ALL NOVEL 4.13
We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity but wasn't more than just a few seconds. I wrote on my board again. “I don’t know what you are talking about.” No secret code, no talking.
Inoichi pushed back into his couch, looked between me and the papers. “Must we make this unpleasant?”
What kind of Danzo bullshit was this? I would have expected this sort of behavior had the man still roamed Konoha’s darkness, but he was gone. For years. Why now?
I kept my eyes fixed on the man, all the academy training coming back. Don’t show fear, don’t show vulnerability. You must be strong at all times or the enemy will use any opportunity you give to dig deeper. The need to think of Ino’s father as an enemy hackled me, but these were the circumstances. Being tortured, if that was what the man implied, would suck. Real bad. I don’t think I had a strong will and pretty much would break fast. But disobeying the mission was also out of the question. The only thing I could think of was to escape. I don’t think Konoha’s ninja knew about my prototype flying thunder god jutsu yet, or the beacon I left at the apartment. Should I be happy I never got to use the new jutsu to save the Third?
I liked Konoha. The place wasn’t perfect, or fair, but it was home. If they tried to torture information out of me, I’d escape, look for Kakashi-sensei. He would clear things up, I hope. If not, well, I didn’t know what to do. Evil Hinata route? Where would I even go? Do an Itachi routine and join Akatsuki as a spy? Hunt Danzo? I erased the words on my board, wrote the same thing for the fourth time. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Inoichi leaned back. Stared at me for very long seconds. Then he gave me a small curt nod. The harshness on his face softened, he smiled a small smile. “That will be all then, Hinata-chan.” His tone was casual, not like the seriousness of the previous conversation. “Come by the shop tomorrow before the ceremony,” he said while organizing the papers, “Ino said she wanted to go with friends.”
I wiped my board. My movements were a bit wild. My words came all sharp and without the care I usually took to write them. “What was this all about?”
The damn man actually chuckled. So bewildered I was I didn’t even dodge when he leaned over the table and ruffled my hair. “You’ll learn soon enough,” he said, winked. “Now, let me escort you to the entrance, we wouldn’t want you to get lost down here, would we?”
I was still bewildered and confused when Inoichi ushered me out of the Tower. Secretary-chan gave me a bemused smile, which I reciprocated out of instinct. Then I was out, alone and with no idea of what to do or what just happened. I shrugged. Pushed all that away. I was fine, if confused. It was time to go home. If I was to visit Ino’s house tomorrow, I needed to prepare gifts. And ever since the chunin exams started, my store of pastries and sweets had dwindled dangerously low, as in, I had none left. I couldn’t let that continue. It was time to binge cook and replace my essential supplies.
The rest of the day I spent wondering about what that interrogation had been about, cooking stuff, and thinking what new cupcake from the special series I should work on next. I was thinking of one inspired by the coolest ninja ever, Kakashi-sensei.
And I did not make any plans to escape in case they tried to imprison me. Not at all. This was home. Some people might not like me, but that didn’t mean I was in danger, right? Right?
The following day, I dressed in a ceremonial outfit. All black. Didn’t even remove the collars, black mascara or lipstick. It fit right in with the new clothes. It was the Third’s funeral. I had a good reason to play the goth stereotype. I packed my gifts and offerings. Left the apartment. Fortunately, the snake sword didn’t show up again. That was a load off my shoulders, even if something else nagged at the back of my mind: Do you prefer to be in the room with a snake you can see or with one you can’t?
Konoha’s highway was full of black dressed ninjas today. Most moving toward the Tower. I dropped in front of the Yamanaka flower shop, noticed the unusual frenzy of activity. Everyone wanted flowers today. I stepped inside, a busy worker recognized me, waved me toward the inner rooms without me saying anything. I bowed in thanks, stepped deep into the Yamanaka sanctuary.
Ino wore the same ceremonial outfit, hair tied on a severe chignon. Her face was serious, drawn in. Even the small smile she gave wasn’t enough to push away the air of sadness. I approached, fan-girl-chan plus loneliness demanded I offered best girl Ino a hug. The teen rolled her eyes, an exasperated smile on her face. She hugged me back. Fierce, tight, too short lasting.
Still holding my shoulders, Ino spoke. “How are you?”
There wasn’t much I could say here. Should I tell her Inoichi scared the crap out of me yesterday? It didn’t feel like something I should talk about. Tell her about the freaky sword? Nope, not a chance. Confess I was a transmigrated selfish person? Not a chance 2x. Tell her she was the best girl and I wanted to snog her in real life and not in my imagination? Where did that one come from?
I shook my head. Ino nodded, released my shoulders, led me deeper inside. I waved at Ino’s mom. Half glared at Inoichi, who just chuckled. I offered them some of the sweets and cupcakes I worked on the previous afternoon, much to Ino’s delight.
Things after that moved fast. I followed the family to the ceremony. We stood in line on top of the tower, just below the Hokage monument. Rain poured down on us. Ninja stood straight, serious faces under the rain, paying respect to our deceased leader. No one said anything, no one showed any emotion. Except for Konohamaru, who balled his eyes out. Naruto was also here, banged up and bandaged, wearing the protector around his neck. Sasuke stood with the rest of the Uchiha. He had a few bandages I could see, and still looked sick. I saw Itachi, Sasuke’s mother, an older shinobi with short hair. Shisui? I wasn’t sure, his eyes weren’t red this time. Nearby I saw the Hyuga clan, all glaring my way. The clan head and his twin. Hiashi and Hizashi. Neji and Hanabi. Another assortment of black haired, white eyed people. I really wanted to know what kind of things were spread about me to cause this amount of hate.
The ceremony was a strange thing. We stood there, silent and alert. Paying respects. There was no speech or any show of overt affection, just a few minutes of silence. Some ninjas deposited flowers over the memorial, others left small tokens. A picture, a kunai, a talisman, a tag seal. I left the Will and Fire Special Series Cupcake.
It was Naruto who broke the silence. “Why do people risk their life for the sake of others?”
“There’s no reason to do it. People just do things like that because of the bonds forged, because they have things they have to protect.” Iruka-sensei’s voice sounded out in response. There was a lot condensed in his response. The bonds of friendship formed during life and death missions. Bonds of family, bonds of love, bonds of loyalty.
“Yeah, I think I’m starting to get that now.” Naruto muttered. “But it’s too painful to die, too.”
To my utter surprise, Sasuke was the one who interjected. “Don’t worry, you’ll understand eventually.”
“Hey!” Naruto protested. “Gimme some credit, I understand!”
The ceremony didn’t last long after that. Ninjas dispersed, went about rebuilding their lives and village. I was about to follow Ino when Kakashi-sensei waved me over. I stopped, looked at the waiting blonde, looked at sensei. Popped my board. “Sensei wants to talk with me, I’ll see you later?”
Ino nodded, waved goodbye, left with her family. Inoichi gave me a nod. Ino’s mom waved. I turned toward sensei, who stood with Yamato and another shinobi that looked like an older version of Shikamaru. Nara Shikaku? What was this about?
