The thin line betwee love and hate

Chapter 4

Shocking true

Is been three days since everything ended, and finally the group of young ninjas finally arrived at the gates of Konoha. Sasuke regained conscious two days ago, and he’s been a headache for everyone.

Since he woke up from his sleep, he hadn’t stop trying to leave the group, convinced that he doesn’t need to return there. But every time he leaves, somehow they get him back. Sasuke now sights loudly in frustration when he sees the village’s entrance. “I don’t know why you insist me to come back, I’ll be sent to prison as soon as I enter.”

“If that was the case, then Tsunade hadn’t described the mission as a rescue one, she had called it ‘taking down a missing nin’ or something.” Responds Naruto, not getting a response from the Uchiha. It has been the same since he got up, he said his comments, but never responded to anyone, even to Kakashi, who seemed be the most affected by this. And then the group goes directly to the Konoha tower to see the Hokage.

“I see that you could make it as you said it would, I’m glad.” Commented Tsunade with her friend and assistant Shizune beside her, not leaving her eyes on the really now last Uchiha. “But, I would like to have a complete report about all that happened, including if Orochimaru is still alive and all.” They hadn’t been there more than 3 minutes and yet they hadn’t mentioned anything of what happened.

In that moment, a knock from the Hokage’s door got the attention. Then, a group of four ANBU members enters, with their masks on. “Sorry for the interruption Hokage-sama, but here’s the report of last mission.” Informed the captain putting a small scroll on her desk, looking only at Tsunade and ignoring the rest of the people on the office.

“I see, it took you the half of the time that was expected, great job.” And the she looks at the rest, especially Naruto who was now frowning at the ANBU. “H-Hinata-chan?”

Then Tsunade looks at Naruto and the others in surprise, How did he knows? “I see…captain Hyuuga, please take out your mask so the rest can see you.” “Yes, Hokage-sama.” And she takes it out, not looking at anyone yet.

“You should look in the eyes when someone calls you, Hinata-chan.” Gestured Kakashi, he was not aware of her teammate’s response. “You shouldn’t talk to an ANBU captain like that, she’s captain Hyuuga for you as I explained to you back then.”

Back then?> asked to herself Tsunade.

“Back down, Hinomoto” Speaks up Hinata, “Hatake doesn’t know the way of respect between ANBU officers, so it can be let pass this time. And now, if you excuse me, I have things to resolve.” And when she was about to leave, Lee was now against the door. “You don’t understand the situation here, Hinata-chan,” gestured the nin, “but please, stay here while we try to understand what happened three days ago while fighting Orochimaru.” Then she chuckles a little, and looks back.

“Fighting Orochimaru? Oh, right. If you mean leaving Uzumaki fighting the Uchiha alone while Orochimaru was watching, Hatake wounded and Haruno crying, then yes… you were fighting Orochimaru.” She ended it with deep sarcasm, making the blonde clench his fists beside him. “Did that hurt your ninja pride, Uzumaki?” she asked in a monotone tone.

“How…how did you got so much power…and those abilities…even Neji was impressed…” asked Naruto stuttering, getting the impression of the rest of his friends. “That is something that is not to concern you or the others.” she cut him out, leaving him eye widen by her tone. Then Tsunade, almost guessing what was happening, decided to use some of her position. “Hyuuga, can you come back as soon as you finish whatever you have to do? I want to discuss something with you…and the others.”

“Then I’ll comeback in short time, I’m just going to get some official documents. I’ll be here in less than an hour.” And with that she leaves the office, pushing aside Lee roughly to open the door. Opening the door, she stops and speaks. “Now answer me Uzumaki, are you mad at me because I did in a moment what take you three years to try to reach, or the fact that even with the Nine-tails’ chakra you couldn’t even lay a finger on the Uchiha?” And leaves, with her ANBU teammates behind her. Sasuke had been all this time leaning against the wall, watching every move she made.
After Hinata leave along with the ANBU, they explained in full detail what happened, even the fact of Sasuke mentioning the ‘Madara Uchiha’ thing and killing Itachi. “Even with all that you said to me,” gestured Tsunade after hearing all of it, “Hinata’s team finished the mission in half of the time, and those techniques that you described me…”

“…are most of them Orochimaru’s trademark techniques.” Interrupted suddenly Jiraya, who entered through a window behind Tsunade. “Ero-Sennin!” screamed Naruto to greet him. “HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO STOP CALLING ME LIKE THAT!” and he looked at the rest of the nins with a serious glare.

“Tsunade, you know as good as me that those kind of techniques are most trademark of Orochimaru’s.” with this she nods, giving him permission to continue, “but that last attack, that caused Orochimaru’s suicide, is the one that got me worried.”

“Yes, it must be a strong psychological attack to cause that…” mentioned Maito Gai. “…that’s not what I meant.” Getting cut off by the old Sennin. “Then, what are you talking about Jiraya?” asked now concerned Tsunade.

“I mean,” sighted the old man, now looking through the window, “Orochimaru was my best friend as a teammate, and I can tell that he wasn’t someone who you can scare or hurt with only illusion attacks, most of them never worked on him. It must be something that hit him hard, something that somehow, caused so much suffering that pushed him to take that end instead of fighting back…”

“Now I remember!” screamed Lee “Don’t you remember guys! After the illusion attack with the giant crow, Hinata-chan got closer to Orochimaru and she told him something! In that moment he started to loose it and then, she gave him the kunai! It looked like she was too sure that he was going to do it anyway!” everyone looked at him with wide eyes and there were two reasons for it…

…the meaning of what he said…

… and that he was the only one who could guess it, alone…

“I was wondering,” interrupted Sasuke, still against the wall and not participating on the issue, “when are you going to tell me what is my punishment for leaving Konoha and join the enemy? We can deal that while the Hyuuga comes back.” Then Kakashi looked at Tsunade, who sighted loudly and looked up again. “Is true,” she mentioned while looking again at her scrolls. “Sasuke, come here while I decide what to do with you.” then he leaves the wall and walks until he is a few steps from the desk.

“Even with the fact that the public doesn’t know why did you disappeared. And that you joined Orochimaru for selfish reasons,” Naruto and Sakura were standing beside him, as some kind of support, “you never threatened against Konoha, so I can’t give you punishment for anything” the others started to laugh and celebrate. “…but…” and then looked back in shock, “…you still need to earn trust from your teammates, your sensei…and me. that’s why you’ll be watched day and night by your teammates and Kakashi. This will be for a time until I decided to test you, Sasuke.”

“I was never asked to come back here; my plan was kill Itachi, and keep traveling on my own. They forced me to get here; you don’t have to keep an eye on me.” this was his answer, so arrogant that made the Hokage frown, and with this she stands up, “Don’t play the tough guy with me just because you killed a dangerous man, because it won’t work on me! and now that I know that you’re somehow related to Madara, I’ll keep an eye on you since is quite possible that you can…”
And in that moment, a knock on the door, “Who is this!” and then Hinata enters, not glaring at anyone, except the Hokage. “Here I am again Hokage-sama, as you requested, am I interrupting something?” then Tsunade sits back and tried to relax herself. “no captain Hyuuga thanks for coming.”

“Hokage-sama, that is one ting that I have to inform you first.” And then she gives her a scroll. Tsunade opens it and reads it, eyes getting wider every second. “Hinata, what the hell is this!” then Hinata, relaxed her temples and her looks never fades. “as it reads Hokage-sama, is official.”

And with that, Neji storms into the office, panting heavily. “Hokage-sama….Hinata-sama…Hinata-sama!” screamed again the young prodigy, but when he looks that Hinata was in front of him, he steps closer, trembling with anger. “Why…”

“…hey…Neji…calm down…we can talk this like civilized people…” tried to calm him Gai, but Neji still walks to her. “CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED BACK IN THE MANSION! WHAT THE FUCK IS RUNNIGN ON YOUR HEAD RIGHT NOW?”

In that moment she slaps him, getting the gasps from everyone. “Hinata!” screamed Kurenai, who got inside as soon she heard the screams from the office, getting between her and Neji. But when she met her eyes, there was no signal of feeling for the scene, which terrified her. “Hinata-” Hinata gives her back to her sensei and looks at the Hokage.

“Hokage-sama, you said that you wanted to discuss something with me, I’m here only for that.” Then Tsunade clears her throat and gets out of her desk. “Since all this mixture of commotions, let’s go to the reunion’s room speak about is in peace.” While the others started to follow her, she suddenly stops and looks back, “if any of thinks that you can’t hold your emotions down during this meeting, I’ll ask you to leave now.” She gestured looking a shocked Naruto and an angered Neji. Both of the nods without looking and keeps walking.

The great reunions’ room was the one that the 3rd Hokage used to reunite the teams to assign missions. Since Tsunade decided to do it from her office directly, the room turned into one for important meetings.

When everyone took a sit, leaving Tsunade at one end and Hinata at the other, it began. “first of all, I want to know the meaning of what you gave me, and he meaning of your behavior back there Neji.”

“first, I apologize deeply, Hokage-sama.” Gestures Neji, “but what Hinata-sama just did moments ago…is …just…”

“is nothing that can be explained simple, Hokage-sama,” continued Hinata, “I don’t get with he let his emotions slide like that, but I’ll tell you what happened.”
Flashback

On Hyuuga Mansion

Hinata had just arrived at the gates of the compound, only to see cheerful faces from the servants of the clan. She ignored every loving expression from them and continued until she approached to her father’s office. Without knocking, she enters, finding Neji talking to Hiashi, and her father was smiling quite pleased.

“Oh, Hinata, please sit here my girl.” Then she kneels beside Neji, still ignoring his presence. “Neji just told me what he saw on his mission to get Orochimaru and the Uchiha back. And he told that no one but the heir of our clan killed him. ” she didn’t respond, and then she noticed that her father looked up at her head, her ANBU mask was placed there. He smiled at this and continued, “even that I’m not quite pleased that you hide me that you became an ANBU officer, even more a captain, I’m still happy hat you finally got into your responsibility.”

When he noticed that Hinata hadn’t move an inch, he grew worried. The Hinata he knew would have blush, or bowed by every compliment that he gave her. “I’m not here to talk about that, Hiashi Hyuuga.” She commented, Neji looks at her weird, she had never dared to call her father by his name, and all this without stuttering. Something was wrong. “Ah, sorry for that. You must be here for some important issues, Neji you can retire now…”

“…let him here. It doesn’t matter if he’s here or not.” she cut him. Hiashi frowned and tried to keep his cool for once. “I’m just here for you to sign this.” And the gives him a scroll, he reads it and suddenly it falls in the floor. “What kind of joke is this Hinata?” asked in a threatening tone. Hinata doesn’t respond, while Neji tired to read from his distance the contents of the scroll. “It says what it reads, just sign it so we can get over with this” and then Hiashi activates his byakugan. “How dare you to come here with such request? You are the heir of the Hyuuga family! You have the blood limit in your veins, and my oldest daughter…!”

“Like that ever mattered to you ever.” She mentions, looking at him with coldness. “you always called me weak and useless, so I’m giving you the opportunity to drop the weak part of your family and choose a strong one as heir.” Neji then can’t stop keeping quiet and had to interfere. “Hinata, what are you doing?” “She wants to quit the Hyuuga clan.” Interrupted Hiashi, Neji looks at him completely impressed then at his cousin. “Hinata-sama…you…”

“Just sign the papers so it can be official. I’ll stop using my last name as soon as you…” then Hiashi moved to slap her, but she avoided, ending her behind him and threatening him with a kunai on his throat. “You’re supposed to dodge that, Hiashi. Now sign it so you can make a party for Hanabi…or perhaps Neji…”

“I’m not going to sign it!” he cut her off, even knowing that she had the advantage, decided to risk it. “now Hinata, put it down…is your father we are talking about.” Reassured Neji, but seeing that she wasn’t moving an inch, he got madder. “Hinata, don’t make me…”

And then, he couldn’t move anymore, and Hinata just stood up, seeing the two Hyuuga men trying to move. “I just need your blood here Hiashi, I never asked you to decide to do it or nor. It was signing it voluntary or not.” And then she cuts his finger with the kunai and marks as his signature the papers that made official of her voluntary exile of the Hyuuga clan. And she walks away not looking back again.

End of flashback
Everyone’s faces were completely blank, even Sasuke is impressed with this event. “Why…why Hinata…” asked again Neji, still trembling of anger. “Stop being annoying and face that now you are Hanabi’s bodyguard, I’m not a Hyuuga anymore.”

Sakura tried to get into her skull. “You forced him to sign it Hinata…so is not illegal…” but Hinata’s skull is thicker than she thought. “He forced me to be the heir…and everyone sees it legal, so don’t tell me that Haruno. Besides,” and now looking at Tsunade, “legal or not, I’m not going back, I decline my clan, so declare me an exile from the Hyuugas.”

Neji looked down; he didn’t want to believe it, still trying to understand. Jiraya felt sorry for him and for the clan, but the important topic was being left behind. “I have few questions for you Hinata, and I hope that you can answer them.” Now she looks only at him. “What is the topic about, Jiraya-sama?” he looks at her with intensity, he couldn’t see anything through those hue eyes. “Is about your fight between Orochimaru and his death.” Suddenly she looks at the window for mere seconds.

“If I answer you the doubts that you have about it, you’ll let me go?” she asked calmly. “Deal.” now he got the rest’s attention. “Jiraya, what are you doing…” gestured Naruto, trying to hold his fist that was about to get him.

“The only thing that concerns me is about that. Any doubts you or the rest have because she surpassed you a lot, you’ll have to solve it in another occasion in other place when she decides to do it!” with this he looks at Tsunade, and after getting her approval he looks back at Hinata, with Naruto grumping on the background.

“Tell me Hinata, it was difficult to fight Orochimaru?”

“he was predictable, even with only 33 of my chakra on the clone.”

“what do you mean when you say ‘predictable’?”

“is a basic on the rules of a warrior, know your enemy like he was your best friend.”

“how did you know so much about him?”

“The third Hokage had files about you three, with all your talents and weakness. He also had all the investigation about Orochimaru’s experiments and intentions.”

Jiraya looks impressed by this information. “How you got access to those scrolls?”

“I read them when the Third was still alive, I won’t say anymore information.”

“Still, Orochimaru is known for collecting jutsus and techniques, how do you still…”

“investigation, if someone really wanted to beat him, all you had to do is study all the powerful jutsus from all the important clans that existed. All that information is on the library.”

“But still…how did you learn those forbidden jutsus?”

Then she chuckles a little.

“What is so funny?”

“At how lame the question was.”

“Excuse me?”

“I have been asking all my life, if those jutsus are forbidden, that means that no one should ever use them or learn them, then why people kept scrolls about them anyway? If you just decide to classify the jutsu as a forbidden one, just burn it and it will be forgotten, simple huh?”

Jiraya and the others blink twice by it. it made sense, but they didn’t want to admit it.”

“But still, I heard that you could even defeat hi without wasting time…”

“Because instead to just learn the jutsus that he already know, also took time to meet the weakness of each one, the way to counterattack them, or how to repel them. The way to take him down easier.”

Jiraya nods by this, feeling himself pleased by this. “Yes, indeed you are quite a genius…”

“…don’t call me that.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t call me genius, is a way to excuse my abilities, I don’t like it.”

“Oh, sorry. But one more thing and you can live.”

“Right.”

“How you caused Orochimaru’s suicide?”

“Using a psychological attack.”

“I already know that, but that was his specialty, how he couldn’t repel it? How could you take him down with that?”

“Because the only memory that will cause him that was something that even you, his old teammates didn’t knew about.”

“Explain me better, because this is getting to nowhere.”

“Jiraya-sama, Tsunade-sama, did you remember a woman called Lain?”

Both legendary ninjas look at each other in surprise, and then look back at Hinata. “No, we don’t remember her.”

“I didn’t knew all her story until I looked in to some old Konoha reports. Lain was a civil who run a small tea store here. She was reported missing the same day that Orochimaru leaved Konoha.”

“And?”

“Lain and Orochimaru were a couple.”

“WHAT!” both Jiraya and Tsunade screamed in chorus. They never though that Orochimaru would ever feel something like that for someone other than himself.

“They were a couple and she knew about his experiments and dreams. So when he was discovered and exiled from Konoha, she followed him blindly.”

“But how did you knew that!”

“I collected the basic data from Orochimaru's mind when he died, but the important part of it I got it from someone who didn’t minded to let me see it.”

“Wait…are you telling me that you…”

“…Only when it is necessary, I don’t get into someone’s privacy for fun.”

“So, what happened to her that caused him to kill himself?”

“As you know, Orochimaru joined to a ninja group called Aktasuki. Between all members, there was someone already coming from Konoha, Uchiha Itachi.”

Everyone nods to let her continue.

“In the laws of the group, it was forbidden to have their mates in the organization, even less civilians. But he insisted, saying that she was his wife and she supported him in everything, and they accepted. But then Orochimaru had tried to take away Itachi, since he was the second in lead after the boss. He was trying to impress, but he always ended fooled by Itachi, as the genius he was.”

Listening a grunt from Sasuke, she ignores him and continues.

“In a mission, Orochimaru tried to entrap Itachi to try to get rid of him. But what he didn’t knew was that he already knew his intentions, and the organization decided to kick him out, but in a hard way. So one night Itachi came into their chambers, and while holding Orochimaru with a paralyzing jutsu. He raped and cut her in pieces. Then he made Orochimaru see it thousands of times using his Tsukiyomi. After the torture, he made Orochimaru see her dead raped body for days trapped in the room with out food or water. He had no other choice for survival was to eat her flesh…”

Hinata had to stop when she saw that Kurenai and Sakura were pale as paper.

“Should I stop now Jiraya-sama, or you want me to continue?”

The man looked also pale, but he was trying to hold himself back. Kakashi’s fist were trembling on the table, Tsunade didn’t dare to look up, Lee and Gai were trying to help their teammates, Neji looked at her too shocked, and Naruto was looking at the table on the verge of tears. The only one that looked rarely normal was Sasuke, who just grunted to try to tell her to continue.

“Days later, they look for him; he was in some kind of coma. They just kicked him out from their hidings and leaved him on the woods, expecting his death. He wakens up like a week later, still on the woods. After that he started to search a jutsu that maybe make him forget any kind of trauma. He found it, but the only way that he can stop suffering was cleaning all the memories of his woman, so he would never remember it.”

Then she looks at Sasuke. “I bet that’s why he was never seen with any women, right Uchiha?” Sasuke nods as an affirmative. Then she continues.

“And while I was fighting him and the Uchiha brothers at the same time, I took all he information from Itachi’s and started to think which jutsu would have made it possible. When I remembered it, I broke the jutsu, making him vulnerable to revive those moments. But only can be done mentioning her name, so what I did to him was…”
Flashback from chapter 3

…She kneels a little and forces him to look at her. “I have only one question, Orochimaru…” I that moment, he looks up and tries to focus on her hue eyes, showing nothing that the can hang on. “How’s Lain…right now in hell?” and in that moment, he started to scream, a scream that only can be identified with deep suffering and pain.

And then, she stands up and drops a kunai in front of him. “You should do it before I’ll remind you how she got there.” And walks away….

End of Flashback from chapter 3
“And that explains how I made the great Orochimaru take his own life, anymore questions, Jiraya-sama?”

“No, Hinata you can leave now, thank you...”

“NO, SHE CAN’T!” And everyone looks at Naruto standing up from the chair, Hinata ignores him and starts to leave the room. “I TOLD YOU THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE HINATA!” she stops on her tracks, “I answered Jiraya-sama’s questions, I’m not needed for now…”

“…tell me, now...” asked Naruto, looking down and trying to hold back his tears, “what happened to the cute, shy and friendly Hinata-chan that everyone loved so much? Tell me…WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?” now he was looking at her back.

Sighting deeply, she turns around to look directly at his eyes. “The Hinata that you met never existed, that Hinata wasn’t real, so face that she is gone, Uzumaki. Now if you excuse me, I have things to do, like unpack my belongings on my apartment.” And leaves the room.
Later that night…

After something that seemed like hours, finally Tsunade acceded that Sasuke can still live on his own on his apartment, but he is still being watched and supervised by Team seven. That was something that he never cared at all.

After cleaning the three-year dust, buy food and be stalked again by his old fans, he finally took a bath and lay on his bed. “now I have to buy new clothes tomorrow, I doubt that looking like a rebelius samurai will keep those annoying women away from me.” he talked to himself, sighting loudly, he was finally alone.

Then he looked with the corner of his eye, the gifts that he recollected earlier from his door. There were lots of love letters, candy (he hates sweets) and flowers. He kept looking at all the trash with no interest, until he saw a white rose. He stood up, and pick it tearing the love note that was with it.

He lay again on the bed passing the smooth and delicate petals against his lips, the sleep getting the best of him. “You finally bloomed into your real self, Hinata.” And he falls into deep sleep.