja there were surely plenty of options to extract vengeance on someone...

She would utterly and totally annihilate Sakura to show Naruto the strength and beauty he missed out upon. Then she would move on to him and pierce his heart just as he had done to her...

She was breathing heavily now. No. No! She wouldn’t do that. She disliked Sakura, sure, but she was not a murderer. And Naruto...Naruto was the boy she loved...she could never harm him.

Sometime while immersed in her musings she had made her way to stand on the top of the Hokage monument, looking over the large village as though some sort of deity in the night. Night was looming around her, the pinpricks of light from the tiny buildings doing nothing to alleviate the utter darkness she felt.

She smiled wryly. Fate, it seemed, was ever-cruel to her; playing with her emotions and tossing her dreams to the wind.

The area he loved so much. She had often haunted here, hoping to catch a glimpse of him as he watched over that which he would protect.

Her fists clenched. Even now she could feel the seal burning into her hand, searing flesh. The images from just minutes prior still replayed before her eyes, and she once more thought of how spectacular it would feel to watch Sakura take her last breath...

Giving an anguished cry she quickly grabbed a kunai from its holster, pressing it against the pale column of her throat.

Her hands were shaking vigorously enough to scrape against the skin and draw a bright bead of blood.

Tears leaking from beneath dark eyelashes she steadied her hand, calming herself.

How many times had her father told her the world would be a better place without her? How many times over the past few years had she considered this option? A ninja was taught from a very young age several ways to terminate ones own life, so as to not ruin a mission when threatened with torture.

The darkness was still silent, the animals and insects having quieted to watch her performance. Inky blackness was closing in on her, taunting her, watching her, urging her...

Just as she readied her hand to deliver the thankful freedom, she found herself holding nothing.

She took a sharp intake of breath and fell to her knees, sobbing heavily. Behind her lay her slightly stained knife, pinned through the eye with another. She looked up with teary eyes at a shadowed figure moving towards her, all the while chanting brokenly;

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

The re we have it. S’all she wrote for this one...I had considered adding to it, but I feel that the following events are much better suited for a separate chapter. So yeah, it is much shorter than my regular (almost half!) but oh well. Think of this as an...interlude? Who knows. Okay, I know this is a pretty controversial thing to be doing, dealing with suicide and whatnot, but it is necessary for the story to progress. For those of you who are going to review saying ‘zomg wtf hinatas not like tat!11one’, don’t. I know Hinata is not very cannon in my story, but her background was revealed a bit in this chapter, and will also have more insight later on, so no worries there. So. Review? Por moi? Please?

PS. For those interested; Guardian will be updated soon also. Rejoice.

PSS. I have another story that I’ve been writing chapters for...another another one, that is....I won’t post either of them until I’m satisfied with the two Naruto I have out as it is. I don’t want too many projects...but keep any eye out :D.
-hanyoupup