Journey of the Three Failures

Chapter 3: Winds of Change

Hinata ヒナタ

Neji-nii-san.

I froze – and a moment later found myself flat on my back.

Someone gasped. "Hinata-san! Are you alright?! I am so sorry!" Two people helped me to sit up. "Hinata, are you okay? Wha... Hey, Hinata!"

"Huh...?" I shook my head, staring forward blankly. "Sorry, I sort of zoned out," I murmured, somehow actually forgetting to stutter. My mind was focused somewhere else. The ominous feeling that had hit me was not unlike the gut-wrenching jolt I'd felt when Hanabi had broken a leg tree climbing two years ago; at the same time, this was something greater, stronger, far worse ... and I was certain it did not concern my sister.

"Zoned out in the middle of a spar?" Naruto asked. "Hey ... Hello?! Anybody home? No, seriously, snap out of it!" I started as I noticed a hand waving in front of my face.

"S-sorry," I said, blushing as I faced him. He sighed.

"Sheesh, Hinata-chan, you scared me for a second there. Anyways, you all right?"

I realized my nose hurt; putting a hand below it, I felt a small trickle of blood. Lee and I had been engaged in a light sparring match. Still recovering, I had only just begun very lightly training with the others. Lee was currently repeatedly apologizing, begging for forgiveness, promising to do six hundred squat jumps...

"I'm fine, Lee-kun, r-really..." I said, embarrassed, "It's not broken or a-anything..."

"Okay, but let's take a break now," Naruto said.

I looked nervously at him. Should I tell them? "A-actually ... I think we should m-move on. We've been in one p-place too long..."

"You may be right," Lee agreed, "But you are injured. First let us take a short break, Hinata-san."

I was about to protest when I felt a wetness dripping from my chin; the bleeding was a bit worse than I'd thought. "Okay," I said. And then we need to move. Something isn't right...

Neji ネジ

"Excellent speech, Orochimaru-sama." Byakugan active, I was walking at a leisurely pace at the Godaime's right, Kabuto his left. Sasuke, Shino, Ino, and Tenten trailed to complete our formation. Of course he didn't require our protection, but I had been the one to propose we escort him from his speech nonetheless, for the image of willing loyalty and support it would give other villagers.

The sannin's meeting with Hi no Kuni's daimyo had gone well; though his takeover hostile, the feudal lord knew he could not afford losing the power and protection Konoha provided, and even admitted that the village had been growing alarmingly soft; he was also aware of how dangerous the snake sannin could be, and how readily he might do something drastic to the villagers for the sake of power. Thus, when all was said and done, Orochimaru had been officially accepted as Hokage.

As we passed villagers who were returning to their homes, several stopped their conversations to cast wary looks our way. I paid them no mind; I couldn't care less about how I looked in the eyes of those too foolish to accept the reality of Orochimaru-sama's rule.

"Thank you, Neji-kun," he said with a grin. Turning his head to glance over his shoulder, he added, "And what did you think of my inauguration address, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn..." the Uchiha responded, not meeting his gaze.

Eyes narrowing, I slowed to fall into step beside him. "Is there a problem, Uchiha?"

He frowned, looking at me from the corner of his eye. "If it weren't for him," he whispered, "Naruto would still be here. Sandaime-sama would have protected him."