Shadows of the Past

Panic erupted around Hinata as civilians fled in terror, easy prey for the ruthless Suna forces pouring through the breached village walls.

Then, her father's voice rang out. "Hinata! Hanabi! To me, now!"

His face was stern. "Our duty is clear: protect our compound and any civilians who seek refuge here, no matter the cost. We must defend our home and our clan's legacy against these invaders."

Hinata and her sister nodded, falling into defensive stances as the first wave of Suna forces appeared on the horizon.

As the enemy's shuriken and kunai rained down, the Hyuga clan counterattacked.

Her Byakugan locked onto her father's figure. He stood alongside the other Hyuga elders, ready to face the enemies.

Hinata pushed herself to move faster, her feet thudding against the broken pavement as she sprinted towards her family's defensive position.

Shuriken and kunai whizzed through the air, narrowly missing her as she ran.

Then, one kunai sliced across her shoulder, leaving a burning gash. She grunted at the pain, but didn't break stride.

There was no time to tend to her wound now - they had to secure the compound first.

As she approached the Hyuga estate, the familiar walls came into view, and for a fleeting moment, she felt a glimmer of hope.

Maybe they could find safety behind those fortified barriers. But then, her heart sank as she reached the main gates.

A horrific sight awaited her: Suna shinobis swarmed over the bodies of fallen Hyuga guards.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and death, and her hope was crushed.

Bile rose in Hinata's throat as one of the invaders raised his weapon high in a gruesome display.

In his other hand, he grasped a severed head, the eyes frozen in a lifeless stare.

At first, Hinata's mind refused to register what she was seeing. But as her gaze locked onto the face, reality hit her hard.

It was her grandmother Touka's face, her eyes seeming to bore into Hinata's very soul.

----------

Memories came flooding back, like a warm breeze on a summer day.

Hinata remembered sitting on her grandmother's lap, confiding in her about the boy she had met.

"O-ba-chan, I think I might be in love," she had said, her cheeks flushing pink.

Her grandmother's wise eyes had twinkled with amusement. "Tell me, little one, what's so special about this boy?"

Hinata had giggled, feeling like she was sharing a precious secret. "He's kind and strong, and he makes me feel like I can do anything."

Her grandmother had smiled, her hands gentle as she stroked Hinata's hair. "Then you must be brave. Show him your heart, and if he's worthy, he'll see the beauty in you."

But then her grandmother's expression had turned mischievous. "And when you get married, I want to see lots of babies running around! I want to be the coolest grandma in the village!"

Hinata's face had turned bright red as she imagined it - her and the boy, surrounded by kids, her grandmother spoiling them rotten.

She had nearly fainted from embarrassment, but her grandmother's laughter had been infectious, and soon they were both giggling like fools.

----------

The sound of her own anguished wail brought Hinata back to the present. The invaders, the bloodshed, the horror - it all came crashing back.

Her grandmother's lifeless eyes seemed to bore into her soul, accusing her of failing to protect the one person who had always been there for her.

Hinata's pain and grief struck Hiashi like a dagger to the heart. His anger and sorrow boiled over, fueling a burning desire for revenge.

The elders sensed his emotions and nodded in unison. Together, they charged forward, their footsteps silent on the blood-soaked ground.

The Suna ninjas, still gloating over their gruesome trophy, leered at Hinata. Their eyes roamed over her, taking in every detail.

But they didn't notice the Hyugas closing in, forming a semi-circle around them. Then, they struck.

The first Suna ninja never saw it coming. One minute, he was gloating; the next, Hiashi's fingers had plunged into his chest, ending his life in a spray of blood.

Hiashi didn't even break stride, his blood-slick hand deflecting the incoming kunais.

Each deflected kunai found its mark, taking down another invader with their own weapons buried deep in their throats and eye sockets.

Hinata stood frozen, watching as her clan's anger swept through the Suna attackers, taking them down one by one.

The invaders fell like broken toys, their bodies battered beyond recognition.

Before long, the estate was quiet, the lifeless bodies of the Suna ninjas scattered across the ground like a gruesome mess.

But even in victory, the cost was high. Her gaze fell on the scattered remains of her fallen family members, who had given their lives to protect their home.

The sound of boots crunching through the carnage made her flinch.

Hiashi moved slowly as he carefully picked up Touka's severed head from the dirt. He cradled it gently, and raised it for her to see.

"Don't look away, Hinata," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "We must remember their sacrifices, so we never forget the price we pay for our safety."

Hinata took a deep breath and forced herself to look at her grandmother's face.

A mix of sorrow, anger, and disgust churned inside her, but she knew she had to be strong - for her grandmother's sake, if not her own.

She couldn't let her grandmother's brutal end be in vain.

"We need to gather our kin and fall back to the secondary bunkers," her father's tone shifted, taking on a commanding tone.

"From there, we'll launch a counterattack and drive these invaders out of our homes and lands. We won't let them get away with this."

She nodded stiffly, then fell into step beside her father and sister.

Hanabi's small hand grasped hers, holding tight as they turned away from the gruesome scene and entered the safety of their home.

----------

The courtyards and buildings were now scarred by the brutal evidence of the attack, but the estate's structure still stood strong.

Among the overturned stonework, battered Hyuga huddled in defensive positions, their pale eyes wide with fear and confusion.

When they saw their leader, the fear in their eyes began to fade and a sense of relief washed over them.

"Gather the wounded and fall back to the emergency shelters," Hiashi barked.

"Don't leave anyone behind, not even the dead. We'll give them the rites they deserve as true Hyuga. Our families and children come first until we can establish a defensible perimeter."

The Hyugas sprang into action, quickly tending to the wounded and forming a protective barrier around them as they were carried to safety.

As they regrouped, Hinata felt a hand on her forearm. She turned to see Ko's concerned gaze.

"Are you hurt, Lady Hinata?" he asked, his eyes flicking to the graze on her shoulder.

She shook her head, trying to appear calm. "It's nothing serious. I'll be fine."

Ko followed her silently as she made her way to the wounded. The sight that greeted her made her stomach turn.

She felt sickened by the senseless cruelty of it all. How many others had suffered the same fate at the hands of the invaders?

Among the wounded, she spotted the woman she had rescued earlier, who had only received a quick treatment due to the danger.

Now that the danger had passed, she began a more thorough treatment.

While she worked, the woman's eyes locked onto hers, pleading for mercy.

Hinata forced herself to hold that gaze, conveying through her own eyes that she wouldn't abandon them, that she wouldn't let this horror go unpunished.

Once the woman was stable, Hinata turned to the man, gently prying the charred bundle from his arms.

He didn't resist, his mind seemingly shut down, trapped in a waking nightmare.

She fought back tears as her heart ached for the broken family before her.

This was the harsh reality of war, the devastating impact it had on innocent lives.

Not the glory and honor of epic tales, but the brutal truth of families torn apart, and dreams reduced to ashes in an instant.

As Hinata tended to the wounded, Ko sat beside her, his pale eyes fixed on the ground.

She noticed the bandages wrapped around his arm, and her heart went out to him.

"Ko, does it still hurt?" she asked gently, her eyes filled with concern.

His gaze remained fixed on the ground. "I'm a cripple now, Lady Hinata. I can't protect you like I used to."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Ko, no! You're still the same person, regardless of your arm. You're still strong and brave."

But his bitter laughter cut her off. "Brave? Ha! I couldn't even protect myself. What use am I now?"

His voice cracked, and for a moment, he struggled to hold back tears.

Hinata's face softened, and she reached out to take his other hand.

"Ko, as long as one is alive, there is still a way. I remember my father saying that once. And I believe it's true. We'll find a way to adapt, to overcome this."

He tried to wipe a tear away with his stump, but his hand wasn't there, and he froze. The realization hit him hard.

He wasn't whole anymore.

He wasn't a shinobi anymore.

A sob escaped his lips, and he broke free from Hinata's grasp, covering his face with his one remaining hand.

He turned away, trying to hide his tears, his shame, and his brokenness from her.

Hinata's eyes welled up with tears as she watched his body shake with sobs.

She reached out to him, but he pushed her away, not wanting her to see his vulnerable side. "It's over for me. I can't be a shinobi without my arm. I'm not worthy of your pity"

Her voice was gentle, but firm. "Ko, I'm not pitying you."

But Ko just shook his head, his body racked with sobs.

He couldn't bear the thought of being a cripple, of being useless in this world where shinobis ruled.