Kingdoms Have Fallen

Entry 17: Against Time

Entry 17: Against Time

She has always been on the receiving end of his death gaze, but never has he looked at her with such contempt and...hatred. Hinata was kneeling in front of him, restrained by the ninjas who held her against her will.

"Do you know why you're here?" Gaara crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat.

Hinata bit her lip, sensing the tension in the room. She adjusted herself slightly, resulting in a tighter grip on her arms than she would have liked. "No."

Gaara sighed, "I need you to answer me truthfully. Are you conspiring with Sasuke Uchiha?"

She froze for a second, calming her racing heart at the sudden yet accurate accusation. "No, why would I?"

"So I am led to believe that a ninja has misheard you and Hanabi speaking of the Uchiha, and you having feelings for him, right?"

"Yes Kazekage-sama." She answered with no hesitation.

He got up and walked towards her, bending slightly, placing his fingers under her chin so she could look up at him. "You do realize I can tell when someone is lying to me." Gaara scoffed, "have Ibiki interrogate her, and Yamanaka Ino perform a mind sweep. Place her in the cells." He dismissed them with one wave of his hand.

She was lifted effortlessly and dragged to the deepest parts of the towers. Mentally, she laughed as the sense of déjà vu came over her, remembering her predicament with the Uchiha.

Placed in a cell, the door quickly locked behind her, Hinata sat down and did nothing. Surviving what Sasuke did to her made this look like children's play. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall, she might as well get as much sleep as she could before Ibiki wakes her.

It was late at night, she doubted anyone would willingly or happily leave their beds to interrogate her. A moment of peace was what Hinata needed, and she wasn't going to let it down.

The moment sleep took over her, everything seemed to go by very quickly. She woke up to the slamming of the cell and the heavy footsteps of Ibiki. Her eyes remained closed, using her chakra to sense his movements.

"I know you are not asleep Hinata." His tone was flat, obviously annoyed.

"Entertain me for a moment." She opened her eyes and stared at him, "here to start my interrogation?" She fixed her hair and clothes, kneeling politely as she waited.

"You've prepared yourself, I'm not surprised. Even if I'm not able to get anything out of you, Ino is very much capable of going through your memories."

At the mention of her name, the blond woman poked her head inside the room, waving slightly at Hinata, clearly uncomfortable at their predicament.

"Enough stalling, let's get started."

___

She laughed, blood pouring from her mouth, bruises covering her skin, giving it a sickly purple tint. Hinata lifted her head again, a smile on her face even while pain coursed through her body. Her wrists were fractured, maybe even broken, and she was missing fingernails.

"Again, have you had contact with the Uchiha since your arrival in Suna?" Ibiki asked, his fists covered with brass knuckles.

How long has this been going on?

Maybe a few hours? Her sense of time was warped, strapped to the uncomfortable chair since the morning.

"Never."

A punch to her face, making her bite her tongue, more blood flooding her mouth. She spat it out and stared at him, a crazed look in her eyes.

"That's all you got? You've lost your touch Ibiki."