[Open] It was a rare day off...

[hyuugachild]

...and Hanabi didn't see them often. She considered herself, at this point, little more than a drone of the Hyuuga estate, fated to take on the much respected, prestigious role of heiress, and subsequently fated to losing much of her childhood to training, studies, and other assorted etiquette lessons and fine arts like calligraphy, weaving, ikebana and tea ceremony. All to ensure she grew to be a splendid young lady.

She certainly didn't feel splendid. She felt exhausted.

But it was a lovely day in the midst of winter, and for once, Hanabi was in the midst of Konoha, breathing in cold hair and watching mist form in front of her mouth. Hoheto, her Branch companion of the day, stood some distance behind her and followed her slowly, as if to appear as though he weren't directly watching her.

She felt self-conscious, being fourteen and still needing a keeper to tag along everywhere, but Hanabi learned quickly that this was life, and a privilege to have so many people dedicated to keeping her in the best of physical health.

Still, thinking dark thoughts wasn't going to improve the day, so Hanabi wanted to make the best of it. She walked slowly up to a shop selling yams and bought one, savoring the taste (though it wasn't as good as the ones spiced by Hyuuga hands).

It was cold, but it was a beautiful day. A day of freedom.

If you ignored the bodyguard tailing you.

Hanabi had tried an inordinate amount of times to ditch them, and failed every time; they were jounin, and she was decidedly not. Still, with every new year of training, she dreamed of escape.

Escape, the thought spread a fuzz over her brain that felt like drinking warm hot chocolate.

With the sight of the Byakugan, she eyed Hoheto's location.

She could make it.
She could.
She would.

With a small signal, a bunshin and a kawarimi no jutsu later, she was running giddily toward the forest. At the longest limits of her vision, she could see Hoheto was not following, and shortly, he'd be out of range.

"Well, it seems like you're having fun," an eerily familiar voice said...just before something hit Hanabi couldn't see hit her squarely in the gut and made the world black.

* * * * * * *

The first thing she noticed was that she was cold. Then, slowly, as sensation returned to her body, she realized her mouth was dry, like she hadn't had a drink in days, and her head and stomach hurt terribly. Shifting alone gave her gut-wrenching cramps. When she opened her eyes, she was surrounded by white.

Snow.

Snow? In Konoha?

No. Not Konoha. Definitely not.

Instantly, Hanabi assumed the worst. She must've been abducted. Kidnapped to blackmail her father. The snow was probably genjutsu...it would be silly to leave precious cargo lying about to freeze to death.

She shakily lifted her hand to make the seal of the ram. "...kai..." Hanabi whispered, hoping the genjutsu could be released simply.

Too hopeful, she chided, staring up at the snow that didn't fade, and the chill that was starting to make her clothing wet.

Hanabi was sure that she was in over her head. For a day of freedom, this was the punishment.

No. Move. Get up. Find out what's going on.

Get up, Hanabi ordered her body. Get. Up.

Comments

[smallstepstopower]

He finally emerged properly then, walking along the wall up side down as he uncurled from an out of the way corner near the ceiling. "Finally feeling a bit worn Hanabi-chan?"

[hyuugachild]

Hanabi was hyperventilating, but had no intention of letting it go that easily. Ignoring the pain forming in her body, she forced herself to her feet. "I'm fine. Let's go."

Every neuron screamed the opposite.

[smallstepstopower]

"Walk up the wall to me." He stood in the center of the ceiling, staring down at her.

[hyuugachild]

Hanabi took another deep breath and ran full speed up the wall, making it to the ceiling. She was so close to him, so--

But her legs had turned to jelly, and her body simply wouldn't take it anymore. Halfway through a punch, she passed out, the chakra in her feet disconnecting and leaving her hurtling head first to the floor.

[smallstepstopower]

He hopped down, snatching the child out of the air and hugging her close. "Silly child." Shaking his head, he went to go change her into something clean and tucked her into a nest of blankets in the room with the fire. She'd be fine. He was even kind enough to put her kunai and weapons in the new clothes.

But none of the pills. She wasn't going to be using -any- more of those for a while.

[hyuugachild]

Hanabi woke hours later, sitting up abruptly and feeling ravenous. "Sensei?" she called out, hoping there was something she could eat.

She checked her person--that--!! He had taken her soldier pills! Could genjutsu DO that?!

[smallstepstopower]

It took a minute, but he emerged. "Oh you're awake! Feel better?"

[hyuugachild]

"I'm really sore...and hungry. Perhaps there's something..." Hanabi was a 14 year old girl! What did one expect from them? They could eat like boys in some cases!

[smallstepstopower]

"There's food." He waved her along. "The kitchen is where we left it."

[hyuugachild]

She was up in an instant, rushing to the kitchen and stuffing her face. There was something freeing about not using manners, but she made sure to clean herself, and the empty pot up. "Erm...I had a question..."

[smallstepstopower]

He leaned in the doorway, watching her. "Yes?"

[hyuugachild]

Hanabi let out a breath. "May I stay here? I don't have anyone else."

[smallstepstopower]

He blinked at this, hesitating for a moment before humming. "Fine, you may stay, but don't tamper with any experiments if you wander out of the public areas."

[hyuugachild]

Hanabi nodded, bowing her head politely. "Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei. Would you mind showing me the experiments, sometime?"

[smallstepstopower]

"We'll see after you've been here a little while. Presently there is nothing overly worrisome, but I know myself well enough to know that can change."

[hyuugachild]

Hanabi's blood ran cold, and her eyes tilted to the side. "Are you going to take my body if you think it will help your goals?"

[smallstepstopower]

"No." The statement was blunt. "That would be... counterproductive in the extreme."

[hyuugachild]

"If I ask you what that means, will you tell me?"

[smallstepstopower]

"I am attempting to not make the fool mistakes I clearly did the first time, obviously. There has to be a better method."

[hyuugachild]

Hanabi took in a deep breath and released it. "Do you really think there is?"

[smallstepstopower]

"Yes." His answer was rather point blank, and he shrugged. "There are always rumors, and I'm sure at least one is true."

[hyuugachild]

Hanabi put on water for tea and sat next to Orochimaru, straightening your back. "What did you want from me in return for training?"

[smallstepstopower]

He peered at her for a long moment. "I haven't yet decided. Would any answer I gave change your presence here?"

[hyuugachild]

Hanabi looked into his eyes. Snake-like. She wondered if it was a family trait. "I don't know."

[smallstepstopower]

"Then when I have an answer for you, we'll have to see, won't we?" It was a murmur, and he tilted his head.