Worth something

Where the Road Forgets Your Name

Thread with @preciouskazekage || Mission board: Convocation - Genjitsu +1

he's careful not to hold too tight. the past has taught him that it's best to just hold her palm and to keep mind of her pace. the footsteps just at his right side are hers and their gait is consistent in his mind. when they walk further, the world simply feels... skewed. the shadows of the trees are too long for this time of day, the clarity between the walking path and the grass that diverts into the forest is too sharp.

"you are not mistaken." he is not mistaken. "what they are... they're just supplies." it's an inconsequential detail, not enough to be rendered within his mind.

it sounds right.

it sounds right, and yet.

In front of them stands a figure. No matter how hard Gaara looks, he cannot make out the features of their face but his brain pieces together that they must be smiling.

"■■■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■■■," they garble out and yet the words still make sense. " ■■■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■'■■ ■■■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■?"

where is it they were going?

#~ june plot ~#~ with: preciouskazekage ~#~ where the road forgets your name ~

Hinata slowed when the voice cut through the air.

She didn’t fully understand it, but at the same time, she did, and that was what unsettled her most. Like her thoughts were filling in gaps she couldn’t actually see.

Her fingers tightened around his hand without her meaning to.

“…I don’t know where we are going,” she admitted quietly, then hesitated.

The words she’d been holding onto- Supplies, mission, Sunagakure- felt slippery now, like they were slipping out of reach the longer she tried to focus on them.

“We were supposed to be going somewhere,” she said, softer. “I think. But even saying it didn’t make it clearer. If anything, it just made it worse.

The figure ahead still didn’t look right. Hinata couldn’t focus on its face no matter how she tried. It kept shifting away in her mind, like it refused to stay still.

She swallowed.

“Sorry,” she added quickly, almost automatically. “I might be wrong about a lot of this…”

A small pause.

“…Do you still remember where we’re going?”

Her voice dropper lower, and she pulled Gaara down slightly.

“…Because something might want us to forget.”

The Art of Trying

Thread with @petalillusions

petalillusions

Kurenai shakes her head. "I didn't want you to know, at least not back then. But you're a chuunin now and sooner than you think, you'll have the world at your feet."

She didn't feel she would be a good teacher if she tried to shield her students from everything and that meant also showing her own weaknesses.

One of the great lessons of childhood is learning that the adults are not infallible.

"It gets easier with time. The more you learn and grow, your confidence naturally follows. And perhaps most importantly, finding those that you can rely on and that will support you."

Hinata's expression is one of an earnest willingness to understand. It's what lets her known that Hinata will make it through whatever comes her way. The kind of inner strength she's always seen in the young girl.

"That's the real secret to succeeding in our work. The bond you've made with Kiba and Shino will be something you always have. And even if someday I'm not your teacher, I will always be here for you as well."

#~ june plot ~#~ the art of trying ~#~ with: petalillusions ~#~ DEAR GOD IM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I HATE SCHOOL ~

Hinata always had this inner struggle- The rational part of her screaming that she was loved and her team would always back her up, but there was also the lingering fear that she was simply a burden to them. The lone third member of team 8.

Kiba and Shino...

Kiba's voice was always the loudest. He rushed into things without thinking, complained whenever training got too hard, and somehow always managed to pull her into conversations she never expected to have.

Shino was different. He was more quiet and observant. He rarely spoke unless he had something worth saying, but somehow that made his words carry even more weight.

They were so different from one another.

"...I don't think I've ever really thought about it that way," Hinata admits.

Her eyes lower for a moment, "I've always... tried not to be a burden to them... But... they've never treated me like I was."

A small smile tugs faintly at the corners of her lips. She could hear her teammates reactions in her head if she expressed these opinions out loud. When she looks back at Kurenai, there's still uncertainty in her eyes, but it isn't as heavy as before.

"...I think I understand."

She pauses.

"...I don't have to do everything on my own."

Her voice is still gentle, but there's a little more confidence behind it than there was when the conversation began.

"And... thank you, Kurenai-sensei," She bows her head slightly. "I... I'm glad I asked."

let-it-ride

"How do you lose an ancestor?" "You forget to cherish them."

Mission Codename: Lost Spirits

Allies: Hinata

let-it-ride

Reports upon reports pile upon her desk. The variety of cases from worried parents to missing cats pile high. It is the duty of the shinobu to make sure that the needs of the village are met.

Usually these missions are reserved for the lower ranked shinobi. The ones fresh out of training, yearning to help. But among the massive amounts of requests, the words “lost ancestors“ seem to repeat an odd amount of times.

Each case is simple at heart, but something about the repetition of the lost ancestors puts her off.

This case seems to be deeper than it appears. A case with this many ends needs at least two hands, and for a case like this, the second pair was obvious.

Outside a small tea shop, one that is squished between several other buildings, the two shinobi stand, preparing themselves.

“What are your initial thoughts, Hinata? Do you believe these could be mere illusions, mass hallucinations, or could someone be taking advantage of these folk with ninjutsu?"

Her eyes turns back to the small tea shop, yet her gaze seems to be looking far beyond it, “Or… could it truly be real?“

#~ june plot ~#~ with: let-it-ride ~#~ “How do you lose an ancestor?” “You forget to cherish them.” ~#OHMYGOD IM SO SORRY FOR THE LATE RESPONSE IM SO SO SO SO SORRY

Confidence was something Hinata unfortunately lacked, and it proved to be quite annoying to deal with when Tsunade asked her for her own opinion. The reports circled in her mind, families insisting that people long gone had returned to them. It didn’t feel like something she was qualified to make sense of.

She hesitated, before saying, "I'm not sure... I… I thought maybe it could be genjutsu at first. Or someone disguising themselves. But…”

Hinata finally looked at Tsunade directly, but her gaze seemed to be giving away that searching for reassurance rather than trying to lead the discussion.

“I don’t think I have enough information to decide if it’s a trick… Or something else.”

A small pause followed, her uncertainty clear in the way she avoided committing to any conclusion. Instead of speaking further on her own opinions, she simply stood up a little straighter.

“Tsunade-sama, what do you think we should expect when we go in? Do you think it’s more likely someone is lying… or that something unusual is really happening?”

She swallowed lightly, then added more quietly, “I’ll follow your lead once we’re inside.”

shawty relax

[Stamina +1] w/ @byakuganheir

Stretching his arms high above before lacing his fingers at the back of his head, Naruto grumbles some sort of dissent that's not entirely discernible. Not that it matters anyways, it's not like his complaining and whining will get anything actually changed in this particular assignment-- Hinata speaks and it almost goes unheard, but a glance out of the side of his eye has him frowning. She's weird sometimes, yeah, but... he's never known her to profess any kind of hurt without it being serious. For a moment, he remembers her resilience during the Chunin Exams long, long ago. That alone has him turning to face her with concern flashing in the depths of his gaze-- a single hand comes to rest on her shoulder as he squints at her face. "You sick, or something?" She doesn't look like she's running a fever, but what the hell does he know? Sakura or Old Lady Tsunade would be a better judge of anything like this. All he knows to look for is a red face and some excess sweating. "C'mon. Let's get you to sit down. Maybe once you're feeling a little better, we can check more things out." A job like this would be hard with only one of them present, when the risk of being caught in this jutsu ran high. With an arm around her shoulders, he gently guided her to a nearby bench and encouraged her to sit down before crouching in front of her, head tilted. "Take a break if you gotta. We can take a minute for that. You don't need to push yourself too hard, alright?" @byakuganheir

#~ shawty relax ~#~ with: foxboundwill ~#~ may plot ~

Hinata allowed Naruto to guide her to the bench, but the moment she sat down, one hand drifted to her temple. Her fingers pressed lightly against it, as though that might somehow clear away the strange haze clouding her thoughts. Obviously, it didn't.

Everything felt just a little distant, it was almost as if she was listening to the conversation from the far end of the tunnel. Despite the... Hinata supposed she would classify this as an illness? She wasn't too sure what this was, but no matter, despite this she couldn't bare the thought of being unreliable. Not in a situation like this.

So, instead of actually sitting down and resting, Hinata straightened her back and lowered her hand from her head.

They had barely started.

She couldn't be the one slowing them down.

"We shouldn't stop because of me," she said. "This mission is important, and if people are being hurt-"

Her hand immediately returned to the side of her head, fingers curling slightly into her hair. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before forcing them open again.

"...S-Sorry. I don't know why this is happening."

For a second, her gaze drifted toward the villagers nearby. Their movements seemed oddly difficult to follow. She blinked hard and looked away.

"We should keep investigating," she insisted, determination creeping into her voice despite the strain. "I can still use my Byakugan if we need it. I can still help."

Where the Road Forgets Your Name

Thread with @preciouskazekage || Mission board: Convocation - Genjitsu +1

"you are not mistaken." he is not mistaken. "what they are... they're just supplies." it's an inconsequential detail, not enough to be rendered within his mind.

it sounds right.

it sounds right, and yet.

In front of them stands a figure. No matter how hard Gaara looks, he cannot make out the features of their face but his brain pieces together that they must be smiling.

where is it they were going?

#~ where the road forgets your name ~#~ with: preciouskazekage ~#~ may plot ~

Where were they going?

The answer was obvious to Hinata, but as she opened her mouth to answer, it was as if the thought spilled out before she could say it. Instead, she started stuttering over her words and glancing at Gaara for help.

"We..." She began, but nothing followed.

The words should have been easy. They had been talking about it moments ago. Gaara had remembered. She had remembered. They were supposed to be somewhere.

Weren't they?

A strange feeling settled heavily in her chest. She knew the answer, she was certain she knew it. Yet, each time she reached for what was supposed to be an extremely obvious answer, it slipped away like water running through her fingers.

"I..." She tried again, brow furrowing.

The road ahead suddenly felt much longer than before.

"...Gaara," her voice carried uncertainty. "Do you remember?"

As soon as the question left her mouth, another thought occurred to her. Her eyes flicked back toward the stranger.

"Actually..." She hesitated.

"...Who are you?"

Two for Joy

Thread with @ashesburned || Mission Board: Renascence - Ninjutsu +1

#~ two for joy ~#~ with: ashesburned ~#~ may plot ~

The moment Hinata slid the door open, a piercing scream hit her.

Sharp. Raw. Endless.

A child's cry.

She physically winced before she could stop herself, shoulders tightening as the newborn’s cries tore through the small room. The mother looked half-dead with exhaustion where she sat against the headboard, her baby clutched tightly against her chest while desperate attempts at soothing dissolved into trembling motions.

The room itself felt restless- As if somehow the sleepless nights and frantic pacing caused the entire atmosphere to change.

Hinata quietly shut the door behind her. She hoped the shock was not too present on her face, but she knew herself well enough to make the assumption that she was mortified and everyone could see it from a mile away.

“I-I’m sorry,” the mother blurted immediately, looking mortified as the infant wailed louder. “She just won’t sleep. I’ve tried everything, I swear I have-”

“It’s alright.” Hinata answered gently, though even her voice nearly disappeared beneath the crying.

The baby’s tiny face was red from exhaustion, little fists clenched tightly in the blanket. Yet something about the sound unsettled Hinata beyond simple sympathy. There was desperation in it, yes, but also something strangely familiar, straining toward a memory it could not reach.

The mother bounced the infant weakly.

“My mother used to sing something,” she whispered. “A nursery rhyme. It always worked.”

"A nursery rhyme?" Hinata repeated.

Her brow furrowed painfully. “I can remember pieces of it, but every time I try to think harder it’s just… Nothing.”

Hinata stepped closer slowly.

The woman swallowed before softly humming a broken, uneven tune.

Then, barely above a whisper:

“One for sorrow… two for joy…”

Hinata froze.

A strange ache bloomed behind her eyes instantly, something she recognized as, well, recognition.

For the briefest moment, she could almost feel gentle fingers brushing through her hair. Could almost hear the creak of floorboards beneath a warm lantern-lit room.

And then it vanished.

Her breath caught softly.

“…That song.. I think I know it too.” Hinata murmured, staring down at the crying child.

The words left her mouth before she fully realized she meant them.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, buried beneath years and years of memory, something scratched faintly against the surface- A melody half-lost to time.

The baby cried louder. Hinata blinked, snapping back to the present as she glanced toward the still-closed door with growing confusion.

She had been told that she would not be handling this mission alone.

So where exactly was her partner?

As though summoned by the thought itself, the door once again slid open.

The Art of Trying

Thread with @petalillusions

petalillusions

It is rare to find the training grounds empty, but there is always one who works tirelessly, who believes that training is not complete until they've spent their last breath. Their distant beats against the training dummy fade as she focuses on Hinata's much quieter voice.

As a shinobi she has learned to hide her emotions, but to do so now with Hinata would be a disservice to the young girl. To any of her students, but especially to Hinata in this moment. Though their life circumstances are different and much separates them, they have the commonality of being a woman in a world that felt it was built for men. If she had been born a boy, would her training have been taken more seriously? Would she have become a jōnin when Asuma and Kakashi and Guy had? And Hinata, would her father see her differently?

The far off rhythmic beat of the student's training mimics her own steady heartbeat.

"I have. Or rather, I still do. Team 8 was my first time leading and training my own team. But there is one important lesson that I have learned that I always remind myself of: You cannot doubt yourself. As kunoichi especially we must never forget that."

Kurenai looks toward Hinata. "Do you understand what I mean by that?"

#~ the art of trying ~#~ with: petalillusions ~#~ April plot ~#~ I am so so sorry for the late response ~

Hinata couldn't help but go still at that answer.

For a moment, she just stares. The surprise was clearly evident on her face, even though she tried to hide it- It was evident by how her eyes widened just a fraction, and her fingers stopped fidgeting with her sleeve.

Hinata had... Never thought of Kurenai like that.

To her, Kurenai-sensei had always been steady. Confident. Someone who knew. The idea that she still felt doubt was something Hinata could not even grasp the concept of.

She thinks she understands what her teacher is telling her, but... There was always that lingering fear that she was wrong. So, instead, Hinata lowers her gaze briefly, trying to sort through the feeling, her thoughts a little tangled.

“…I didn’t know…” she admits quietly.

There’s no judgment in it. Just soft, genuine surprise.

Her hands come together again, but gentler this time, like she’s grounding herself rather than hiding.

“I always thought you were… certain. About yourself.”

She hesitates, then looks back up, more earnest now.

“…If you still feel that way…” Hinata continues, her voice soft but searching, “then…”

She falters slightly, but pushes through it. Her eyes stay on Kurenai now, open and vulnerable in a way that shows she truly wants to understand.

“…How do you keep moving forward?”

It's just like last year.

Hinata may be quiet, but Sakura notices her anyway. Sakura can't say she really knows the girl well, but she knows well enough that Hinata is shy. Should she say something? Maybe a slap on the back and a knock 'em dead?

Instead, Sakura smiles at her reassuringly. Hinata's got this - they both do.

Unfortunately for Sakura, Hinata was never the best with physical gestures. She almost didn't realize the smile was for her at first.

It takes her a moment, long enough that her gaze nearly drifts past, but something makes her pause.

Sakura’s expression is warm. Certain.

Hinata stills.

Her fingers curl lightly into the fabric of her sleeve, a familiar anchor as her shoulders draw in just slightly. For a second, she looks like she might retreat into herself, let the moment pass unnoticed like so many others.

But she doesn’t.

Instead, she lowers her head in a small, quiet bow- Subtle, almost hesitant, but deliberate.

When she straightens again, her gaze lingers a fraction longer than it usually would.

And though her posture remains soft, there’s something steadier in it now.

Hinata had always known how capable Sakura was- There had never been any doubt.

Seeing it now, so clearly, only settles that certainty deeper.

#~ askbox ~#~ April ask ~

shawty relax

[Stamina +1] w/ @byakuganheir

"When I woke up, the other townspeople were shouting at me. Saying I hurt my neighbor really badly, and I swear I don't remember anything! I went to bed like I always do! Now, they've got me tied up here, and I don't know what to do to make them believe me." Naruto's already bored, and the words are mostly going in one ear and out the other. It's not that he doesn't want to listen to what this guy says, but he does wish she'd get to the point so they could be sent in the right direction-- with eyes squinted and a hand on his chin in thought, he nods mindlessly as if he's truly absorbing any of what's being provided. It seems to be in line with everything else they've heard with nothing new added on, so... "No weird guys heading in and out? Or, or- some weird dude trying to sell you something? Man in a strange lookin' trench coat maybe?" Oh, he'd seen something like that in a manga once. "Sunglasses? A hat?" The villager seems bewildered by his ideas. A firm shake of his head is the answer he gets, and Naruto sighs. Great. "There's been a few new people heading into the town here and there... but I haven't spoken to them more than I normally would. Some traveling merchants, couple mercenaries heading through. Nothing that stands out. Apparently, I'm not the only one they've had problems with, though." Hmmmmmm. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. He doesn't realize he's making that noise out-loud and not just in his head. "Alright, well, thanks for telling us what you could. Guess we're back at square one." Man, this investigating stuff was never up his alley, but he supposes he can't engage with the mastermind behind it all if he doesn't know who the mastermind is. At least he's here with someone he thinks might be able to figure some of it out. "What do you think, Hinata? We haven't gotten anything yet... I'm wonderin' if there's some other places we should check out?"

@byakuganheir

#~ shawty relax ~#~ with: foxboundwill ~#~ march plot ~

Hinata had been listening quietly, but her thoughts felt… Fuzzy. The villager’s words were there, but not fully, like trying to focus through a thick fog. Her hands fidgeted lightly with her sleeve, and she blinked more than usual.

When Naruto turned to her, she startled slightly, trying to gather herself.

“I… I’m not sure,” she murmured, voice softer than usual. “It… It feels strange. Like… I can’t think straight.”

She shook her head, trying to push the feeling away. “If he really doesn’t remember anything… Maybe it’s not something he saw?”

Her fingers curled tightly around her sleeves, and she blinked rapidly. “The Yamanaka… Their jutsu usually works when someone enters another’s mind, right? But… If this is… stronger, maybe it… Affects people differently?”

She hesitated, looking uncertainly at the villager and then at Naruto. “I… I think the travelers he mentioned could be important… Maybe… But I don’t really know.”

Her stomach twisted. Something wasn’t right, the fog in her head wouldn’t lift.

“…I’m sorry, Naruto… I don’t have much yet. I just… Feel… Off. What do you think we should do?”

Where the Road Forgets Your Name

Thread with @preciouskazekage || Mission board: Convocation - Genjitsu +1

indeed, why was he here? what purpose is it that he serves and how is it he has ended up here. from here, where is it he's meant to go?

the person - "was there a person?" there was, he saw them too. "were they going with us?" he asks just as uncertain as she is.

"we should walk." with no destination in mind, all they can do is walk whichever way.

"no, it can't have been long," he says but he doesn't recall the sun being so low in the sky when he first set off. gaara thinks back and -

"no, we," he points to himself and her. "we are on a mission - we were going to suna on a mission." they were just delivering supplies, it was incredibly inconsequential but it was important - these small deeds and shows of good will, they need to hurry.

"we need to go, this isn't where we're meant to be." he walks forward and holds his hand out back to hinata.

#~ where the road forgets your name ~#~ with: preciouskazekage ~#~ march plot ~

Hinata blinked at the sudden gesture.

“…Y-Yes,” she whispered, almost to herself, before looking up at him. Her fingers twitched nervously in front of her chest. “I… I’ll go with you.”

She hesitated for a moment longer, then carefully placed her hand in his.

Her eyes flicked around the path ahead, the faint tingling of her Byakugan reminding her that something about the road didn’t feel right. Shadows shifted oddly between the trees, the wind rustled through the leaves in uneven gusts, and the forest seemed quieter than it should have been. Even so, she followed, trusting the red-haired shinobi beside her.

“…W-we were delivering supplies, right?” she murmured softly, her voice almost a whisper. “T-to Sunagakure…?”

She hesitated, chewing her lip lightly, unsure if speaking aloud would make her memory clearer or only make her confusion more obvious.

Her eyes flicked up at him again, searching for reassurance. “I… I just want to make sure I’m… Not mistaken,” she admitted, voice quiet but steady enough to be heard.

The road stretched ahead, winding between trees whose branches seemed heavier than usual, as though weighed down by some invisible tension. Her steps slowed slightly, reluctant but careful, and her hand tightened ever so slightly around his.

“…Does that… Sound right?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, leaving space for him to answer, any guidance, confirmation, or correction would help her make sense of the strange path they were walking together.

For Once, We Can Be One

Thread with @hiyaaku || Mission board: Convocation - Ninjutsu +1

#~ for once #~ with: hiyaaku ~#~ march plot ~

The climb had taken longer than Hinata expected.

Not because the path was difficult, she was more than capable of navigating it, but because she kept slowing down without meaning to, her thoughts circling back on themselves.

She shouldn’t have mentioned it so casually.

It had just… Come up.

A cave in the mountains where time didn’t pass. Good for training, someone had said. Or resting. Or, anything, really.

And she had told Neji.

Hinata paused just before the cave’s entrance, fingers lightly gripping the fabric of her sleeve.

Maybe he wouldn’t remember.

Maybe he hadn’t thought it was important.

That thought settled her nerves… At least a little.

She stepped inside.

The air shifted immediately- cooler, quieter, like the world outside had been gently cut away. Even the light felt rather still.

Hinata took a few careful steps forward...

...And froze.

“…Neji?”

Her voice barely carried, soft enough that it almost felt swallowed by the cave itself.

Of course he would be here.

Why wouldn’t he be?

She lowered her gaze instinctively, shoulders drawing in just slightly as she clasped her hands together.

“I- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude,” she said quickly, the words coming out a little rushed. “I just thought I might… try training here, for a little while, since I mentioned it before, and...”

She stopped herself, realizing she was rambling.

“…I didn’t know you would be here too.”

There was a small pause.

Then, quieter...

“I hope that’s alright.”

Hinata shifted her weight, hesitating before taking another step further into the cave.

The moment her foot crossed deeper into the space, a low rumble echoed behind them.

She flinched.

The entrance slid shut.

Hinata turned sharply, eyes widening as she stared at the sealed stone.

For a second, she just stood there, like she hadn’t quite processed it.

Then she stepped closer, reaching out, but stopping just before touching it, like she wasn’t sure if she should.

“I- um…”

Her voice came out smaller this time.

“I don’t think it’s supposed to close…”

A beat.

“I’m sorry,” she added softly, even though she wasn’t sure what she was apologizing for this time. “If I hadn’t come in, then...”

She cut herself off again.

The space felt smaller now.

Quieter.

And suddenly… much harder to ignore how close he was.

Hinata lowered her gaze, voice barely above a whisper.

“…What should we do?”

The Art of Trying

Thread with @petalillusions

#~ the art of trying ~#~ with: petalillusions ~#~ march plot ~

The training grounds were quieter than usual that afternoon.

Most of the genin had already cleared out, leaving behind only the faint thud of someone practicing in the distance and the soft rustle of leaves overhead. Hinata lingered near the edge of the field, her hands loosely clasped in front of her as she watched the light shift through the trees.

It felt strange being here like this.

Not as a student waiting for instructions… but as someone who was supposed to know what she was doing.

“Kurenai-sensei…?”

Her voice was soft, hesitant, carrying just enough to reach her. Hinata glanced up briefly before her gaze drifted back down again, her fingers fidgeting together.

“I’ve been thinking about the Chūnin Exams lately.”

A small pause followed. She wasn’t really sure how to put the feeling into words, and it showed in the way she hesitated.

“I know it’s been a while since I took them, but… when I watch the others preparing for it…”

Hinata exhaled quietly.

“They all seem so sure of themselves.”

Her shoulders shifted slightly, like she was trying to make herself smaller without realizing it.

“…I’m a chūnin now, but sometimes I still feel like I’m standing where they are. Like I’m just waiting for someone to realize I don’t really belong here.”

The words came out more honestly than she expected, and for a moment she looked a little embarrassed by it.

Hinata finally glanced up again, pale eyes searching her teacher’s face.

“…Did you ever feel like that?”

Where the Road Forgets Your Name

Thread with @preciouskazekage || Mission board: Convocation - Genjitsu +1

peace is born of a great many things, least of which being simple time in vicinity with others. he wonders how much of the animosity cultivated between suna and konoha could have been prevented with better habits with mingling with one another. perhaps he's simply being naive. the council would certainly think so.

regardless of what they believe, this is a way of doing his due diligence as kazekage. the mission itself is less important than the time spent undertaking it. he believes it's halfway that he and the taker of his request will meet and then clear the route - suna and konoha side both in equal measure.

along his way, before he meets with the one he's meant to clear with, a figure stands in the road. he dislikes the feeling of their gaze on him. when their mouth opens, he is near ready to fight, but no such thing ever comes.

the stranger nods in acknowledgment to him and is simply on their way once more. how odd but it isn't a cause for concern. he returns the nod and is on his way as well. there's a small problem - did he not just walk this same path? gaara presses forward and once again, the figure persists but -

it isn't alone. he nearly readies himself to fight, but quickly the point in doing so fades away. "what are you doing here?" he asks. what is he scoring here himself?

#~ where the road forgets your name ~#~ with: preciouskazekage ~#~ march plot ~

Hinata paused mid-step, her eyes catching the figure ahead.

The red hair was unmistakable. Even among the many foreign shinobi now passing through the village, some faces were difficult to forget, and the shinobi from Sunagakure standing before her was certainly one of them.

Her hands folded together instinctively as she lowered her gaze, nervousness tightening in her chest.

“I-”

Her voice faltered briefly before she tried again.

“I could ask you the same thing…”

Hinata hesitated, glancing back down the road behind her.

The stranger from earlier was gone.

Or… had there even been one?

Her brows drew together slightly as she tried to gather her thoughts. She had been on her way somewhere. She was certain of that much. A mission, maybe…? Or an errand from the village?

Glancing back down the path again, the uneasy feeling returned.

“There was someone here a moment ago,” she added quietly. “A person standing in the road. We spoke briefly, and then they left, but…”

Her voice trailed off.

“…I’m not certain if that actually happened.”

Her Byakugan tingled faintly- not alarming, but enough to make her notice that the path ahead didn’t feel quite right. Something about it seemed… off.

She dared another glance at him, voice barely above a whisper. “Have… you been walking this road long?”

Where the Road Forgets Your Name

Thread with @preciouskazekage || Mission board: Convocation - Genjitsu +1