A/N: Wow. This chapter took a lot longer than anticipated. But here you go. I hope you guys don't mind. It's going to get a little more strange...as if you wouldn't have guessed.
The upload manager hates me. That's why this took so very long to post...I know it's a sucky excuse, but it's better than none, yes?
Warnings:FL--
Foul LanguageSup--Supernatural
C--Slight content warning...Sasuke's getting friendly. Don't worry. There's no lemon.
Legal Stuffiness: I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters therein. The character of Hyuuga Hisana is my property. Permission for use given upon request.
Chapter 2: Pendulum
"What are we doing, grandmother? How is reading going to solve anything?" Neji had just re-entered the library behind Hisana. Rather than returning to her chair, or going to the bookshelf, the woman tossed him a sidelong glance and scoffed before proceeding to the bay window on the far side of the room. Neji was about to say something else when she kicked one of the panels in the window seat, and it popped open. Her knowing smile as his jaw hung open was a bit off-putting.
"You should learn to shut up and watch, boy. If you're always flapping your gums, you'll miss something important. Listening is–" her toe pressed a large brass button, "–one of the most important skills you can develop." When she stood to one side, the floor collapsed into a spiral staircase. "And now, my boy, you're gonna need it. Let's go." The elderly woman began descending the marble stairs, and Neji hesitated. What was he getting himself into? Hisana's eyes turned back up to him as she disappeared from view. "Fast action is most important, Neji. Come on."
Reluctantly, he followed. Nothing made sense anymore, so he wasn't going to question. Is this what they call a leap of faith? It took long moments for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the staircase, which went down–by Neji's rather accurate estimation–nearly three floors below ground level. The room he into which he emerged was one filled with books, jars, boxes, and bottles. There was a small fireplace in one corner, and a waist-high cabinet that looked like it was made of ebony. On top of this was a white silk cloth, and the cabinet was set in the middle of the room. Hanging in the cardinal directions of the room were banners in red, blue, black, and green. Over the cabinet was one in white.
Hisana was already on the other side of the cabinet. "Press the switch at the door, will you?" Neji did as he was told, and the staircase retracted with surprising speed. "Now…I think the first thing we need to do is to find out where she is. That's your job. Come–"
"Stop." Neji held up a hand. He was still reeling from all that had happened in the last ten minutes. "Wait a minute. I did see that, right? I did see a demon take my cousin away, yes?" Hisana gave a matter-of-fact nod. "And disappeared in a puff of smoke, didn't they?"
"It was steam, but essentially, yes." Hisana was leaning on an antique globe now, her head cocked to one side and obviously wondering what he was getting at.
Neji's frustration rose. "What in all of the seven Hells is going on?!" He threw his hands into the air. "Demons! Hinata sleeping in the mausoleum! Next thing you're going to tell me is that our family is full of witches!" Hisana smiled slightly before pursing her lips in a rather amused way. Her face was filled with amused sarcasm. "No…you can't be serious!" Neji suddenly felt dizzy. This was too much for even him to handle. He had a genius-level IQ, perfect marks in school, skipped three grades and graduated college at the age of eighteen…but still, he could not wrap his brain around this.
He could vaguely feel himself being guided to a chair, and being pushed into it. "Have you ever wondered, Neji, how you always seem to know when Hinata is hurting? When she's done something wrong? When she's in danger?" Looking up at his grandmother, he seemed to see her for the first time. Her eyes were so much softer than he had ever seen them…and her voice wasn't dry and cracked. There was something of his father in her face that made his chest constrict. He blinked up at her, disbelieving of her words still. "Neji, you must try to understand. When we did it, there were things that were not taken into account."
His eyes narrowed. "What things? What did you do?"
Hisana sat opposite him, on a stool. "Your father and I, when Hinata was born, performed a ceremony. It was, originally, to make the two of you closer. We knew that her father would wish to keep the two of you separate. Keep you from being too close, even though it is your job to protect her." Pale green eyes were far away now. She was looking inward, to the past. "It was a bond between the two of you, you understand. Just to make you closer. But Hiashi always was an arrogant little boy, and he grew to be an arrogant man. He pushed you hard to excel, and in doing so, pushed you away from his daughter. It didn't completely work. The bond between you and Hinata changed, but did not break."
Neji blinked. Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "You mean to tell me that when Hinata and I were babies, you put a spell on us?" A nod from Hisana. "And it changed into me…being able to know if she was in danger because we couldn't be close?" Another nod. "And now, I'm supposed to use that to find her?" The woman smiled faintly, and leaned forward to rest a hand on his in a comforting gesture.
"It was something that we did for both of you. No one needs to be alone."
"Why? Who are you crying for?"
"I…" She couldn't answer at first. Sasuke was so close, his eyes so strange, that she was unsure of what was happening. It had seemed for a moment as if he were going to harm her. That had passed, and it was nothing more than a strange feeling with her hands fisted in his hair, and the odd emotion at the back of his eyes. A sudden impulse took her, and her right hand slipped out of his hair to brush against his cool cheek. Unidentifiable emotion was radiating off of him suddenly, like the warmth from a radiator coil, and she seemed to be soaking it in. It was making her a bit delirious. "You…you're so…what is it? Behind all of that ice…Sasuke…why are you hiding?"
Sasuke's eyes widened, and his hands let go of her as if he had been burned. His eyes turned changed in distress, nothing but snow white showing through. "What are you? You're no demon…why do you..? How…no." He grabbed at her, taking up handfuls of her sweater, pulling her to her feet. When she stood, his hands ripped her sweater open, exposing her neck, and most of her upper chest. Hinata was confused, but for some reason, could not bring herself to fear him just now. Sasuke may be a demon, but he was acting like a child. More specifically, he was behaving like a child that has been neglected, and has no idea how to deal with kindness of any sort. Long nails scraped her skin, and he drew her closer, eyes still white, and a look of intense hunger on his face.
Hinata breathed deeply. She had to stay calm. What would people think if she lost her cool now? From the beginning, it had been more like she was ten years old, and still afraid of the dark, rather than a twenty-year-old woman wading in unfamiliar waters but still able to function. Cold lips ghosted over her neck, tickling her hair as it was pulled slightly. Calmly, Hinata pulled her indigo hair aside and tilted her head a bit more. Sasuke stiffened. "Will this make you happy?" Fangs grazed her skin, and she suppressed a shiver. "Will my blood stop the pain you won't let yourself feel?" She did not know where these words were coming from, but she knew at the center of her soul that they were true.
Glancing at what she could see of his face, she saw that his jaw had tightened to what must be a painful degree, and his neck was completely tense. "If it will stop your pain, take it. Take as much as you need." The grip he had on her shifted and loosened, and Hinata's pale gray eyes looked on him with nothing short of pity. Sasuke's eyes were wide, and had returned to their normal deep black. He stared at her as if she had turned into a dog. She was no closer to getting away from him, but she was one step in the direction of understanding him. And if there was one thing she remembered from all of those lessons with Neji, it was that knowing all you can about the enemy is the best way to defeat him when he least expects it.
Something twitched in his face, and he shoved her backward into the icy chair. "You know nothing." Turning away, he stalked into another room. Hinata smiled. She had won a small victory in upsetting him. Sasuke was not stable, she was sure, and it would take some very subtle manipulation to do what she intended. If it didn't get her killed, that is.
Hisana looked her grandson in the eyes. He was infuriating. At this very moment, he was being as stubborn as a mule, and refusing to even acknowledge the fact that he actually could feel where his cousin was. "Neji, this is important."
The young man's jaw tightened and he looked away. "I know it is. But I don't think that–"
"Stop thinking!" He started at the suddenly sharp tone in her voice. "You think too damned much! Now sit yourself down right now and close your damned eyes. This is not going to get done unless you cooperate!" She watched as Neji sat in the middle of an enormous world map, which was spread out on the floor. "Now close your eyes." Pale gray eyes closed, and Hisana instructed him to breathe deeply and meditate, focusing on Hinata's face, the way she acted, and the way he felt when he was near her. "Can you picture her?"
"Yes."
"As if she's right in front of you?"
"Yes."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Hisana pressed something into Neji's hand. She had gotten it from Hinata's room. "Swing that pendulum back and forth, until you feel it wanting to go toward a certain direction. Follow that feeling, and you can zero in on Hinata's location." Watching as Neji stood to his full height, she worried. He did not have his father's gift, at least not completely. The clear crystal he swung dangled from a silver chain, and it was a long moment before Neji took his first step. He moved away from where they were in Maine, and south, continuing in that direction until he was in South America.
Hisana found this location to be a bit odd, since Sasuke was obviously an elemental demon, and completely based in cold and ice. Then, Neji stepped further to the west, into the Andes Mountains. The pendulum suddenly stopped swinging, and Neji grunted with the effort of standing. Hisana blinked. "Let it go where it needs to. Kneel down if you have to." The pendulum was pulling him down, and soon enough, was drawn to what seemed to be one of the highest peaks in the Andes. The crystal was glued to that spot, standing on its point. Neji opened his eyes and gaped. "Looks like you're going to the Andes."
"Me?" He looked surprised, which Hisana didn't understand. He should have known that he would have to be the one to go. But she would be damned if she would send him unprotected. Hisana's smile softened. She wished that it were possible for her to go with him, but that would not be at all allowed. Hiashi would never permit it, since he felt that she was so frail. He was quite out of touch with reality. Instead, she would send with him one of her most powerful talismans.
The lights in the room flickered slightly when his grandmother's hands fell on the blackened metal lid of the box. The shadows that laced the stone ceiling seemed to move, to writhe over the black marble, and Neji chewed his lip. An intense feeling of anxiety soaked into his very shoulders when he looked around the room, which seemed to grow darker. Bottles filled with herbs, powders, and body parts he didn't want to think about from animals he'd never heard of rattled slightly, and dust sifted down to the floor from shelves upon shelves of ancient books.
A hinge's groaning plea to be left alone brought him back to what was going on at that moment and he jerked his head back forward. "What–"
"Silence!" She hissed, reaching a hand into the box. For an instant, the lights of the room went out completely, and he saw a glow come from inside the confines of the steel container. Taking the glowing object in both of her hands, she cupped it gently. Neji watched her coming closer to him, and for a long moment, he was frightened. The thing in her hand gave him the same feeling he had when he was in the same room with the demon that took Hinata. What was it? "Open your right hand, palm up." Hisana's voice was strange, airy and far away. After hesitating for only a moment, he did as he was told. All he wanted to do was to get his cousin back, and if he had to go traipsing all over the globe to do it, then that was fine. It was just all of this voodoo and hocus pocus that he was having a difficult time with.
His palm began to burn the instant the glowing thing was dropped into it. Though he ordinarily would have tried to drop it, Neji was pretty certain that he was supposed to suck it up and let it burn. He just hoped that his grandmother had some decent burn cream. There was a sharp sizzling sound as he felt the thing start sinking into his skin. It looked like a chunk of still-hot lava as it sat there in his hand, but it started melting, becoming quite liquid, and it sank in, as if his skin were a sponge. After a few moments, the heat began to travel up his arm, spiraling out of control, until it stopped suddenly at his elbow, where Hisana had placed her hand. Her voice was less than a whisper as she chanted some kind of incantation, and Neji felt himself chilled.
The cooling effect spread down his injured arm, and strange markings rose over his skin, a dark and angry red against the pale skin. Hundreds upon hundreds of pictographs swirled over his arm and down to his hand, spreading over this skin as well. The markings faded to orange on his thumb and forefinger. Neji's eyebrows rose. Strangely, any and all pain was gone. It simply looked as if he had a very intricate tattoo, and he quirked an eyebrow at his grandmother. She smirked momentarily before saying, "Snap your fingers, Neji."
Doing as he was told, he watched the lights go out. "Grandm–"
"Shut your mouth…he comes." Hisana's voice came quietly at his side. How had she found her way in the dark? There were bottles and books and boxes scattered all over the room, and he didn't think that he would have been able to navigate the room with any confidence, even with his photographic memory. Then, he saw a glow coming from the floor in front of him. The radiant spot on the stone firmament shone more brightly until he was sure that he was going to go blind if he looked at it any longer. It was like staring at the sun.
"Hyuuga Hisana…and who is this little one?" Neji nearly toppled over as he watched a glowing face emerge from the floor. It looked to be completely composed of tiny dancing flame, though shaped and controlled into a form that was so smooth and real as if it could be held and touched. Only a full minute later, when there was a golden, glowing being of fire standing before him did he realize that he had been standing with his mouth hanging open. Had the creature been solid in truth, he would have had skin that was tanned to a healthy golden brown, and hair the color of sunlight. He was certainly a sight to behold as he was, though. Being composed completely of flame could do that to a body, Neji supposed. The thing spoke again. "He's powerful, this one."
Hisana crossed her arms under her bosom. "He is…but he's stubborn. You'll have to work on that." The woman nudged Neji, and looked at him very pointedly before jerking her head toward the glowing young man (woman??).
"Oh, pardon me." Neji put out the hand with all of the markings for the creature to shake. "My name is Hyuuga Neji. And you–"
Waving his hand from side to side to dispel Neji's formality, the glowing creature said, "I'm Naruto. It's nice to meet you, Neji." His eyes trailed to the marks on Neji's arm. "You summoned me…may I ask why?" Something told Neji that he had much more to learn about his family than he thought. He could only guess that this creature was supposed to help him get Hinata back. When he said as much, the creature said, "Ah. She's a sweet girl, is she not?" Hisana nodded, and smiled sadly. "It was such a shame about her mother…" What in the world was going on? This…this Naruto knew everything about his family? Something stuck in his mind about Hinata.
She was almost obsessed with the theory that her mother was murdered. Perhaps that was what she was doing in the mausoleum? Was she trying to speak with her mother? To ask who had killed her…to exact vengeance…? Neji's stomach made a very uncomfortable lurch. He could not think of his gentle, sweet little cousin taking the life of another human being. The very thought was enough to make him so angry that he could barely see. If there was now, or ever would be blood shed on behalf of his cousin, he would be the one to shed it. She need not dirty her hands with something he was much better suited to.
It was with much greater confidence, and solid conviction that he said, "Naruto, I have summoned you here to help me take back my cousin. She has been abducted by a demon."
Bright red eyes narrowed, and the fiery spirit said, "What did the demon look like?"
"He was about your height and build, but his skin was very white, hair was black. His eyes were, too. The bastard was cold…literally. He made wind kick up inside the house, and blew me against a wall. When he did that, his eyes turned red." Neji's voice dropped to a low growl when he thought of the creature. Bastard would get what he deserved for taking away Hinata.
"Really…" a smirk appeared on glowing lips. He seemed to have a light of recognition kindling in those red eyes. "I suppose paying the bastard a visit would be in order. But it won't be easy, Neji. You'll have to study for a bit first."
Neji gaped at the glowing male form before him. In a fit of uncharacteristic brashness and impatience, he began blustering. "We can't afford to wait! She could be dead…" Naruto's amused smile caught him off guard. The creature then took a very deep breath, and seemed to put a lot of concentration into something as he closed his eyes. As he did this, the radiance coming from his skin lessened, and he became more solid. He looked much more like a normal human, though his skin seemed to glow from within. Neji blinked. Now that it was more solid, it was an impossibility that he was looking at anything but a male of…whatever species he was dealing with.
Naruto said kindly, "He will not harm her, whatever you might think, Neji. I know that bastard. If she's even the slightest bit useful or interesting, he'll not lay a finger on her in aggression. And he will fight like mad to keep her." Neji took a deep breath and did something that he usually didn't...he hoped that it was true, and he trusted that the other was right.
It was night here, black and thick, but the streets were packed nonetheless. Hinata watched the dark head of the creature she was now bound to bob above the crowd. The throng seemed to part before him, regardless of how tightly packed they already were. Hinata hated crowds. They were noisy, frantic, and often dangerous. With every shout nearby, she flinched, and each time she was jostled, she shied away. Finally, after what seemed to be an hour, they got across the square. The alley was darker than the street, since there weren't even the dim streetlamps here to cast eerie shadows.
Hinata clutched the bundle in her hands. "Sasuke…I don't know about this…"
Her arm burned suddenly, the kanji glowing white-hot. Sasuke turned red eyes on her. "You will do as I say. This will build your tolerance for such things, and I am hungry." The demon leaned closer to her, dark eyes swallowing all light and hope. His face bent low, cold breath spreading over her already chilled skin as he was nearly nose-to-nose with her. Hinata held her breath. Since he had nearly taken her blood, Sasuke had been behaving strangely. The last thing she wanted was for him to attack her just now. "Of course," he said quietly, the icy skin of his lips brushed against Hinata's, sending an involuntary shiver though her, "we could work on a reward system. If you do a good job, I could always do something nice for you…Hinata."
She had no idea what he meant, and it wasn't something she was keen on discovering. Growling under her breath, she said, "Damned head games…" and pushed him away. Sasuke seemed rather amused. "Now, if you don't mind, please turn around." After staring hard at him for a long moment, she knew that he wouldn't turn. "What is your problem? It isn't like I can run away from you…" her eyes narrowed as she remembered the last time she had tried that, "…or are you just a pervert who likes to look at naked girls?"
Sasuke leaned against the brick wall of one of the buildings, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at her blankly. "I am not going to let you out of my sight. It is more trouble than it's worth to go after you if you run away again. And no, I'm not a pervert. Though I am rather enamored of your skin, Hinata. It's lovely." Hinata's eyes widened painfully before narrowing again. She used her bundle to hit him in the chest. Sasuke laughed.
"Asshole…" Hinata said as she set down the bag and opened it. She did not look at him the entire time she removed and carefully folded her clothes, and neither did she glance at him as she slipped the white silk gown on over her naked flesh. It was beautiful, she knew. There were pearl beads on the hem of the skirt, and the sheer sleeves, as well as over the bodice. Her skin seemed to shimmer and glow like ice when she wore this. Sasuke had gotten it for her, and she didn't want to know how many people he'd killed to do it. The box he'd given it to her in said that it came from Paris. That was actually believable, with his abilities.
Right now, she didn't care where the thing had come from. It wasn't enough to keep the cold out, and her entire body was pebbled in gooseflesh. Her teeth began to chatter as she faced the demon. He nodded his approval, especially when he saw how the back of the dress fit. The thing was backless, and draped down in heavy folds around her waist. He made a small twirling motion with his finger, and she turned slowly in place. She thought she could feel a cold finger trace the line of her spine, to the small of her back…and it made her want to shiver and shy away. Hinata hated it when Sasuke touched her.
"Perfect. How come here." She did as he told her, and then felt a chill as his finger traced around the base of her neck, and then again as Sasuke threaded his fingers through her hair before running around the shell of both her ears. Her skin felt oddly numb where he touched her. When her hand reached up to touch those spots, she found that she wore a necklace made entirely of ice, and there were ornaments in various places in her hair. Her ears had ice cuffs and small studs in the holes she had pierced there as a young girl. A satisfied smirk played over his lips and he bent to pull the rest of the things from the bag Hinata had been carrying. There was a pair of shoes for Hinata, as well as a white fur wrap that was more for show than to keep warm. Also in the large bag was another box, from which Sasuke pulled a tuxedo.
Hinata turned away when he began removing his clothing. "So shy?" She could hear the smirk in his voice as he continued to make fun of her, "It is difficult for me to believe that a beautiful woman such as yourself is still so innocent as to turn away when a man disrobes, Hinata. Look at me."
"No."
Her mark began to burn, and she froze, rooted to the spot. "Look at me, Hinata."
"No…"
Her arm was grasped roughly, pulling her around until she faced Sasuke, who was very close to her now, and very, very naked. Hinata blushed to her ears. Sasuke smirked. "One day you will not be so…averse to seeing a man in his natural state…little Hinata." Sasuke backed away, and Hinata quickly cast her gaze elsewhere. There was, she thought, nothing natural about Sasuke. His very existence was horror personified, and her tormentor had just found a new way to make her life a colder version of Hell.
"Somehow, I doubt that's true," Hinata whispered to herself, but knew that Sasuke had heard her.
"Let us go. We can't miss the festivities." Sasuke held out his arm for Hinata to take. This was not something she wanted to do, and she most certainly didn't want to touch him, but at the moment, she didn't have much of a choice. So Hinata took Sasuke's arm, and they walked out into the street again, leaving their clothes behind. According to Sasuke, he could get them any clothing they wanted at any time, so she didn't need to carry anything around.
The building they walked toward was tall, probably about fifty stories, and made of glass. There were many lights on inside, making it shine like a shard of ice in the night. They walked into the lobby of the gleaming glass and steel structure, and were met with a group of six security guards. Sasuke approached them and filled the space around the desk with a white mist. They all fell slumped forward, unconscious. The elevator was the next level of security, which had them end on the fortieth floor. That is, until Sasuke froze the circuits of the thing so that Hinata could apply her knowledge of computers to re-program the elevator. She had not been studying for nothing.
When they emerged on the rooftop, they were met with a much more polite and refined crowd. Hinata unconsciously edged closer to Sasuke. A cold hand rose to rub at her elbow in a manner that was oddly reassuring. "Smile, Hinata. You won't be of any use to me if you keep frowning like that."
She saw men turning to look at her, eyeing her in ways that they never had before. Their eyes lingered just a bit too long, and Hinata wanted to hide behind Sasuke. "I don't think I can do this…" she murmured, and her step faltered, causing her to trip. Hinata could feel herself falling, and screwed her eyes shut, braced for impact. It did not come.
When she opened her eyes, Hinata found Sasuke's face very close to hers, and his arms were around her middle. He had caught her waist to keep her from falling. Hinata shivered when a finger ran over the skin of her lower back. It felt…wrong. Had she not known that it would result in retribution, she would have jerked away and slapped him. Her wrap fell from one shoulder, exposing her back as he pulled her back upright "Let me get that," he said gently, taking up the fallen white fur. The thing was soon replaced on her shoulders, once again hiding the creamy expanse of her back. Her luck held as badly as it always had: men now leered at her. When they entered the large glass greenhouse in the center of the rooftop, warmth flooded Hinata's body, a balmy sort of heat that lulled her in spite of the fact that a demon walked next to her.
The greenhouse was easily three stories high, though completely open on the inside, and seemed to contain a vast array of tropical plants that Hinata had only seen in photographs of South America and Africa. There were several large birds swooping around the space, and she watched them for a moment before turning her attention back to the people milling about in groups of five or six, all in glittering dresses and pitch-black tuxedos. Hinata glanced at Sasuke from the corner of her eye. He was smiling faintly. She could tell it was fake. It felt fake. What am I saying? It feels fake? I must be going insane.
After they made a circuit of the place, he stationed himself next to a Nile Palm that was taller than he was, and she went off to get two cups of punch. Would he even drink it if she gave it to him? She didn't really care at this point, since she was just a decoy anyway.
Hinata could feel the eyes on her. It felt rather…slimy. She didn't like it one bit, and it took all of the willpower she possessed not to run away screaming bloody murder at the job she was being forced to do. When was he going to get started holding up his end of the bargain? For a moment, she thought that perhaps he had tricked her, and that he only wanted a slave. But then, she remembered how she felt a kind of strange conviction about him, and Hinata knew after an instant that no…he would not go back on his word.
Now approaching the table that held the immense silver punchbowl, she saw a small group of younger men all but huddled together around something glowing. As she passed by, Hinata recognized it as a small portable television set. They were watching a sporting event, and cheering quietly. This made her smile, and shake her head just a little. "Silly, aren't they?" The mellow voice nearby made her jump, and Hinata again lost her balance, tripping on one of her heels before she nearly fell to the ground, only to be caught gently by a pair of large, warm hands.
"Oh…I'm–" she shook her hair from her eyes and looked up, at the man, who was smiling kindly down at her. Her voice died in her throat. He was beautiful. Broad shoulders, obviously well muscled, were covered by an immaculate tuxedo. Eyes the color of dark chocolate smiled merrily at her from a healthily tanned face, which was framed by soft hair that was nearly as dark as his eyes. The perfection of his face was marred only by a pale scar across his nose. Hinata's stammer returned full-force as she tried to say, "–s-s-s-sor-ry…"
The man's smile only broadened, further dazzling her, and he said in his rich, deep voice, "No, it's quite all right. No apologies are necessary. I would settle for knowing your name."
"Hinata…my name is Hinata." She blushed prettily, and bit her lip. Hinata had never been very adept at interacting with the opposite sex…
Taking her hand gently, the man said, "Well, then, Hinata…my name is Iruka. If you have need of anything, please do not hesitate to ask. I'll be muddling about somewhere. Please be more careful, though. I would hate for you to fall and injure yourself." With that, he gracefully took his leave. Hinata found that she was fidgeting with the edge of her wrap, and stopped it immediately. He was so kind and gentle, and was possibly one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. Sighing slightly, she went to the punch table and picked up one of the delicate cups and the ladle for the pale pink punch.
After having poured one cup, she dipped the glass spoon back down into the bowl, and was just about to drain it into another of the cut-glass cups when the thing was taken from her hand. It was almost unnoticeable, since she was utterly distracted by her fears and the man, Iruka who glanced at her every now and again from where he stood talking to a venerable-looking gentleman with graying hair.
The hand that had so elegantly taken the spoon from her poured the rosy liquid into her cup, and Hinata blinked rapidly before following the line of the hand to an arm, in stylish black, up to a set of narrow but strong shoulders, and then to a breathtaking face. This man had an unearthly beauty, with eyes the color of jade, and hair (obviously dyed) the color of blood. His mouth was set in a rather self-confident smirk at her surprise. Where shaggy hair did not cover his forehead, Hinata could make out a tattoo. If her Japanese wasn't rusty, it read "ai", which meant "love". He was so very pale that Hinata thought he might be one of Sasuke's relatives. Does he even have relatives?
"Hello." The man said, his smirk still in place. He wasn't quite leering at her, but Hinata was by no means comfortable under such scrutiny. It was like being targeted. Like he was a hawk, looking at her as if she were his prey.
Hinata tried very hard not to stammer, she really did, but it did not work very well. "He-Hello…"
Hinata simply stared at the man. It was as if he trapped her there with his eyes. She wasn't at all sure that she liked it. "Excuse me if I have startled you. My employer would like to speak with you."
"Your…?" Hinata felt as if the wheels in her head were gummed up with molasses. Nothing seemed to be getting through fast enough. The man pointed to Iruka. Hinata nearly sagged in relief. She had no problem talking to him, since he was so sweet. She nodded, and followed the man with blood-red hair, as he simply decided he would turn on his heel and march straight across the milling crowd to where Iruka was standing. To her surprise, Sasuke appeared at her side.
"You have done well, Hinata. That one will do nicely." He nodded his head at Iruka. Her eyes widened as her heart sank. She didn't have to look at him to know that he was smiling. And this time, it was real.
The first bit of kindness she had been shown in the last week was what would get the poor man killed. Hinata felt as if there should be something that she could do, but she knew that there wasn't. Sasuke moved away from her to lurk in the area around a large rubber tree, and Hinata cursed him under her breath. It was funny how she never seemed to stammer when she did that.
Finally, she came to stand still behind the man with the red hair, who announced her presence to Iruka. "Thank you, Gaara. Please return to patrolling the perimeter." Gaara…a security guard. That would make Iruka the person hosting the party. And, it would make him the owner of the building. It was just her luck to attract the most important man in the room, whose death would cause the most trouble. Or was that what Sasuke wanted? Hinata's heart jumped in her chest when Iruka asked if she would walk with him. They were silent for a while, just taking in all of the twinkling lights entwined through the branches of trees and plants, then Iruka said, "Hinata…I'm afraid I may need to ask you about the man you came here with."
So he caught on this quickly? Hinata nodded. "Yes…go ahead." She would tell him whatever he needed to know. It wasn't as if he would believe her.
"Who is he?"
"Sasuke."
"Does he have a surname?" Iruka had developed a crease between his eyebrows.
"I don't know."
"What are you doing here?"
Hinata stopped short, and edged into the shadow of a large sego palm. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Iruka laughed. Something about him was so…disarming…he leaned closer to her and said in a hushed tone, "Try me."
"I'm here…to help Sasuke. He and I have an agreement of sorts. I help him, and he helps me. Though, I haven't gotten anything out of this yet…" She knew that she was being cryptic, but if she told him that she was going to be the cause of his death, he would either laugh in her face and walk away, or he would have security throw her out, and Sasuke would probably get very, very angry and start killing people indiscriminately.
"You can't be any more specific?" Hinata shook her head. "What are you supposed to get out of this?"
"I'm going to find out who killed my mother." At these words from Hinata, Iruka started. Hinata sighed. "Seven years ago, my mother was murdered, and her killer was never found. I have been trying to find out who the person responsible was…without success. Sasuke…he can help me. But he will only help if I do what he says."
Iruka leaned against the spiky bark of the sego. "Blackmail?"
"I…suppose you could say that." Hinata hitched her wrap. It was quite warm in here, and she didn't need it, but it was a barrier. She could pretend that it would keep her safe.
The darkness around her seemed to thicken, and then, she could feel it…cold fingers tracing her flesh. Breath that was no warmer than the arctic wind ghosting over her neck, and hair like chilled silk tickled her cheek as Sasuke melted into existence with his arms around her, his face nestled in the crook of her neck. Iruka started violently and took a step back. "What are you?"
"She is human, like you are. I am more. Much more than human. You, on the other hand, are my dinner. Take him, Hinata." Hinata hesitated. She didn't want to… "Do as I say, woman." Her heart beat fast, and her hands shook when she stepped toward Iruka.
"I'm so sorry…" Hinata said, in a shaky voice as she reached up and took his face in her hands. Standing on tiptoe, Hinata did her best to pull him lower. Her mouth hovered near his, and an apology fell from her lips once more before she kissed him. His lips were warm, and soft, and full of life. Hinata began to cry as the warmth started to drain from him. Her body felt as if it were going to burst when Iruka fell with a gentle thump to the ground. "Why…why did it have to be him?"
Sasuke's fingers closed on her arm, turning her around gently. "All things die, Hinata. You will die one day as well. Some things must die so that others may live. That was his fate. His entire life led to this moment. Now…" His face grew large in her vision, lips descending to meet hers, and they felt as if they would freeze her to her very core. The pressure inside her lessened, and as it did, she was pulled more tightly against the demon's body, his arms winding themselves around her waist as he began nipping at her mouth. Hinata's eyes widened and she gasped in surprise. Sasuke kissed her more firmly, his lips parting to allow his tongue out. Hinata stood rooted, frozen to the spot as Sasuke's tongue flicked out to taste her lips, and her confusion only rose when she realized that he was warm.
After long moments of Sasuke's exploration of her mouth, he pulled away, seeming to have more color in his face. She thought that she knew what he would look like if he were human. There was a smile there that leaned more toward a smirk, and she couldn't say that she liked it, but at least it was honest. Hinata was at a loss for words. He had kissed her. Well, the transfer of the soul had the requirement of oral contact but…that was not just…her lips were tingling from it…and it did feel nice…
After a long moment, she realized that they were standing over a dead body. "Sasuke we should–"
A warm finger was placed over her lips, and the world simply melted away, only to reappear as a beautiful city square. There was a large cathedral made of white stone, lit from all around so that it shone in the night like a beacon, and a wide swath of green surrounded by a tall wrought iron fence. Every so often on the inner edge of the fence, there were trees with pinkish flowers and low bushes with white and deep magenta blossoms, their perfume hanging heavy in the air. The fence was closed, and locked. They were the only ones inside it.
Hinata felt pleasantly warm in comparison to where they had been in Chicago, and she thought that they must be in a southern state. She could hear the sounds of the city, though they seemed far away. The sky was dark with its blanket of low-flying clouds, but she could see moonlight peeking through every so often. In one of those moments, she saw the small park illuminated in a silvery glow, and it was so strikingly serene that even Sasuke managed to look mysterious and beautiful in that light.
"Images of such beauty are fragile, and fleeting. If I had need of such things, I would capture the image of this moment…" Sasuke walked to a tree, plucking a leaf and turning it over in his hand, before his dark eyes looked up at Hinata. "Snow is a beautiful thing, don't you think?" His question was cryptic, and she found that she could only nod. Sasuke looked away from her, his eyes drifting around the greenery. Snow was beautiful, yes. But if given the right circumstances, it could also be deadly. "You look like snow, Hinata. White against the darkness…like a snowdrift at night…"
If she cared, she might ask if he was all right. Sasuke was certainly not being his usual self. First, he had kissed her with something so close to tenderness that she was tempted to–no, she wasn't going to think of what she had been tempted to feel. After that, he had brought her here, where it was warm. Her next thought came out of her mouth before she could stop it. "Where are we?"
Sasuke's head tilted slightly, causing light from old-fashioned street lamps to cast shadows over his face. "I believe that humans call it Jackson Square. The city's name is New Orleans in your language."
"It's beautiful here." Her feet took her to the nearest bush, where she picked one of the white blooms. It reminded her of a lily, but it had a very different smell. Her nose tickled when she got pollen on it, and Hinata rubbed it away gently. As she looked at the flower she held, Hinata thought. What was Sasuke acting this way for? Even after he had brought her here, he had remained strange. He had, in a way, said that she was beautiful, in his comparing her to snow. What was going on? The demon was waxing poetic, for God's sake…
The warm breeze brushed over her skin, and she let her fur wrap fall to the ground in favor of feeling the wind float through her clothing. After a long moment of silence, she turned to see Sasuke watching her, a contemplative expression in his deep, bottomless eyes. "Sasuke, why are we here?"
"I said I would do something nice for you. You were shivering, so I brought you some place warm. And I wanted to be surrounded by beauty. This place has its own…wild sort of attractiveness." She nodded in understanding. It seemed that he could never truly do anything for someone else that did not have some small benefit to him. The corners of Hinata's mouth drew down in a frown. His reward system…of course. Her disappointment was dampened by the fact that she really was impressed by the beauty of their surroundings, and she contented herself with that. Sasuke, for his part, was still looking intently at her, piercing black eyes watching her every move. Hinata could feel his eyes on her. It was odd, like a tickling at the back of her mind, but she didn't look at him again. For some reason, her awareness of his presence seemed heightened, and she knew exactly where he was: ten feet behind her and just off to the left, at the base of the same crepe myrtle tree he'd been standing at since the arrived. It wasn't clear yet if this was a good thing, or a very, very bad one. Time would tell, she supposed.
"She's not there anymore!"
Naruto raised one golden eyebrow in question. "What do you mean?" He had been sitting there, leafing through one of the many books in the secret library (not to mention being bored out of his proverbial gourd), and Neji was nearly asleep on top of the biggest book of flame-spells Naruto had ever seen. The young Hyuuga had suddenly sat up, and yelled. He wanted to roll his eyes. This scatter-brained kid was his summoner…but he'd be damned if he was going to just sit around and let him go crazy. Neji was worried, he knew, but that was no excuse for him to turn into a panicky, annoying mass of nerves that can't handle biding his time.
Pale fists slammed down on the ancient tome, causing dust to fly in large motes and Naruto had a fearsome death-glare leveled at him. "I mean that Hinata and that…thing are not in Andean Chile anymore. They…moved." Pale eyes looked inward, it seemed, for they glazed over. Naruto started to worry after about three whole minutes of Neji not speaking at all. Then his voice came out in a quiet drone, as if someone were speaking through him. "They were…" Neji's slender fingers closed on a silver chain laying on the dusty table, and he rose to his feet. When he got to the world map that was still spread on the floor, he swung the pendulum, and the crystal swerved visibly in one direction: southwest. Neji's feet took him to the place it wanted to go. "They were here," his finger pointed downward, toward the state of Illinois, then, the pendulum jerked roughly to the southeast before he followed it, bringing him to his knees and the crystal came to rest on the banks of the Mississippi River, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
"Now they're here." Neji seemed to come back to himself. "I need to be there, Naruto. I have to get her back." Strangely, he was calm. His light gray eyes held no hint of the alarm they had before. It was against his better judgment, but he agreed. Naruto held no hope of actually accomplishing anything, but there was a part of him that looked forward to pissing off Sasuke-bastard…it had been near on to a hundred and fifty years since he'd done that...
"All right Neji. But you will not be the one to fight him. In a warmer climate, he is slightly weakened, so there is a chance that I may beat him, but there is much water nearby for him to draw from. I may not be able to defeat him if he tries to douse me." The young man nodded, and Naruto sighed. This was going to suck.
Neji smiled grimly. "I won't let him keep her, Naruto."
Naruto's heart constricted. It had been a very long time since he had seen such determination, born of such love. He just hoped that it would be enough.