Sweet Dispositions

-Chapter 54-
Cell Friends

"Do you think we are born human?" Hinata asked aloud.

Reize looked down at her, her curls tickling Hinata. Reize ran her fingers through Hinata's locks, humming a song. Hinata's head laid on Reize's thigh as Hinata was in need of comfort and human touch.

"Of course we are. Like parasitic hosts, those babies feed off of their mothers." Reize said.

Hinata laughed but she died a little. Why were Reize's circuits wired to be so ominous?

"Why do you think like that?"

"It's true. We're just programmed to love our captors and those who invade us."

"I guess so..." Hinata hummed. "I need some air."

Hinata left and ran the water in the tub. She hasn't done so in a very long time. Hinata sat in the corner, the mirror filling with steam. With thoughts drifting to and from Sasuke, Hinata thought about her conversation with Miyana.

"Some people were born human but Ryuota Chai Uchiha has never learned or grown up to become one. He is a demon." Miyana said. "My nephew smiled when he killed the Raikage. Also when he killed his entire ANBU class when escaping from his father's clutches. Blood tints his smiles. He is dangerous. He was born from hatred, he was born from death."

"Why would baby Ryouta commit all these genocides? He died!" Hinata demanded.

"He didn't die. He just convinced the world he stopped living. Most of all, to scorn his mother."

"What gives him the right to take away everything from his blood?"

"My sister is worse than a natural disaster when it comes to caring for people's safety." Miyana checked the distance; it was another pawn Hinata recognized stalking her when Jimpachi wasn't there. "Find a way out. Train with fresh meat and eyes, they're fresh. They're like clay."

Clay? Fresh eyes? What do new shipments have to do with anything?

The servant stalked closer, his yellow eyes glinting. He had terrible scarring up and down his arms. His body had huge moles and chemical burns from experiments.

"Ah. My mistress, it seems as though you are defaming your lord. You are much too close to his secrets." the servant said.

He grabbed Hinata by the arm. His nails chewed into her soft skin.

She was yanked off of her knees and slammed into the other wall. Pain blossomed in her back. She clenched her teeth from crying out.

"You've gotta go back to yer cage now, little girl."

Compared to this man, she was nothing but a bread crumb in front of a monster. He was huge! Even looking up at him made her neck ache.

Hinata shoved the man and kicked him in his groin. His back slid down the rusted bars as he groaned. Hinata's knee burned. She kneeled, to avoid some pain.

"I will suffer lashes. Take this information and rule this place. Stay alive. Good things are soon at hand." Miyana looked away. "I hope. Play your part well."

Miyana took a blade she's been hiding in her cloak then swung it. The motion sprayed the copper blood across the air and into Hinata's face.

The blood that got into her eye blocked her vision.

Something flew. Is flying. Towards her. A discarded head landed in Hinata's hands, soaking her dress. So much... much. Again. She looked at the grotesque man's fat nose and the blood that poured out, pooling in her lap.

"Why would you protect me? I want to be locked up down here-" Hinata begged.

"You achieve nothing down here. You are where the danger is, where the power kills. You must do something. You must carry on and defeat Akuma. He will attack Konoha. He's already killed Somei-"

Hinata couldn't hear the last part because thunderous steps slapped against the stone floor.

"Hey! You creature! Stop!" Jimpachi's voice raced into Hinata's ear.

They're coming. Hinata looked at the intruders.

"I know, I'm coming to save you!" Jimpachi sprinted harder.

That's- that's not what she wanted! Hinata turned to Miyana.

Miyana smiled at Hinata, a nonviolent expression on her face. "Even though Mitsuyo was your favourite, I would like to be on your team for once. If I'm not back again by tomorrow, carry, carry on as if nothing really matters."

Jimpachi and the rest would imprison Hinata for the information the now headless pawn would have shared. The pawn would have reported to Akuma and- and more would have died.

Miyana saved her.

Hinata was about to reach out to the bars to console Miyana but she couldn't.

Miyana shook her head. "Play your part! Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the wellspring of life. A wise guy taught me that. Keep it up."

Miyana punched Hinata in the stomach. It hurt. Dearly.

"Uchiha Kaiya Miyana, you have sinned and redeemed yourself, continue-" Hinata wheezed.

Miyana grabbed a handful of hair. Hinata's face nose-dived into the metal.

Her cheekbone bruised.

Hinata screamed, "This insect! This criminal! She killed my guard! She hid a blade in her drapes and my guard- my guard is beheaded!"

Hinata kept on screaming until Jimpachi observed the scene.

"What happened?" he asked.

Hinata tossed the head and dashed behind Jimpachi, clutching his suit jacket. "She complimented my hat and wanted to see it. I gave her- the creature a chance. Then my guard wanted to verify her claims. I got too close and the creature threw my hat and punched me in the stomach. Then my bodyguard got too close and-" Hinata buried herself into the roughness of his suit. "You must punish her! DO anything-"

Jimpachi sighed. "I'm not buying it. What happened to your being above torture?"

"That was before the pawns tried to shred me apart! I see how they really are." Hinata added a quiver or two before swallowing loudly. "You could kill her if you want. I don't want this happening again!"

She trembled. This plan had to work. Miyana had the story of Akuma, she couldn't die. She doesn't want any of them to be dead. He turned around and Hinata clutched his sleeve. She even had tears in her eyes.

"Oi, your cheek's red and bleeding. Would you like to go to Reize and get cleaned up?" Jimpachi asked, not tugging her away.

He believed her. Now she had... to seal the deal. "No!" she paused, hating the next words. "Take me... To Akuma... He keeps me safe."

Jimpachi raised an eyebrow. They fled to Akuma. Her dress was caked with blood and her cheek was all bandaged. Her eyes were red, her body shook. Everything was hazy. Soaked in pain.

"What is it?" he asked, terribly annoyed with her.

Akuma kept his voice monotone and his stance was aloof- but this time it was different. She felt the indifference on her skin.

His mask covered half of his face. He clenched his jaw. He expected some lecture, some fruitless attempt at fighting or backhanded comment from Hinata.

"I'd like you to hold me." she croaked out.

He didn't hear her...

Akuma casually flipped through his book pages, not finding anything interesting. Hinata normally wasn't interesting.

Hinata was a drip around Akuma. One sad, pensive drip of water. She was repetitive and sad. She'd stare at the ceiling, at her fists then out the window. She was a faucet for sadness. Whatever she did was clear, obvious and repetitive like a drop of water going down the sink. Looking at Hinata made Akuma feel exhausted.

Her predictable, sad self would never say something so... outside of her vengeful character.

"Akuma!" Hinata called out loudly and stomped her foot. "I'd like you to hold me."

The warmth of his bold stare haunted her. "Hold you?" Akuma tossed his book aside.

"Yes." Hinata nodded, her teeth ground together. She's worn to the bone, teeth on the graveyard.

"Me... willingly... touching you?" he repeated slowly.

Hinata nodded, unclenching her fist. She usually shirked back from his touch and his eyes would smarten.

"If I could ask, Hinata, just why? Why let me have you?" he asked.

They stared at each other. Hinata unzipped her zipper. The sound was gentle but as loud as a chainsaw.

"I surrender. I... surrender..."

Her knees got weak. She summoned the resolve she couldn't stomp on. Thousands of lives are saved if... she could just remove her undergarments. Sasuke... didn't love her. He wasn't sure. He... didn't want to see her again.

"I surrender... I surrender... I surrender." Hinata whispered as the hoop of fabric fell at her feet.

Traumatic tensions and release tensions in his chest known as laughter erupted. He sounded like he would leap for joy. He reached out for her. "Come, come."

"I surrender. I surrender- to you." Hinata reached out to his hand and placed it onto her heart. "I don't lie to the sun god."

Her heartbeat was calm. Even. Truthful. Eddies of doubt and hurt panged her head but her heart was true.

Hinata bowed her head. "I accept you as my king."

He grunted. "Your rebellious impulses have ended. You never cease to amaze me, my queen."

Hinata crawled onto his lap, getting comfortable. He kissed her neck and she sighed. His little nips reminded her of Sasuke. Then less so. His little nips became bites. Less lip. More teeth. More possession.

"Are you really mine?" he kept on squeezing around her middle until she had trouble inhaling.

Hinata was fearful of the question. "Yours?" she panted.

"When I want something, I used all of my strength to adore it, reign in gifts to make the Gods jealous and to possess it in every measly aspect. Before I became a God, I was a child in ROOT. When I was younger, I had a best friend named Remy with a small thing named Winter,

It was a desperate cat looking for affection and love. I wanted it so badly. ROOT members weren't allowed to have pets. No personal attachments or heavy punishments would be given. The chances of one clever feline escaping the shinobi eyes of the ROOT made Winter all the more precious. A godly cat for a king like me,

However, Remy would not give Winter up. I gave Remy anything he could have wanted. Fingers and rings of corrupt officials. Gems the size of his head. I even kidnapped a bird with the same features as Winter,

He wanted to keep Winter and I wanted that love. I wanted that small thing. I wanted that attachment. I could not forcefully take Winter from the less-worthy clutches of Remy. Remy said he would die with that thing. To attack another ROOT member was to attack family. So, I left it alone...

If I can't have what I want, I use all of my divine power to destroy it, tear it apart and leave it for dead. Then... late that night, I got a poisonous flower. Eleven, for double my age. One half could knock out a grown man. Imagine what eleven did to a small, little Remy and Winter."

Hinata was trembling.

"You killed y-your best friend and favourite cat?" Hinata's voice cracked. She could imagine that five year old clutching the cold fur of his cat...

"My heart isn't a whore but that's... what happens when I don't want something. Tear someone apart if they couldn't be mine. Eleven times over..."

She didn't know what flower that was. It grew in Konoha... But she didn't know about such a powerful flower... It could be in any bouquet that he could offer.

"Why... are you telling me this?"

"They died together. He had his small thing in life and in death." he smiled pleasantly. "And I knew... that's when I could have the world at my feet or destroy it."

He... killed an entire class of ANBU just when he had this realization.

"Winter had skin just as white as yours and the purple eyes of a Hyuuga. So, Hyuuga Hinata-" he caressed her cheeks, confusing her by his strong, clawed grip. His nails stung when they dug into her chin. "Are you Winter or are you mine?"

"Yours," Hinata said without missing a beat. Her nails dug into the coils of his shoulders.

He chuckled. "I thought so, Winter."

Hinata's heart spasmed with fear. "Winter?"

"Ah. No. I meant, Hinata." he laughed into her jugular vein. "You are mine to kill, Winter, now. Even when I beat you, you are mine. You cannot escape me. You belong to me."

Akuma's mind wasn't right. This was going to backfire. Take down Akuma was a mission given to her by every good soul. This was necessary. She needed to blend in. She's never had to offer her body during a mission. That was before Sasuke wanted her...

"Would you like your flowers, now?" Akuma teased, watching the horror and discomfort take control of her features. "I've been waiting on your love for too long. I thought I could change you like the others and now I know how."

Hinata pretended she was talking to Sasuke. "I'm tired of fighting you... I'll follow you... I was bringing you down. Now I can be an anchor... Even if I drown."

She hated when she thought of any other man- touching her but... Sasuke and she weren't together. She still felt like she cheated on him in some sick way. She can't think of Sasuke... She's trying to endure this loneliness. He didn't matter.

He... didn't... matter.

The two loud knocks on the door brought her back to reality. Hinata didn't open the door.

Suddenly, a hand punched through the wood and twisted the handle. Reize opened the door and smiled, shutting it behind her like a pleasant, normal being.

Hinata shuddered. "Hello again," Hinata sighed. Hinata's throat was as dry as a Sunagakure desert blaze. "Why did... you break the door down?"

"I missed you," Reize said, teasing her ringlets.

Hinata sighed.

¤¤¤

Near the same hour.

Sasuke always hated the smell of cigars. His dad liked smoking after a long day of being a fucking dick. After he yelled; a smoke. In the morning before work; he smoked. He smoked once or twice a week. When he was super stressed.

It's just an unpleasant smell with memories silking through the awful whiteness.

When Sasuke feels like he disappointed someone, that smoke always got locked into his lungs. Shikamaru said smoking in the rain was one of the most cathartic feelings he's ever experienced.

Temari commented that Shikamaru was getting a little more pudge. Sasuke said Shikamaru could lose weight, one lung at a time. She kicked him out of the house but also was smiling.

Temari's always smiling at Sasuke.

Since Mitsuyo disappeared to find Someina's murderer, Sasuke had seldom friends. Someina was dead. Hinata's gone. Suigetsu and Jugo were in Suna.

Sasuke's alone enough to drink with Naruto. Naruto's okay- begrudgingly okay company in the meantime. They still cause bar fights and they also go on trips to find Akuma together. Conflict was in his blood but Naruto was still his rival and slowly becoming his best friend and enemy.

Sasuke never fully forgave anyone for anything and holding grudges was a second heartbeat for him. Naruto didn't care and still showed up to train and scheme. The public hated Sasuke and Naruto didn't care. He never did.

"You find Someina's killer yet?" Sasuke asked Mitsuyo.

Mitsuyo laughed. "You haven't seen me bathing in blood. Have you found Hinata?"

Sasuke shook his head. All that has come out of Naruto's and Sasuke's searches have bunches of misplaced, unrelated data. Akuma is a damn good snake and he hid.

They all have enhanced chakra skills and jutsu. They were vicious and they never faltered. Their numbers were grand but not all of them were sophisticated. They weren't organized but their lack of organization made up in brutality.

The DCA had a hold in Iwagakure and Konoha. The streets were flooded with deformed demons looking for blood. It was hard retaliating against them. Sasuke was fighting day in and day out. They also have the objective of killing Kakashi and finding a scroll.

Sasuke hadn't forgiven Kakashi and it was wrong but he didn't care. Modern-day Konoha has been picked apart, rendered unsafe and uninhabitable by endless troops sent by the DCA. Someina would have helped clean up the entirety of Konoha if she were here. But she wasn't.

No one was here. His kids... They were far away for too long. Sasuke swallowed some of the smoke because he was so distracted. He had a coughing fit that Mitsuyo was unimpressed at him for.

"You never smoke. What's got you doing it now?" Mitsuyo asked.

"I smoked a bit before Hinata came around. Now she isn't here." Sasuke shrugged, holding the smoke in. He scanned photos of Hinata.

Where was she?

"Looking at old photo albums doesn't do much for the soul. Are you weak?" Mitsuyo sighed.

Looking at images of her helped. Especially ones of her happy, that's what he wanted to remember her like- happy and foolish. This smile, he could eat one hundred bowls of rice with that smile.

Kami, he remembers her walking into the living room, casual and kind when she'd see him as a mess. She'd come over and lie there, with him. Next to him. And she'd look at him like he hadn't killed, like he hadn't gotten too dark or that she knew that he was drinking on the mission instead of saving people.

She'd look so proud. Effortlessly proud. A bit tired... but proud.

"Nostalgia blinds the weak," Sasuke said slowly.

"That's such an odd thing to say..."

It isn't odd. It was his mantra before he met Hinata. He stared at the photo. "Mhm."

He wasn't listening.

Mitsuyo looked away. "We're all looking. Someina is dead too and... It's just horrible, okay? We'll get her back. Kill the one who killed Someina and you know, we'll all float on." Mitsuyo declared. "I miss Someina and Hinata's face like hell. The kids are missing you. They cry all the time."

Sasuke didn't want to think about this anymore.

"More and more officials and civilians are fleeing to Suna?" Sasuke brought up.

Mitsuyo nodded. "The council is threatening to close their doors. They're so selfish. The train between Suna and Konoha is almost finished, right? Konoha is paying for it. Why can't they aid us in a time of need?"

"It's odd that they haven't gotten attacked, though," Sasuke rolled his cigarette.

The kids were there and Karin's six month old was in Suna too. They shouldn't get attacked but Sunagakure is pretty prominent now that they've gotten their shit together.

"The Kage is also looking for Hinata too."

"Yeah, whatever. He wouldn't find her."

"You underestimate such a royal. He is dreamy."

"Shut up." Sasuke looked out at the distance. "You like him more than me?"

"Never."

It's weird that the DCA can hold such a grand amount of people and not be spotted. They're underground, yeah, but where?

He just wanted to hear Hinata's familiar smokey voice. She made the sweetest sounds. It's better than other cigarettes and moping around.

¤¤¤

Week 6.

After locking thighs with Akuma, Hinata was confronted with something else; the responsibility of her groundless statement almost two weeks later.

She never actually surrendered and now she acted like Akuma owned her very skin. She knew his history. It made her not want to look him in the eye. She couldn't. How could she when finally she figured out why Akuma hated Konoha so much?

Akuma is an Uchiha, right? He wanted revenge on Konoha for killing all Uchiha and Konoha's government for letting it happen. He wanted them disbanded and to replace the organization that failed him.

Akuma also wanted Mitsuyo, his mother, to pay for abandoning him and giving him to Konoha, where he was endlessly experimented on. He couldn't punish Danzo because Sasuke already killed him. Danzo was the one harvesting Uchiha eyes and he tossed his son aside due to Akuma's sharingan not activating.

Ryouta sharingan definitely worked, the boy just hid it. He finally got discarded and picked up by the DCA with a different leader until he killed the leader. He also met Someina there and that's where Someina knew he was alive. He protected Someina while she got molested by the older people.

When he grew up, he accepted the past patients of Orochimaru's experiments and those anarchists who have a need for being against all authority. His army is filled with deformed villains with psychological and physical setbacks. His army doesn't work and he needed sharingan. He got other sharingan users to be hunted down in order to practice replicating the sharingan.

He needed dojutsu to start a war. He needed scientists and a way to create perfect revenge to fund a world war and imprison his brilliant enemy. He took everything from Orochimaru; the love of Orochimaru's life, his child and his loyal retainer Kabuto.

Taichirou A.A Hychu could be rewritten as Ryouta Chai Uchiha. He burnt Hinata's house down because there were photos and evidence of his childhood and he wanted to scare her. He impersonated Hiroki in order to get information about how to master the sharingan and the byakugan. She's sure he had one.

The Blood Trials are only there for the doctors to focus on while completely ignoring their patients. Their real patients. They aren't scientists or doctors, they're blood doctors. They only do it because they're held at gunpoint.

Those nominated in the Blood Trials aren't compatible with the dojutsu and they die... Everyone just died.

She had to address four main problems: Getting an escape route, finding out where the next attack will be, getting her chakra back and healing all those who couldn't be healed.

She was always staring at him. She knows what he looked like.

Mitsuyo really messed up. If Mitsuyo just hadn't met Danzo, none of this would have happened. If Danzou weren't so obsessed with breeding the sharingan, then, Ryouta wouldn't be so crazy.

Right now, Hinata sat in the chair near to his desk, like she's been doing for the past two weeks. He looked up at her ever so often to smile.

Everyone accepted that she wasn't just a plaything anymore. She was with him everywhere. Even in meetings. Even when... he was insatiable.

Hinata read a newspaper from last October. Most of the articled detailed the horrors the DCA committed in Iwagakure. Hinata didn't know they terrorized the land of the Tsuchikage so much.

The last two weeks concerned of her being involved. Choosing favourites during the pit battles and rewarding the winners with wreaths of flowers. She trained some pawns and gathered a small class of girls to teach how to fight, infiltrate foreign lands and use chakra. She slept and read around Akuma. She also treated him like a lover and talked to him about trivial matters. She killed without reservations.

She also talked down to the prisoners he fed the whip. She never protested or argued. Only slightly.

Jimpachi was content, Reize was happy that Hinata surrendered to Akuma and Shigeko hated her the same.

Today, Shigeko nervously reported information as Akuma did paperwork. Reize stood by Shigeko, adding her commentary and two ryo.

"My lord, the troops being sent to Konoha have been wiped out. Half the battalion was injured, the pawns lost all their food in a sneak attack and the western brigade was taken. The artillery moved to..." Shigeko faltered. "My honest, attentive lord, are you... listening to me... and that our troops have failed? Are you bored with this news? Would you like me to punish the survivors?"

He nodded. "They are weak. Kill them all. We have many in reserve."

"Do you have any protests, Lady Akuma?" Shigeko asked. The hope in her voice told Hinata something. Shigeko wanted Hinata to be the moral compass with protests.

Hinata looked straight ahead, blasé. "They should have served better." Hinata shrugged.

"Killing them merely reflects the cleaner tactics of the other leaders. To bench those who cannot perform. Our Akuma-oo-sama is exterminating all those who threaten his future kingdom." Reize said loudly.

Hinata just swallowed the words she wanted to scream. Those words made her seem anything but loyal. "I understand."

Shigeko made an audible gasp while they all watched Hinata carefully. Hinata was reading her magazine until she noticed how they were silent and shocked. Akuma included.

"What?" Hinata asked Akuma. "Have I displeased you?"

Akuma just grunted and looked away. "No. You have pleased me, very much so."

Akuma sounded content. Hinata tilted her head. How? She hasn't killed anyone.

Akuma grunted. "Reize, explain to my lovely but slow queen."

Hinata itched for information. She was always put off by the fact Reize and Akuma actually could have been lovers and they read each other's minds.

"Normally, my lady, you would be bouncing off the floor and the ceiling to protest the sacrifice of lives. You've made much progress." Reize smiled. "I must go and give some creatures their... punishments."

Reize turned around and blew kisses to both Hinata and Akuma. Gone.

Hinata could only internally glare at Reize and Shigeko. They will kill a thousand people because they are too weak, malnourished to fight and too unprepared to stay alive. Their suffering ends. That's all that's important. People die. People die. All the time. She can't save everyone.

She eased her muscles. At least in between all the horrible killing and gruesome orders and the torturous meetings, Hinata got tidbits of information.

The DCA pawns haven't seized the capital of Iwagakure. They... are weak and in need of a new admiral. Their numbers dwindle. That gave her numb relief.

Shigeko watched her absently when Akuma said; "Continue your report..."

Shigeko paused. "Is it... okay to include lady Akuma in these meetings? This is sensitive information-"

"Winter-chan cannot do anything but admire the training and witness the greatness her partner creates."

Hinata flinched when Akuma used the name Winter-chan. Reize raved that it was a cute name as she didn't know about how he killed Remy and Winter. Reize didn't know the threat laced in every drawled syllable. He used it to make Hinata nervous, on the edge of a knife.

It reminded Hinata of Akuma's looming dominance. The man never kissed. He used teeth. Roughness. Possession. He never kissed because he devoured her.

Hinata nodded to his words. "I just want to know if I could help train some of the pawns to avoid the problems you see on the battlefield. I have seen a promising soldier that I would like to speak to. Maybe introduce to you."

"Will this pawn be able to cleanse cities and make them fall to their knees?"

"Of course. Why would I distract you from building your empire?" Hinata whispered.

Shigeko was in disbelief. Her yellow eyes trailed back to Hinata's face with a look far from understanding. "You're helping us with... this. The domination of your old country?"

"Konoha betrayed me. It killed the Uchiha, enslaved my family and also led many villages to fall."

"We killed your Raikage." Shigeko sneered.

They did and they will suffer because of that. Hinata held in her poisonous words.

"My heart ached until I realized he wasn't a good Kage. Many starve in Kumo because of him." Hinata said in an offhand way. Like she didn't care.

Shigeko crossed her arms. "You used to hate my lord and this lifestyle! You turned your head and cursed this very paradise."

"Is this a trial? If you cannot trust me, say it!" Hinata hissed.

"You used to fight him!" Shigeko exploded.

Hinata paused. It's true but she wanted to die then. The Hinata of the now won't let Akuma's reign get that far. Konoha gave Hinata her mother, her friends and great memories. She will get so much revenge for her Raikage. She will kill Akuma. Kill Shigeko. Anyone. No one starved in Kumo. They had the best economy. Business boomed in that plentiful land.

She couldn't say anything. This was a nightmare come true. She daydreamed, counted ways to make Akuma pay. To hurt him in the way he hurt her. She will escape and fight.

She couldn't fight him right now. She had to act sweet and caring and kind.

"The biggest fight occurs between the two who really care about each other. I think that's what... occurred." Hinata said. She made a big show of getting up to kiss his temple beside him. Hinata draped her arm across his shoulder. "That's what happened. That hate is a shadow of nothing."

Shigeko looked between the two of them, swallowing. "Akuma..."

Akuma scratched away at his papyrus. Ignoring them.

Hinata had to act almighty and superior. "I don't agree with you bothering Akuma's delicate working schedule. He is a busy man and I wanted alone time with him... company isn't appreciated. Shoo. Shoo."

Shigeko growled. "You have discarded your old life for this one."

"Is that a wrong thing?" Akuma demanded raspily, his first time acknowledging Shigeko.

Shigeko lost all of her confidence and squirmed like a slug in a handful of salt. "It's much too fast. It's normally like a slow surrender. None of this... feels genuine."

Akuma's stiffened muscle made Hinata's stomach churn. His aura became a hundred times more hostile. It gave her chills. His shoulders squared, his fist curled and shifted forward. For the man in his rage, the light of reason fades to black.

Shigeko hated Hinata enough to endanger her own life. Those who didn't accept Hinata met their death and much to her dismay, torture before those coffins came in.

A knock on the door interrupted his response.

A child, a wondrous one Hinata became attached to came in. Being around Mitsuki was medicine. He liked her enough to allow brief contact. A little more than nine seconds. Hinata missed taking care of someone, directing some warmth to something. She missed tending to flowers. Her kids. Her patients. Sasuke.

She's just redirecting adoration to Mitsuki but it felt good. He looked at all of the three, standing awkwardly.

"Kingdom, part, place," Mitsuki bowed, keeping his eyes down.

Hinata smiled to Mitsuki. "Hello, little one."

Mitsuki offered a courteous nod to Hinata.

"You little vermin," Akuma cursed. "Why are you here?"

"I bear a message, great Akuma-oo-sama..." he said professionally.

"You may remain."

Mitsuki cleared his throat and got to the centre of Akuma's drafty office, beside his mother. He stood in her shadow as she stroked the base of his neck.

He flinched away. "Do not touch me. It's embarrassing to call you my mother!" he snapped.

Akuma laughed when Shigeko's yellow eyes fogged up.

"Greetings lord. Uh. Jimpachi-sensei said that Lady Akuma would be here." Mitsuki threw a look at Hinata. "Jimpachi-sensei called Lady Akuma to resume teaching her classes. To observe those she's honoured with their presence..." he said, much too grownup.

"Orochimaru's offspring inspires nothing but ignorance and a noticeable defect on the gene pool." Akuma tsked at Mitsuki. Akuma waved dismissively to Hinata. "Go on..."

Hinata ran up to Mitsuki and tentatively crushed him in a bear hug. She poked Mitsuki's left nostril. "I think you're wonderful. Ignore him. He's cranky without his torture sessions," Hinata joked.

Mitsuki gave a wary look to Akuma who exuded killing intent. The only good thing about being close to Akuma was that Mitsuki had Hinata's undying protection. It never saved the boy from Akuma's demon tongue remarks.

Just because Orochimaru experimented on Akuma didn't mean he should make this child's life a living hell. Hinata gave Akuma a specific glance that conveyed her flaring annoyance.

Hinata brushed her hands into Mitsuki's. "Let's go make cookies today, alright? Those young ones can train later, right?"

He cheered up. "With the chocolate chips?" he asked Hinata.

"With a huge Kumogakure-size mountain of pudding and chocolate chips!"

Hinata scrambled to her feet and led him away.

"Winter, my precious feline cat," Akuma purred, laughing lightly. "You forgot to smell the flowers. Your gift of something beautiful."

Hinata stopped cold. Oh. This was her least favourite part of the day. Every day since his confession to his best friend's murder, he would force her to smell the arrangement of flowers he purposely put in every single room.

It was the most nerve-racking, traumatic experience. He wanted her to pay for her past disobedience. She didn't know what the poisonous flower smelled like. She had no way of telling if she displeased him or if he would kill her.

He knew this; smelling the flowers simultaneously kept her in line and was a punishment.

She traipsed back to the man, to the nearest flower pot.

"Problem, Winter?" Akuma asked with a sweetness too hollow and daunting.

"N-nothing at all, my lord," Hinata said too quickly.

She inhaled the flowers. She picked apart the scents to find the one that seemed off or kill her. Marigolds. Orchids. Tulips. Juniper berries. Jocund. That's all.

She won't die. She won't die. He didn't kill her. She hated him so much.

Hinata tripped away, sprinting in a calm matter after planting a kiss on his temple. "We're off to bake dessert and cookies. Dessert for you will be served at bedtime."

"Oh. That's grand."

Hinata gave him a twitching, broken smile.

Jealousy and longing filled Shigeko's gold irises. "I will join you, Lady Akuma. The report summary is finished," Shigeko said, turning on her heel.

"No. You must remain behind." Akuma called out. It's hard to refuse an offer from him and Shigeko stayed. "You too, remain just outside of the door," Akuma ordered Hinata.

Hinata stayed just beside the door, her heart pounding. Mitsuki looked at her questioningly. Hinata smiled at him. "Darling, go ahead. I have to talk to your mother."

He gave her a half-trusting, half-questioning look then finally went ahead. Hinata hated this part when Akuma is a sadist.

"Shigeko- you know what my methods when you annoy me are? Come here... I must hold your hand." Akuma whispered.

There was some shuffling.

"I am the most kind to you, Shigeko. I allowed you to have Kaiya's sharingan. Maintain the army with your disastrous planning and sharp tongue. I even allowed you to take care of that monkey thing with Orochimaru's eyes and genes. How much more lenient must I be to satisfy all of your faults?" Akuma asked. "Five questions. You attempted to make my possession, my lover, your queen feel ashamed of her surrender to me. Do you know my policy?"

Shigeko's voice was coloured with strife and anguish. "Every single time someone annoys you, a limb must be wasted under your grip... To compensate for that wasted time with that wasted questions..." Shigeko repeated.

"Yes..." Akuma whispered. "Five-"

Akuma snapped something.

"Limbs-"

Something else got cracked.

"Must-"

Shigeko screamed at the intense pain of something being broken.

"Be-"

Her cries got louder.

"Sacrificed. Do you understand now? Please don't make me hurt you. It wounds me and makes me feel depressed." Akuma said gleefully, feeling anything but.

Shigeko sobbed lightly.

"If five more of your limbs are broken, I will have to kill you. Don't annoy me." Akuma finished.

Hinata covered her mouth, a scream threatening to leave her lungs.

"Winter? Will you come in now?" Akuma called out lightly. "The worst is over now."

Hinata was frozen, even more so when the man came out and kissed her lips. Her eyes were shut and he took off his mask to embrace her. After a moment of being cold and resentful, Hinata returned the kiss.

Hinata breathed in his scent. "You're a bit much for me... At times."

"I offer you my all then some." he laughed.

"Thank you," she whispered onto his bottom lip.

"For what?"

"Putting her in her place..."

The last two weeks have been a small process of giving up control.

First, it was talking to him during dinner and wearing red, his favourite colour instead of black. Him saying he liked it on her. Sleeping in his room without trying to escape. Bringing her toothbrush over. Showing up in the middle of the day to give him lunch and play sudoku. Sitting in on his meetings, hands almost touching. Sleeping on him. Defending him during a meeting. Eating around him. Sitting on his lap when reading at night. Humming a song. Holding his hand when talking about politics. Training with him. Saying she didn't need chakra. Saying she forgave him. Saying she... wanted to be in his control. Smelling the flowers. All the time.

The battle had ended. Nights blended into the other and everything became about doing things.

Doing all the things she did with Sasuke and feeling gutted by it not being Sasuke. Stars Akuma stole, the gold he piled in front of her and people he killed weren't ever enough to make her be genuine.

Akuma smiled. He kept a steady grip on her hips.

Hinata hesitated then leaned into his touch. "Akuma... Would you allow me to have something beautiful?"

"Not flowers? I could order more..."

Hinata sucked in a breath. "Of course. It adds colour. Uh, I would like to have gold. A gold mirror. I want to look good for you all the time. This place is quite dirty..."

He nodded. "Let me show you our welding room. We have more than enough gold for your whims."

Hinata was confused but he dragged her away and brought her somewhere before really being able to think. She called out to Mitsuki to meet her in the kitchen. Mitsuki walked away from the sobbing of his mother, which made it hard to focus...

The room was stifling and hot. Bulky men in leather and goggles worked away. They made weapons here and the weapons weren't half bad. A huge vat filled with molten gold sat in the back corner. Clanking and hissing filled her ears. Many swords hung around. Everyone was working in the heat. The wood and scrap metal laid there.

"Where do you find precious metals?" Hinata queried. The workshop held a lot of metal.

"We have our ways," Akuma answered vaguely.

He began talking about how he took control and sure enough, she decided. She had to start the second phase of her plan; mess with the pawns.

¤¤¤

She made Mitsuki cookies. They tasted better than all the previous conversations she's had in the past six weeks. The pawn Hinata chose to manipulate was increasingly charmed by her. Tommy was so... primal in his want. His infatuation with her just made him work harder.

Tommy got chosen with two other troops to go to Konohagakure. If Tommy knew all of Sasuke's tactics and abilities, then he would be cocky and eager to fight Sasuke. Hinata told him false information and set her conversation up to make Sasuke know that Hinata sent Tommy and that Hinata was alive.

"You know all the secrets of Sasuke, right? You've shared it with your lieutenant?" Hinata asked Tommy.

"Yeah. Since we're going to Konoha, it's all that we need. You're a big help to me, Lady Akuma. I didn't know why you took interest in me and personally tutored me." Tommy flushed.

"You are remarkable." Hinata laughed, which made the twenty-year-old man blush some more. "Akuma-oo-sama would like to see you in a dinner... I have introduced my pupil to him. You will have many chances to show your mettle and strength in front of the glorious Lord."

"Wow! I must say, I... I am so thankful for that." Tommy flipped his lighter on and smoked for a little. He let out a cloud of smoke.

"Why smoke? It's not good for a warrior's lungs or battle endurance." Hinata scrunched up her nose.

"I get nervous right before a battle and majestic women. The smokes calm me down."

Tommy looked so much like Sasuke for a moment that it squeezed her heart. That's another reason she spent her time around Tommy. Well, the main one. He had messy black hair, that wasn't spiky, limp or wavy. He had naturally sharp features, slanted soulful eyes and the whitest smile.

Tommy looked like Sasuke but wasn't Sasuke. They contrasted in personality. He was more like Naruto, kind, eager for battle and most of all, modest. Sasuke wasn't humble in the slightest bit. Sasuke was arrogant and hated sharing the spotlight. Tommy would give up the spotlight in a heartbeat.

Hinata tilted her head. "Why do you have a lighter? Aren't those forbidden?" Hinata asked. 

She hasn't seen a fire... outside of their normal places. Candles. Torches.

"Don't tell anyone but Akuma has a fail-safe plan. There is nitroglycerine that lined the inside of the wall," Tommy told her, watching the lighter flick on and off.

"So one spark anywhere can cause the biggest of explosions?"

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Tommy shone his black eyes, puffing his chest. "When I get home, I will be a decorated warrior. My family knows this already."

"You will go home, yes?" Hinata asked. Then she winced. Hinata was sending Tommy to speak with Sasuke and fight one of the least merciful men on the planet. Would Sasuke have some clemency if he knew Hinata took Tommy under her wing?

"Yes," he whispered, emotion catching in his throat. "Yeah. Sometimes, we're allowed to send letters so I don't miss them that much."

Hinata didn't know that. She thought that this army's personal needs weren't taken into account.

"If you are completely loyal to Akuma-oo-sama and your family has the sign of the pawns, you are allowed to communicate with the outside world. Want to see mine? My letter?"

"Read it?" Hinata jumped. "No way... That's much too personal."

"I wanna share it with you."

Hinata looked at the address. Memorizing it. Then, she finally understood. Gold sat in her hands. The key to the world was right there.

Tommy Fujiroki
To Kumogakure, T76 ROSE AVE
From Atode, base 1-8

All the bases of Akuma were bunched up in one place? They haven't spread around?

"I haven't seen Base 3 yet, have you?" Hinata asked sweetly.

Tommy shook his head. "Me neither. You know where all the bases are right?"

"Of course I do," Hinata rolled her eyes. She didn't. She couldn't get caught or seem suspicious. "Let me quiz you, alright?"

Tommy blinked and Hinata lost a bit of hope. "Why do you need to quiz me?" he asked forcefully.

"Just in case you, you need to show your family around. They haven't seen this place, yeah?" Hinata's breath caught in her throat.

Tommy grinned. "Yeah! That is right. You always have the best ideas, Lady Akuma."

Hinata offered a shaky smile. "Where are the exits?"

"Near base 5, where the domestic pawns are. They clean and you could get clothes and train children there." Tommy thought hard and gave the hand directions for each part of the base.

"Where are the doctors? Fighters? The cafeteria? The cells?"

"The doctors are in base 3, base 6 through 8 has all the fighters, the cafeteria is near the gallows. Base 2 has all the baddies and the one Grasshopper in jail."

Hinata memorized all the information. She had to act like she knew all of this. "Good job. I thought you wouldn't remember. You've gotten many hits to the head while you spared."

He laughed. "What? They were good enemies."

Hinata shrugged then smiled a bit. "You know one thing I didn't; who's Grasshopper?"

"Oh. That's what they call Crooked-No-Good-Doctor Kabuto. Kabuto used to get beaten up so badly every night that he would limp on one leg. He hopped around thus the name grasshopper." Tommy explained with a downcast expression. "Now he cooperates but it's still a widely known fact that he despises the Lord."

Hinata swallowed some bile. Tommy blindly followed Akuma and the crowd and anyone who gave him attention. That's what made him so unlike Sasuke. Sasuke wouldn't ever join a crowd. Well, unless the crowd followed Sasuke and he became the leader.

Tommy completely believed in this system and would fight to the death for Akuma. He even sympathized with the cause. That's why Hinata couldn't save Tommy.

"And where do I sleep? What base?" Hinata asked, shaking away her sadness.

"I haven't," he blushed and gulped. "Haven't pictured you sleeping... Other pawns say you have the smallest of dresses."

Hinata tilted her head. Her nightdresses left nothing to the imagination of the perverted pawns.

"Your fighters can think of fighting Uchiha Sasuke instead of my fashion choices, yes?" Hinata asked forcefully. Kind of embarrassed.

Tommy bowed deeply, voice tinged with shame. "I apologize on behalf of my troop and friends but you're just so beautiful."

Hinata sighed. "Raise your head, there's no need to apologize. Just be ready."

Ready for Sasuke... She knew where the exit was; near base 5. She looked at the letter's address. She knew where the exit was but she needed to know where they were. Where she would escape to.

Tommy Fujiroki
To Kumogakure, T76 ROSE AVE
From Atode, base 1-8

"I think you spelt it wrong, here, Tommy," Hinata said helpfully. She's heard of this place. Once or twice. Maybe she could trick him into saying the correct place.

"Yeah, thanks for pointing that out. I always think of Atode because that's the name of the neighbouring city."

"Isn't Atode desolate?" Hinata winced.

"Not like before. I don't know why."

That little slip of the tongue is probably what would help Hinata escape. Escape. Hinata gasped. Atode... was near to the city of Juuni in Iwagakure.

The small village of Juuni. She's seen the name Juuni so many times because doctors were constantly advised not to go there. Hinaya were in Iwagakure. The east village, exactly where Kabuto's plague was released. It made sense. So much sense!

Kabuto's chakra disease exterminated the village people about four years ago. No one dared coming back so the top layer of ground was covered in foliage. The village place is rumoured to have the nasty chakra disease and the government advised people that this place was still active and contagious, ripe with diseases!

That's why pawns are sick here; they have the first stages of Kabuto's disease.

Juuni was desolate and he didn't know why... She could really use that! Hinata returned the letter and kissed him on the cheek.

"You are a life saver. Do you have a pen?" Hinata asked.

He tossed her a pen, still in some daze. Hinata peeled back his Hinata wrote the character for Juuni beside the words 'Demon' and 'White eyes'. The message was hidden under the brim of his shaggy hair. He wouldn't be able to see it.

"If you come back, I'll give any reward. If you look, you won't get a gift." Hinata said sweetly.

His cheeks reddened. Hinata wanted to see that colour on Sasuke once again. Was Sasuke ever this bashful around Hinata?

"You must say that the red scarf of fate will wrap around Uchiha Sasuke's neck and choke him. I am death. Also that I'm furious, he's incorrigible, now, evermore. Even his ocha can't survive this. And of course, that Lady Akuma wanted this to happen. I want the Kage- any Kage to come to the source of the chakra disease, come to me and death. Tell him that... he won't ever come close to being fine. Why? It isn't even a word..." Hinata said. "Tell that to Sasuke!"

Tommy nodded. "I'm going to Konoha. I will come back to tell you about my adventures."

"You will share them with Akuma... Alright?"

Tommy dashed away. Hinata felt bad; he will come back to find that his Lord's home will be empty of a Lady Akuma. Maybe even burned down.

¤¤¤

Hinata ran to her chambers, only to find a displeased Akuma waiting for her in one of the many, many corridors.

"If you cannot respect me or my laws, you shall be treated as a prisoner!" He yelled that at her.

Being alone without distractions made her reminiscent of home.

All those at home... Are they good? Is Mitsuyo feeding the koi fish? Did Someina get along with Sasuke? Did Taiyo get sick again, he's more suited for warm weather. Oh, Benjiro is probably causing Sasuke trouble. Amarante too. Hiromitsu must have been the quietest... but he cries the most.

How the hell was she supposed to get out of here? Nevermind herself... what about the kids? It was already bad enough that she got kidnapped, why did she have to leave them while she was at it?

How is she going to escape? Think. Think. Think. She punched the cement wall beside her, not feeling the raw muscles stinging. Has she been punching the wall for the last hour?

The dungeon smelt of urine, ammonia, dirt and blood. She saw little critters and rodents scurry by and snack on whatever was available. If Hinata moved around too much, she could feel the deceased people's bones digging into her skin. It was complete silence.

Someone from beside her scuttled around in the darkness. Hinata was in complete darkness. Other criminals got taken away to other dungeons.

"Ay, blondie," a croaked voice called out. "Talk to me a while."

Hinata looked at the cell wall that separated the two of them. "Why do you think I am a blonde?"

"These eyes... they adjust nicely... You have... purple eyes. Stay here... too long... You won't become blind, instead, you become deaf..."

"Deaf?"

"Everyone that I've heard... they... die," The assumed male said. His voice was husky and rough. "You got it... just like me... Only the worst ones get to survive, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"This's hell. Hell on earth. All my cellmates never stay for long. They either get the mercy of being killed or they get the blissful death from suicide."

"Why are you telling me this?" Hinata asked.

"They've gone through the process of meeting you, huh?" the man asked. "Your spirit seems broken. your chakra too. You're special, huh..."

"Nope, I am just a plain girl from Konoha... At least, I was..."

"Cut the crap and just tell me why you're in here."

Hinata sighed. "I don't give out free information to convicted... felons. There are guards listening, I don't know who you are and I don't want to know or learn or hear. I don't trust you either so why tell you anything?"

"I have nothing left to lose and I need a story... This pathless world has left a noose around my mind and the pain of living ignites..."

"I have nothing.... either," Hinata held her knees tighter, breathing soft and low.

The man gave an exasperated snort. "Yeah, right. You're still fighting. How long have you been trying to get out?"

"Since you started asking questions," Hinata snapped. She immediately regretted it. The stress of everything made her particularly prickly. "If you have nothing left to lose, tell me... about yourself."

"Okay wise-girl, we're wasting away. By the way... don't worry. I know you're out of your cuffs. Your cuffs aren't going to free you. The barbarians will free you from the tie that is life," he whispered. "You will get caught and killed... Can I get one question and I'll leave you alone or you tell me a story... So, why.... who is keeping you here in jail or on earth?"

"I have a family." Hinata looked at the wall. "I made a promise. I don't break those promises."

There was a long pause and he sounded like he grimaced. "Ah. That's precious... The... reason why I am here is that the guy that put you in here... is my father." he gave a frustrated huff.

Hinata gasped. "Who?"

"Bunya Jimpachi... I should have no reason to live or to carry in the world. Don't go assuming that I came here out of my own free will. I killed my mother to save her..."

"Isn't this the part when you judge me?" he asked after another long pause.

Hinata said unconcernedly. "I made him lose an eye... I can't judge you when I've gone and done worse."

"An eye?" The guy cursed and banged on the cell wall. "Why didn't you cut them both out?"

Hinata sighed. "I don't know.-"

"You are the devil for not finishing the job! Don't act all high and mighty. You're here because you did something worse than me. I am here simply because I lived and survived. You. Not so much."

"I am here because of my friends and enemies as well," Hinata got flashes of Sasuke's smile that gets increasingly dimmer and dim.

"An answer as vague as it is telling," the guy responded with a dry laugh that as bitter as winter's grayness.

"I want to get out of here," Hinata said slowly, a decimal above the quiet.

"How dare you hope for freedom? How dare you hope..." he asked, laughing.

"I... Don't know," Hinata finally admitted. If you don't have hope, what do you got? She doesn't have anything other to believe. They sat in silence.

"How about a story from the past few months. Tell me a story about your family from when you were younger."

"My family... I have been there a long time. Alive a while. Not all my memories are good. They're not happy stories that you would hear in a storybook," Hinata laughed a bit. She should tell a story about her new Kumogakure family and when they were young.

"Do you have anything at all? Don't fake me out, I'll just wear you out, we don't have anything but time," he smiled a bit. "I think we deserve that much."

"Everyone has silence and words, not time, I'll tell you a story..."

Hinata, of course, told him a story about Kumogakure and his comments about the sorrows of life...stopped. He listened to her trill on about that lovely time for a while. It was now true... he calmed an angry storm... He is the eye of the hurricane for Hinata and many others.

"And then, he said, "My child is not a mango." and I fell in love with him again... Even when he was prickly and brittle-"

Hinata smiled a bit, nostalgia coming into her veins and replacing her blood. She shook her head and squinted her eyes. It's too much to talk about. She's afraid of that... It's so painful.

"And time stood still and I couldn't stop this thing -us- from what it was going to be." Hinata stopped again. It's too hard to think about anything. "Yeah."

The man laughed. "Adventurous and fun and dangerous... like flying a kite in a lightning storm."

Then a loud rumble was heard.

"Akuma-oo-sama doesn't want you fraternizing with the enemy... You will be transported, Bunya Jin." A guard said. 

"What did you do?" Hinata asked. "Bunya Jin!" 

Her answers never got answered. They plucked Hinata out by the cell door. Akuma was there, in the hallway. "Why must you be a nuisance to my plans?" Akuma hissed.

Hinata looked up, innocent and annoyed. "Can you tell me why I was being thrown into a cell?"

"Winter-chan, you have a big brain." He leaned down and tapped her forehead. The force of his push made her stumble a couple of feet backwards.

 "Hey!" Hinata yelled. 

"You are a schemer. Three reasons you are getting punished. Number one; you didn't take your pills. Two; you were healing those in the troops. Three; you were burning incense that slowly poisoned the two hundred pawns at my disposal." he said. 

Hinata was guilty of those other two transgressions. The third one, that one was cruel but it was a way to weaken the pawns and their attacks against the other countries. They were the ones attacking Konoha.

"Oh Kami, I want you. Why must you make it so hard? I believed that I had you... However, do you believe me to be dumb? That I would fold a map to travel across the world? I don't want to partake in your schemes. You want to be a doctor once again. You should know what happens to my enemies," he added sinisterly.

Akuma pushed her into the door. Her bruised shoulders and the back of her head screamed in agony but she was still fierce in her expression.

"If I am your enemy, will you use your sharingan against me? Help me find the pain you've numbed me to," Hinata yelled.

"Oh. You want to feel something again?" Akuma demanded.

Hinata froze. She gulped. She went too far. She laid on a bed of nails she sunk into.

He seized her arm and he dragged her through the base. Hinata suddenly knew that they were going to the laboratories. Where people go in looking normal and come out with deformities, blood pouring out of ears and wounds with atrocious smells.

Why was he taking her there?

There was a room. It was sterile with the omnipotent scent of blood and misery. Then, she saw what he wanted to. There were many, many people clawing at the door with red hands. Sunken stomachs. Green and gray skin. They were locked in. Being tested on. Sectioned rooms sealed off with plastic. There were glass windows that people could look in on.

His grip on her arm tightened. It felt like a rug rash. "Why? Are you..." Hinata watched the stone set in his eye. "You're testing to... make new Uchiha eyes."

"Artificial creatures." he corrected her. "These rooms you see are inescapable. And, you know, if something were to go bad, they would feel the relaxation of poison hugging their lungs." he pointed to a keypad beside every lock. "Push in the right code and you have a large scale massacre."

That was terrifying. They couldn't leave. How would she be able to do anything? To help them.

"You... don't want to go to war without a weapon that can't destroy the world as it is, huh? Without killing." Hinata sighed.   

There's blood everywhere. People suffering. People who weren't supposed to be involved with this bled because of this man! She. She just broke.

"You disgust me," Hinata whispered, turning away.

"These are the byakugan. I have already succeeded with the sharingan."

He yanked her back and shoved her down multiple hallways until they met a group of scientists, surgeons, looking at these results to a sick experiment. They all paused when they Akuma arrived.

The whole room was shiny, metal desks, metal instruments with a heart monitor and other machines she recognized.

There was a monster inside the room. A mechanic arm seemed to have small fingers that could extract... eyeballs. Its little instruments with fine movements were primed for eye surgery. With lasers, small blades of sorts, it looked like a death machine.

Hinata leaned back, wanting to get away from their eerie room. She bumped into Akuma's chest.

"What are we doing here?" Hinata demanded.

Aluma just gave her another shove. Towards the beastly machine. Its arms made a soft hum that reminded her of an air conditioner. The room got colder as the machine reacted to Hinata.

"Secure the specimen," Akuma snapped. "Now."

Hinata was the specimen! The surgeons were upon her, strapping her down to the ridiculously cold table and immobilizing her jerky, spasming movements. She protested and begged but Akuma watched her struggle, looking down at her with crossed arms.

"I've always... needed clones of you to report the calibre of your byakugan eyes. You have a sophisticated bloodline with its intricacies baffling my surgeons and scientists. We've always known that we've been dealing with specimens that were replicated. The power of your byakugan is dulled when copied, its prowess feeble and measly. If I had a sample of your eye, then we surely would make advancements, right?"

They positioned her body so that the machine's creepy arm would extract a sample.

All her life, the most precious thing about her was her eyes. It wasn't her body that would be polished and pampered, it would be her eyes when she died. She had to protect her eyes!

They cannot take this away from her.

The drilling sound echoed in the depths of her skull and fear burned her skin and eyes. She refused to die! She refused to let him take her byakugan.

The twirling needle made miniature sparks as it spun in its compartment. Every little movement made her twitch away and turn her head side to side. She didn't want this!

It got closer and closer and CLOSER until a light, feather light pressure pressed on the first layer of her eye. It didn't penetrate. A little whirlwind of air that made her tears blow away.

Then the machine stopped when the arm jerked. The main scientist controlling the death machine apparently did something to make it smoke up and malfunction. The other scientists flocked around it to find the root cause of that small explosion.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Akuma noticed her extreme trembling before she did. Her insides fell to pieces and her heart hammered. She... gulp. Survived that.

Akuma leaned over and blew into her right eye. The one they almost took.

He wiped away a tear with his gloved hands, tsking. "You musn't fight the inevitable... Why, why darling are you ever so angry? Where are you going?

Hinata shoved him away when they unstrapped her. "To the bedroom," Hinata fumed.

"You will get lost-"

"Fine, I will wait for you to escort me!" Hinata ran for the door. She knew where the exit was. Why couldn't she just leave? She could escape this.

"You cannot sulk. You are spending your nights somewhere else with Kabuto..." Akuma called out to her.

Hinata widened her eyes, turning to glare at him. "You will force me to sleep with that-"

He held up a hand. "Be quiet when I am giving orders. I don't like to repeat myself. Understood?"

Hinata nodded submissively. "Yes."

"You will see what these experiments will do to a brilliant mind like yours." he smiled a shark's grin. "I want to ruin you until you are perfect."

¤¤¤

They closed the door and Hinata shook her head, sinking to her knees. She lost. She lost. Completely. Everything she has and wants is outside this maddening place. She can't get out. She has nobody left... And now she's with him... She's with him. Kabuto- was there, in the same cell as her! Oh, kami.

"Hey," Kabuto said, white hair long and laying on the bed. He wasn't thin, he seemed quite wan and tired. He looked defeated. "Oh. Is this all this is going to be?" he continued in his slow, defeated drone.

"Don't 'hey' me!" Hinata yelled. "You deserve something worse than death itself."

"What, like this place? Trust me, this isn't new. Or old... I don't know who you are. You may just be a hallucination."

"I- I... I am Hyuuga Hinata. The adoptive mother of Niko's son, Benjiro. You killed her and the man who put me in here impregnated her against her will after botching her mind."

"I wanted to know if the disease worked. Akuma did, actually," he sighed. "Anything in he wills can be taken into action."

"Well, your orchestrated weapon worked, there's an outbreak of chakra diseases in Iwagakure because of you!"

"Oh," Kabuto looked back at the ceilings, exasperated. "I know."

He ruined her life and- and that is all he said? "Oh?" Hinata gasped. "You are so pretentious and awful!"

He sighed, closing his eyes and shifting a bit. "I know that too. Hyuuga, stop yelling. This is the only ongoing conversation I've had in over three months and you're making me go on trial. I'd rather not."

"I very much rather would," Hinata said loudly. "You have turned my life with Sasuke into a living hell. You made the pills and rebirth jutsu that made me have another copy of myself roam around the world, one in the grave and also-also, you experimented on my boyfriend! Who does that?!"

"Madmen. I don't want to kill anyone. This is my punishment. I stay here for two reasons; to atone for my sins, get punished. And secondly, protect Orochimaru's child. Here."

Hinata- as a mother, thought for two moments that is horrible to be separated from her child. Children. It was sad, almost endearingly so, but she cannot forgive Orochimaru.

"I don't want justice. I don't want revenge. I want to see sunlight. As much as a bottom feeder likes sunlight." Kabuto looked at her with squinted eyes... "I didn't want to encounter my old mistakes. I think I'll be a good ghost. Some people fear the drop to hell others embrace it, but everyone winds up the same way in the end. I'll be a good ghost."

Her heart broke and its splitting gave a burning sensation. "You cannot just die after all the wrong you've done."

"Is it wrong that both Reize and I dampened the amount of your chakra-squelching chemical? You can control metal again, you've noticed?"

Hinata... hasn't noticed.

"Why would Reize do that?" Hinata asked. Reize seemed so proud of Hinata, releasing her doubts and free will and giving into that horrible man. Why would she let Kabuto affect her master?

"Well, she believed that if you had control over your chakra you would be a better leader to your people. Full control also meant training the pawns to be netter shinobi as they are messy, weak and disorganized. I wanted to make you help me."

"Why would I help you?" Hinata demanded.

"Because we both know what will happen if we don't do anything. Akuma is a bad man forcing his ideology on the world just to let it collapse. It's more of a moral duty rather than a personal favour to stop him." he looked away.

Hinata sat down, against the wall. "He's already released prototypes of the sharingan. Some users already have it."

"Yeah. It's bad."

"I found out where we are. It's near Juuni, where you killed many souls. I finally understand why they name storms after people." Hinata looked at the man who sat up. "I won't ever forgive you."

"I don't need forgiveness. I must save you though, isn't that something else?"

Hinata stayed in silence. She got too scared to move. Look at her, cooperating with the enemy once again. First with Akuma and now Kabuto to defeat Akuma. "I'll tell you my plans, alright? Are the pawns listening in?" Hinata said sombrely.

"They usually have microphones but I screamed so much that they never bothered installing them again."

"Ah," Hinata said, clearing her throat. "For the past two weeks, I've trained pawns in swordsmanship with the wrong techniques, etiquette and formation. All those who I've taught will perish out in the war that rages on. I feel like a criminal. A killer."

"You had to do something to affect their numbers. You didn't kill any of them, either."

Hinata instigated their deaths. Only sixty have been influenced by her words but they all will perish when facing Sasuke...

"You were let near the pawns?"

"Yes," Hinata said, blinking rapidly. "They adored me. One pawn, Tommy gave me the ins and outs of the bases, which are all bunched together. He also outlined the whole area. Base 8 through 6, I believe, house the frontline fighters who are short range combatants with aggressive chakra fighting tactics. Base 5 pawns are those who take care of the domestic affairs. Base 4 and 3 house pawns who are scientists, doctors and surgeons. Base 3 specifically has all of the patients of the Blood Trials. Base 2 is where the cells, gallows and prisoners who used to run amok. Base 1 pawns are the nobles, higher-ups and the soldiers with decorations." Hinata whispered. "Give me a pen and paper."

Kabuto did and handed it to her. Hinata drew out a layout of the DCA's headquarters. "This is where we are. Base 2. Near the cafeteria." Hinata drew stars near to the places of importance. "This is where all of the dead-ends are. This is the room where welders weild weapons. This is the armoury. This is Akuma's office. This is also where Akuma keeps his scrolls and papers."

Kabuto's eyes swept over her drawing. "How did you... memorize the pathways? It's over ten kilometres of path," he whispered. "I've been here for five years and I haven't frequented all of these rooms."

Hinata has been trying hard to map out the area. When she was with other shinobi, she always went on reconnaissance missions when she memorized house layouts and plans due to her byakugan. Granted it was harder without the byakugan, she managed to figure out her surroundings.

Everyone became careless when escorting her and sometimes, she went by herself. Sometimes she took longer than she needed to. Sometimes she cried in the darkness of some hallways.

"Once you give yourself to Akuma, he liked to get creative of where... your private meetups are." Hinata gulped, suddenly awkward. Her skin crawled and she felt dirty. She always felt dirty.

You knew I was like this. I don't want a cheerleader. I want a wife. People die with their marriage because it kills them. I was awake. Echoes of Sasuke ruined her. He didn't love her. She couldn't be obsessed with him like she was with Naruto. She couldn't...

Anyway, she had to escape. Not to come back to him, just to come back to her kids. Kabuto's eyes burned holes in her skull. She looked at him when Kabuto's eyes eclipsed. He seemed to pity her or whatever. She hated it. He's wasting sympathy.

"Stop looking at me like that. So what if I slept with Akuma?! I needed the information! It's not like Sasuke and I are together anymore. He wanted a wife, not a cheerleader." Hinata cleared her throat. "He makes me feel like it's raining outside."

Kabuto scratched the back of his neck. "Sasuke's hard to get along with."

"You gave him a dead pig for his birthday present. You don't get to talk." Hinata huffed. She tapped the map. "This map also tells us that the walls have explosives that could go off at any moment. I have already weakened the enemy forces by burning Oleander. When burned, the fumes of Oleander and its perfume on clothes when warmed by skin is toxic. Akuma just found out."

"You could have gone with a less obvious flower."

Irritation struck her. "It's almost as if you want to be useless because you haven't done anything."

Kabuto bared his teeth. "Shut up! I tried everything. Besides, I don't sleep my way through life so I don't get those pleasurable benefits."

That struck a chord in Hinata.

"I sacrificed my body to get out. You don't get to judge me on this because all of this all comes back to you!" Hinata yelled. "This is all your doing! None of us would be rotting here if you and Orochimaru didn't experiment and play God and infect young children with your damn surgeries!"

"It was in the name of science. We didn't know such problems would arise!" Kabuto protested.

"You set an international crisis in motion just because you hurt a small boy who wasn't a braindead plaything! He had feelings, he was damaged and you guys ruined him under Danzo's orders!"

"My fault? I sacrificed my mind for this life! I don't want to hurt people anymore. Do you think I want this? Do you?" Kabuto roared.

Hinata nodded. "I do! You're a murderer at your core and you can't hide that." Hinata looked at the plans. "Let's discuss this later when you're in a cell and I'm on the other side with my children. In Konoha." Hinata said darkly, holding the pen so tightly, she thought it would explode. "Don't you dare get in my way!"

"If I had a scroll that would magic away all of this problem and make time turn back, I would activate it."

Scroll. Activate.

"Oh dear," She dropped the pen, got up and let out a cry of anguish and emotion.

Now she knew why she was kidnapped!

The scroll she activated the night she was kidnapped was a scroll to seal Mitsuyo's sharingan user children's eyes! Akuma impersonated Hiroki that night he was in the proximity of Hinata when she activated the scroll.

Mitsuyo made the scroll to protect Akuma from Danzo when he took his son away to Konoha. The scroll deactivated a year or two after he "died". The scroll never deactivated. Akuma must have done something to make it ineffective.

After that, Mitsuyo must have updated it to make it stronger in the previous years. That's why it can't be undone by Akuma.

Hinata... sealed away his sharingan. That's why Akuma hasn't fought yet or used his sharingan. He's powerless to both Mitsuyo's fuinjutsu and Hinata's chakra skills when creating a seal.

"What?"

"I sealed away his sharingan. Akuma thinks Mitsuyo did it and took me hostage so as to prompt Mitsuyo to release the seal. She can't. I was the one who started this all." Hinata gulped.

Tears melded the colours of the bleak room and something around her chest got tight. Like a belt pulled too tight. It crushed the space under her ribs. Where her guilt lay.

Hinata rocked back and forth. "If I hadn't been stupid, no one would have died. The Raikage would have been alive. Those people who got bombed wouldn't have died." Hinata finished with a sigh exiting her lungs.

It's all... her fault.

"Snap outta that!" Kabuto came up to her, shaking her shoulders. "If he had his sharingan... This apocalypse would have been worse. We would have all been enslaved."

Hinata looked into his eyes. "I am just as bad as those I condemn..." Hinata hung her head. "I... hate Akuma. I really hate him."

Kabuto shook his head. "We all fell into his scheme, you know?" He knocked her cheek. "You're just a victim, not the perpetrator."

Hinata shoved him away, hating that she showed weakness to the enemy!

Kabuto and Hinata stared at each other. "What?" he asked.

Hinata swallowed. "I want. I want our plan to be so we could run away with Mitsuki."

"What are your four objectives?"

"Get Mitsuki out of here. Burn down the laboratory. Kill Akuma-oo-sama and escape here," Hinata whispered. "What else?"

"You have a plan?" Kabuto asked.

Hinata nodded. "I think we could make one together." Hinata stuck out her wrist. "If you are my comrade for the meantime, you must tell me everything. Every little thing!"

Kabuto cringed. "Am I so interesting to you?"

Hinata spat on his suggestive tone. "No! I just want to know the man my best friend fell in love with! Maybe I won't hate you as much."

Kabuto was caught off guard. "Oh. It's a strange tale."

"It wouldn't be life if we had normal beginnings?"

Kabuto gave her a reflective look. "No. It wouldn't, would it?"

Hinata nodded. They talked. Little did they know that Hinata would become best friends with such a fiend.

¤¤¤

Two days ago.

Acute rays of disappointment and pity landed on the one boy, two men in the village of Sunagakure.

Gaara wasn't prepared to be confronted by a teenager who eerily looked similar to Uchiha Sasuke but lacked the extraterrestrial power of the latter man. The soldier challenged Gaara head-on, claiming he knew all of his secrets.

Gaara didn't have time for egotistical teenagers when he had a country to defend and feed. In this time of war and uncertainty, lots of things laid at stake.

Shinki and his black sand swarmed around the boy, tracing it for any signs of life. It was his five-year-old child that defeated such a lad. Shinki found the soldier on the steps of Gaara's main office, trying barge in by force. The soldier was proud, proud enough to wait for Gaara a second time.

Gaara forgot about the soldier camping outside of his governmental building. The soldier was a fly in a cyclone; he didn't matter. Gaara remained awake but he was too submerged in his paperwork and battle plans and meetings to remember the soldier.

"Otousama?" Shinki asked, nudging the dead soldier. "Is he really dead now?"

"Yes." Gaara nodded.

The soldier died from nothing more than exhaustion and heat stroke. He was a baked lobster in the dry heat.

It was the middle of November. How could this man dress for snowy weather? He seemed to have been heading for Konogakure. He meant to fight Uchiha Sasuke and instead got sent to Sunagakure with the first wave of attacks.

He has two different types of chakra on him. He was a swordsman without technical training. He was sloppy and overconfident.

"Expose his neck," Gaara ordered. That chakra signature was warm, faint but familiar all the same.

"Otousama, do I have to kill him? He's already dead! That's overkill," Shinki yelped, appalled.

"No. Just expose it, you don't have to overdo anything."

Shinki put on a determined expression when he would say something serious or deadly. "I will only kill for Sunagkure and your bloodline."

"Ah," Gaara said, patting the boy's head. "You must kill to save yourself, as well."

Gaara blinked and his eyes wandered over to the dead man. The corpse smelled like fish and rotten fruit. The heat made it worse.

"He just fell... I didn't do anything," Shinki muttered, fists curling. "I couldn't help you. He wanted to attack you, you-sama."

A bitter feeling passed through Gaara. Many perish in wanting to face those stronger than them.

"Shinki, he wanted to fight me once more and he didn't prepare or adapt to his enemy's terrain," Gaara felt his throat get dry. Well, dryer. "Don't die like this. It's meaningless."

The boy created a blade with his metal sand. It was sharp enough to cut and thin enough to stab with the pressure and precision of a needle. It sliced off the remaining nape hair that got in the way. The chakra signature was connected with his skin like a second perfume.

Yeah. This was the key to ending the war. Hinata was kidnapped and furthermore kidnapped by the DCA.

"Why are you smiling like that, otousama?" Shinki questioned, balking at Gaara. "Did you win something?"

Gaara took a moment to look out at the carnage they spread and the blood they left soaking in the hard sand. The wind was like a hot breathe on the back of Gaara's neck. Uncomfortable and close. His beloved him was attacked and his Frontieres were penetrated. These battles were neverending and his army was tired and hungry and defeated.

Gaara looked at the man and to the letter that was clutched in his dry knuckles. It's a wonder that it hasn't blown away. Even resolve remains when a man's dead.

"Son, I know just where to find those hellish men in the DCA. Thanks to this Fujiroki Tommy... We just won the war."