The Village Hidden in the Leaves found itself going through many changes. Having dealt with a fight within the village walls, from losing the third Hokage to suddenly gaining the Fifth one. Though some changes were good, it was becoming apparent that the Leaf needed to train its young ones even more than before. Sasuke Uchiha abandoned the village to train, while Naruto Uzumaki left the village willingly to explore the world and train. Everyone seemed to be on a different path, but some ninjas of the Leaf had different plans and desires beyond physical training.
Hinata Hyuga for example had ambitions of love. She loved Naruto, enough to stalk him constantly and blush at everything he said. It was a normal romance but Hinata could not help but feel it a bit one-sided. She wanted to be with Naruto, but she was only able to watch him leave the village to go train for probably years. The worse part though was when Naruto was actually saying goodbye. He only said goodbye to a few people, Lady Tsunade being one of them. Their bye seemed to last longer than the others. Of course, Naruto stared at Tsunade’s chest for far too long! Though Tsunade even squeezed Naruto into a tight hug and let him nuzzle away at her. Hinata did not want to believe that Tsunade was attracted to young teenage boys, but she heard some were like that. With nothing else on her mind with Naruto being gone, Hinata now took to stalking Tsunade. Hinata was still developing, so she could have large breasts herself, but what was Naruto attracted to? Maybe Hinata needed to be bossy sounding. It could be possible that since Naruto did not have a mother, he wanted a motherly type. “What can I do… I want Naruto to, only have eyes for me.” Sighing tenderly into her palm Hinata watches Tsunade wandering the streets clearly drunk off her ass. “Why does Naruto like her and not me, why was he looking at her like… like that.” Biting at her lip, Hinata could just not get the image out of her mind. Naruto’s eyes were so hopeful and kind but staring at the drunken woman she now stalks. “I don’t think I’d ever be much of a drinker… I hope he doesn’t like that sort of thing. All Lady Tsunade seems to do is work for a few hours at most, then makes her assistant do the rest while she gets drunk and gambles.”
Stumbling through the street Tsunade has a pocket full of money ready to gamble away another Hokage paycheck. “Both those idiots are gone now soon as I agree to stay! Hicc— Jerks…” Pushing into the nearest bar on the dirt path the tender and others within start grumbling and yelling as soon as they see Tsunade.
For Hinata, these actions were all common for Tsunade. She rarely ever went out and did more. At some points, she would check the old war graves or graveyards in general. Though beyond that it was usually just drinking and sometimes work. She also was training Sakura in medical Jutsu but after a few lessons, she just left Sakura to learn for herself. “I feel like I’m not going to learn much at this point… so what do I do? When Naruto comes back… I want him to actually notice me for once.” Squatting down behind the power pole she was hiding behind the poor shy girl rustles up her short hair. “Maybe growing my hair out would help? Mmmmmm, how could I be more like Tsunade… taller, big, powerful. Even if I train, I feel like I’d never be as strong of a ninja like she is.”
“Sometimes, if you think so much outside of the box. You forget the box was there. Then you lose all sense of direction.”
Soft kind words touch against Hinata’s ears. No one was around her though, the voice did not sound like Ino’s either. Hinata was unsure of any other sensory type Ninja that would have contacted her. “U-Um…” Knowing someone was around her, Hinata’s voice falls into its usual stuttering mess. “Hello? I-Is anyone… Is anyone there?”
Hop
Hinata sees the strangest sight, a pure white bunny hopping down the middle of the dirt walkway between the shops. Hinata never saw many besides during the wintertime, and it was not currently winter. “That’s… that’s strange.” Staring at the bunny it looks back toward Hinata. Its eyes gazing into hers. The bunny was not normal, it had eyes that looked like swirling checkerboards, black and white. “That’s, strange. Is it a summoned creature?” Getting up from her behind the pole hiding spot Hinata starts walking by people in the street getting closer to the bunny. It was not running away even as other people walk by it. Though no one else seemed to be looking at it either, just her. “I wonder what it is… Byakugan!” Hinata’s eyes tighten, the veins around her eye sockets growing more defined. Like an x-ray, she could see through things to an extent now, or inside of them. The Bunny was strange, it had an odd power coming off it, connected to something else, but it was not like chakra. “Maybe I should try and grab it?” Speed walking now over to the bunny it hops away finally going down an alley away from people. The bunny expertly dodges contact with people, Hinata had to push through some of the groups or awkwardly mumble to get them to move aside. For the bunny, it was almost like the people got out of its way without even knowing it was there. “Finally…”
The alleyway is what one would commonly expect beyond a few minor details. The trash was piled at the side of the walls. Some pipes for heating, cooling, kitchen vents. Some odd substances in the corners. It was not a nice-looking alley, but it does have a nice white bunny sitting at the back of it. There before Hinata the bunny stands in front of a large hole. Big enough for a person to fit through. It was going into the ground, and from Hinata’s view, it looked like some sort of abyss.
The bunny did not speak, just stare back at Hinata. Then it jumps into the hole and out of Hinata’s sight. “Th-this… this is very strange.” Hinata carefully walks to the hole and peers the best she can inside without getting too close to it. The inside did seem to have dirt, it appeared to be a real enough hole. “Is this supposed to be a summoning trap? It could lead to a different area, I read about it in school…” Hinata takes a careful step back and shakes her head. “I-I should tell someone about this, right away.”
Clap, clap, clap
A young girl giggles clapping behind Hinata. “Yessy, that is what I like to see! Hehe. Ah, I always feel in a good mode when we get one of these nice ones.” The girl's voice sounded like she was just a little older than Hinata if she had to guess. Turning around to see this girl, she is greeted by the same checkerboard eyes the bunny had. “Oh, sorry, I hope I didn’t startle you little one.” The girl speaks in a calming bubbly way, she had very pale skin too similar to Hinata. Her head had a sea of snowy white hair, though she had bunny ears on her head. Hinata could not see any actual human ears. Though the girl’s hair was a bit thick and reached down to her butt, her ears were probably just covered Hinata thought. “You’re staring at me a bit…” Her fingernails, as they scratch at her cheek, are well kept a clear polish over them. She wears a blue kimono with a white sash in the middle of it, wooden sandals on her feet like she just came from a festival. “Hello?”
Hinata flinches finally realizing this girl speaking was actually talking to her. “O-oh… s-sorry. U-um… i-is this your hole?”
The girl smirks and waves a small checkerboard fan in front of her face. “Hehe, I may have said that differently, but yes. It is my hole. My name’s Elica Twichs, though everyone just calls me Elica, so please do the same.” Elica bows politely to Hinata and gives her a kind smile as well.
Though still unsure Hinata eases up a little bit. “O-oh. Um, good evening to you, Miss Elica.” Hinata bows back respectfully. “My name is Hinata, Hinata Hyuga, you may call me Hinata.”
Holding a hand to her chin Elica nods a few times still waving the fan at her face. “Good girl, you’re very well mannered. Hehe, but I can’t say I usually meet many like this.” Elica squats down to be eye level with Hinata. “Ah, rude of me though. You’re probably all awkward cause I’m a stranger right? I use to be like that too… honestly, I guess I would more get really excited. I think I calmed down more now though! That and well, Father said I have to blend into the worlds I visit better…” Hinata slowly blinks clearly not understanding most of what she was being told. “Oh, see, I was just vacationing. I never really get to relax. My father insists on always being busy. Though I have to say, that life of constant training and whatnot. It’s tiresome. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to walk around as just a normal girl.”
Hinata shivers a bit in place and rubs at the side of her arm. “Y-yeah… I can understand how that is. Having a Father like that…”
The two girls let the silence sit for a few moments, then Elica stands back up and sighs. “Hinata. You still seem pretty young, but you’re thinking a lot, aren’t you?” Hinata’s cheeks start to blush, poor thing did not know she was that obvious. “It’s alright sweetie. I think it’s aaaall gooda. Hehe, we don’t need to know all the answers right away. But I can tell you’re dealing with a bit.” Elica clasps her fan shut and holds it out to Hinata. “Here, take this.” Hinata, confused, takes the fan into her hand. “I know it doesn’t seem like much. But… I wanna help you alright. And… I don’t normally do this.” Elica gets down on one knee and places both her hands onto Hinata’s shoulders. “No matter what happens. I won’t allow your choice to end in suffering.” Elica’s eyes stare deeply into Hinata’s. It was pretty easy to tell from Elica’s grip on Hinata’s shoulders. Whatever she meant, she was serious. “Now!” Elica stands back up and walks on past Hinata over to her hole. “Hinata.” Elica smiles at the Hinata, Elica hanging her foot over her hole. “You are; who you choose to be.”
Elica slides on down the hole, Hinata could barely believe it herself but running up to the hole she now could see the bottom. Elica was not there. “W-wait what?” Hinata reaches into the hole herself now and feels her hand pat against the bottom. It was more just a small burrow like some animal made it to have easy access to a bed when eating trash. “Who… who even was she? She had no headband… she was pretty though. What did any of that mean?” Hinata looks at the fan in her hand and squeezes it closely to herself. “Someone like that really gave me a gift?” Holding her hands out slowly Hinata opens the fan up and stares at the inside of it, the side Elica was blocking from view. “It’s… a mirror? But… how?” The reflective surface was clear as day. Touching her fingers against it, it really felt like it was made of some type of glass. Snapping the fan shut quickly though, Hinata hears not crunch or shatter. Opening it back up she is greeted by her same reflection again. “What sort of jutsu does something like this… I-I need to get back home. It’s getting far too late.”
That night Hinata does not sleep soundly. Her dreams talk to her, her dreams appear vivid. “Tsunade has it far too good.” The voice was Hinata but it was coming from a black shadowy figure. Like pure darkness given a humanoid form. Hinata tries to back away but her body stays frozen in place. “Just think about it. Tsunade can have anyone if she really wants. She’s wasting her life away! You could live her life far better!” A crowd of shadowy figures now surround Hinata and cheer in stands. “See we all agree! We’re all Hinata! We know what you want! Tsunade is bold, Tsunade is tough. Tsunade has our Naruto’s stare! You really want to be just like Tsunade now don’t you?” Hinata tries to speak up but no voice would come to her throat. “No need to answer we already know! — Down with Tsunade! — Down with Tsunade!” The crowd cheers louder and louder, the voices echoing inside of Hinata’s very core. “Take it all from her, trade up. Use the fan. It has the power. Give her this boring life! Let Tsunade deal with daddy dearest and your pampered bratty sister! We’ll take her life and have Naruto all to ourselves!”
THUD
Hinata awakens on the floor, her blankets pulled off her bed. “Wh-what…?” Rubbing at her eyes she looks down at her other hand, the fan clasped in it firmly. “I-I thought I put it on my nightstand… What was that, that dream, nightmare? Or…” Opening the fan up Hinata once again looks at the mirror on it. It was showing her own reflection in it, though she was smiling in the reflection. Touching her lips carefully, it felt like that smile was not there. “Th-this… this is too strange. Should I really go talk to Tsunade about this? Elica… she, she seemed nice. Even if she has a strange name.” Hinata never met anyone like her before, it was not bad to act with some caution. Her dream however was weighing on her, like some sort of pulling desire. Maybe she could admit to herself, she was a little upset that Naruto was paying attention to Tsunade, that they seemed close. Though it was not like she could do much about it. She promised herself to keep training at least and hoped her body would develop in a way Naruto would enjoy. Though beyond that, her shyness would not be overcome overnight. “This is just all so confusing… what am I supposed to do?” Clasping the fan shut Hinata gets herself up and begins tossing off her sleepwear. “For now I’ll head straight to Tsunade and see if she thinks this mirror is something special… she’s willing to help Sakura so much, maybe she’ll be able to help me figure out what this fan is?” Getting on her usual chainmail, coat, and pants Hinata wastes no time slipping on her shoes and heading out of the Hyuga manor. Though closer to the Leaf Village than some clans Hinata does have a bit of a walk to reach the village's central area. Luckily for her in the early morning, not many people were walking about.
The Hokage office sitting under the stone faces looked the same as ever. Hinata could see construction workers already starting to build Tsunade’s face from the stone. It would take some time to complete but it was getting done. For everything that had happened over the last several months the leaf village really did seem at peace. Most of the damage that was caused by the Sand and Sound villages working together was already repaired. Hinata now walks inside of the Hokage’s office looking over the usual mission tables with a few ninjas working the desks. The Hokage’s main office where Tsunade is supposed to do work is on the upper floors, only two ways to reach it. Hinata favored taking the inside route rather than the outside. Walking past some desks and closed doors Hinata walks the stairs to the upper floors till finally, the Hokage’s double-door entrance was before her. The main office was right there, the meeting room not too far down the hall beyond that. Gulping back some spit Hinata carefully walks up to the door and gives a few soft knocks. “Mmmugh.” The only reply she gets back is a groan. Since Hinata had been watching Tsunade the night before, she figured the lady was probably hungover. Sighing softly Hinata creaks the door open and steps inside quietly. A lot of paperwork lays across the floor, and Tsunade has her head laid on her desk appearing to be drooling on government documents for The Land of Fire. “Shi….zune…do… it…” Tsunade keeps mumbling, even as Hinata steps in further. It seemed like she was mumbling about her assistant. Usually this was the time Tsunade was supposed to start working. Hinata could see a few empty sake bottles at Tsunade’s side, it was easy to put two and two together. She was not just hungover she was probably still a bit drunk.
Biting at her lip Hinata can only sigh. She wanted to ask a question, but the figure that is supposed to represent the Leaf was before her with some sort of sake-induced sleep. “L-Lady…” Hinata whispers her words at first, but Tsunade only groans again in reply. “Can she even hear me…?” Hinata takes a slow breath and does her best to muster a louder voice. “L-Lady Tsunade!” Her louder voice was sadly like a normal person talking so even that did not wake Tsunade. “Well… I suppose I can just wait for her, it would be rude to wake her now wouldn’t it?”
“You could do everything better couldn’t you??”
The fan in Hinata’s hand fidgets. “Wh-what?” Hinata looks over her shoulder but nothing is there. Only her and Tsunade were in the area. Though the voice she heard, sounded like it was right next to her ear. “I-Is someone there?” The fan fidgets against Hinata’s palm again, and the voice replies.
“Open the fan, we’re here to help you. Open us, open yourself~”
The voice is soft, feminine, Hinata felt that it sounded a bit like her own. Though she cannot say she remembers recording anything like she was hearing. “Wh-why would I trust something asking me to open it? That usually seems like a bad idea, doesn’t it?”
“No one will get hurt~ You’ve already taken a few peeks now. Haven’t you?”
Was the entity trying to say it was tracking all of her movements? Hinata’s eyes glance at Tsunade and the older responsible adult groans again. Whatever the voice was, it was not bothering Tsunade any. “That… th-that may be true. But… can only I hear you? What are you? Are you speaking from this fan somehow?”
“Hehe, you could always open it up and check, couldn’t you? Scan with your eyes, look at what you hold. What are you afraid of? What’s the worse a little fan could do, you already opened me after all.”
She had opened it several times, she saw Elica even waving it at herself before. Though she was never told it would speak to her. Good or bad, Tsunade was right next to her, so Hinata opens the fan back up. The mirror this time looked like Tsunade’s face was in it. It was supposed to be reflecting Hinata’s own. Right before her eyes, Tsunade’s face blinks when she does. Her lips move when hers do. Hinata even waves her hand at the reflection and it does the same back. “Th-this doesn’t make any sense, what sort of transformation jutsu is this?”
The voice giggles at the comment and the reflection then giggles in turn. “We’re Hinata aren’t we? We’re Tsunade? Oh, I think I can understand the confusion. Hehe, we’re what you desire. You want to be Tsunade don’t you? She’d have a much easier time spoiling Naruto wouldn’t she?”
Hinata’s face starts to go red and she clasps the fan shut. “D-Don’t say such obscene things!”
BANG
Tsunade’s chin slams against her desk and she finally jerks awake reeling back in her chair as soon as she sees Hinata before her. “What the HE—” Tsunade stops herself just in time, her eyes glancing at the clock. “Ehem!” Clearing her throat Tsunade reels her chair and self forward a bit resting her hands on her desk. “Hinata correct? How may I help you today?”
The shy girl looks up to Tsunade and holds the fan behind her back. “O-Oh Lady Tsunade.” Brushing a little hair behind her ear Hinata takes a long breath trying to keep herself composed. “I thought um, I should s-see you today.”
Tsunade nods her head her eyes twitching a little. It was clear to Hinata the woman was still hungover. Though a soft glow under Tsunade’s desk and the effects appear to go away rather quickly. “You wanted to meet with me? I know you’re one of the quiet ones. One of your teammates mistreating you?” Hinata’s face starts to blush right away, leave it to her to be misunderstood. Trying to wave her hands and shake her head no Tsunade does not even look at the gesture, instead, she slams her hand on her desk. “If it was that bug freak, I swear!”
Grabbing at the sides of her coat Hinata starts tugging at it to pull her voice from her own throat to speak up. “N-No!” This time Hinata actually had a bit of a shout come out, softer than most people but for her, it would count as a true shout. Tsunade sits back in her chair a bit surprised by the loudness the timid girl expelled. “Th-that isn’t it Lady Tsunade… P-Please u-uum just listen.” Tsunade takes a long breath and swirls her hand in the air to compel Hinata to continue. “I know I’m not the best with speaking, s-so just wait please.” Hinata squeezes at the fan that was hiding behind her back. Showing it to Tsunade, would that be what the voice wanted? It was better to show than not show right? Or maybe the voice really would let Hinata get closer to Naruto? “U-Um…” Hinata shakes her head, she was thinking too much now. This just had to be the right thing to do. “Y-you see I found this odd item last night.” Hinata holds the fan out frontward, this time resting it in both her palms. “I-I think you should look over it. It seems to have some sort of odd jutsu about it, but I see no way for it to channel chakra.”
Rubbing at her chin Tsunade reaches over her desk and grabs the fan. “This fan? Can’t say I ever use any often myself. Shizune does… though this style isn’t common around here.” Tsunade rolls the fan in her palms. Just like most fans of this style it just seemed like two pieces of wood. When flourished open a fan would then be displayed that could be waved to cool someone down then clasped shut to store easily. “I mean it doesn’t appear strange on the outside. Let’s open it.” Hinata tries to wave her hand out but Tsunade already flourishes the fan open, looking at the now mirrored inside. “What?” Tsunade carefully touches the mirror, and just as Hinata had noted, it felt like some kind of glass, like an actual mirror. “It shows my reflection… but the inside doesn’t break? It folds when closing it…” Tsunade quickly clasps the fan shut and opens it once again to Hinata’s dismay. “Still intact. It is an interesting toy at least.”
“The two selected have opened the mirror.”
Tsunade drops the fan, it still wide open now on top of her desk. “What is this?! Hinata you heard that too right?”
Hinata nods and looks over the room, it was the same voice as before but it felt like it was all over the room now instead of just the fan. “I-I do hear it. B-But I thought it could only talk through the fan.”
Biting at her thumb Tsunade was unsure of what to do in such a situation. Looking out the window though, she’s surprised. Her own reflection starts moving even though she had not. It walks along the window and then vanishes for a moment. Only the reflection appears now in one of the many metal cabinets in the office room. The reflection appears in the clocks, the shiny wooden desk. Tsunade could see it everywhere, the only spot not reflecting now was the fan itself. “What is all of this?! Who are you, what are you!?”
“Oh come on… you know who I am don’t you? We look so much alike after all~”
The reflection giggles and keeps circling, walking between the different objects in the office. Tsunade’s fist clenches and she steps in front of Hinata trying to keep the younger girl behind her. “This isn’t a genjutsu, but I’ve never heard of anything like this being possible. You shouldn’t be able to move around like that.”
The voice giggles again. “Oh don’t you see.” Suddenly the Hinata like voice shifts and so does the reflection. It begins to sound more like Tsunade but showing Hinata’s reflection. “We’re just you, in a different shape are we not? We are what you are, and what you will be. You opened the fan after all. So let our little one be granted her wish~”
Hinata nervously squeezes at her coat again. Was the entity now implying she was causing this grand display? “W-wait! I… I didn’t want anything like this to happen just stop already!”
CRACK
The walls of the office crack apart like glass. A spider web of cracks breaks and branch continuously. Tsunade could barely make out how many formed, they were being created too fast. “None of this makes sense, Hinata stay behind me!”
SHATTER
The room breaks, and Hinata and Tsunade both land on shallow water a dim light above them. It looked like they were in some void of darkness with the dim light being their only light source. The water under them was only an inch at most, some sort of smooth black floor under it. On hands and knees both the ladies get back to their feet, their pants at the knees a bit soaked through now. “Sheesh…” Tsunade sighs looking out over the black void and then looking up toward the light. “Did they somehow use some sort of teleportation…? This just can’t be a genjutsu if you weren’t able to even see chakra going to it.”
Hinata sighs ringing out her pants of water. Or at least what seemed like water. “I-I never expected it to take us somewhere else. Wh-what do we do now?”
“You do what you desire~”
The voice sends ripples across the water, despite it sounding soft. Just it speaking in general causes the water to vibrate in whatever place it sent them to, or created. “B-but…” Hinata claps her hands together looking up toward the light. “P-Please! Y-you have the wrong idea! This isn’t what I wanted… I… I was just frustrated!”
Hand on hip Tsunade rolls her eyes and squats down. “Whatever all this crap is we don’t want part of it!” Jumping into the air Tsunade infuses chakra into her foot and comes smacking down on the ground making the whole room shake. “Huh?!” The floor however was not cracked or even scraped. “Where the hell are we?! What sort of material do you build this crap out of?!” The voice chuckles again, and then black arms stretch out from the void beyond the light.
“Wouldn’t you like to know~ maybe you’ll find out one day. But it isn’t today. So just accept our hands.”
Tsunade scoffs and infuses chakra over her hand now making a blade out of her chakra. “No thanks!” Slicing the arms, Tsunade expected to make them vanish, but her blade simply clangs against it, her arm desperately pushing. The black arm however does not budge at all. Tsunade digs her foot into the ground then and pushes harder, the arm still does not even budge an inch. “Th-this crap is way too strong! How the hell is this even possible!”
The black arms had been waiting as if to be shaken friendly. Though with Tsunade’s strike they now turn to face her. One grabs at her left wrist, the next her right. Then two wrap around her waist, then two more her ankles. For someone’s as strong as Tsunade, even as she tries to move, she’s kept still she could barely fidget with how strong the arms are. If Tsunade was having such trouble, what could someone like Hinata even do? Hinata stands there watching from the sidelines feeling hopeless. Even though Hinata felt hopeless; Tsunade still struggles as if thinking she could find some way out. Hinata felt like she had already given up completely, but the hands were not coming after her. “W-wait… wh-what about me? Why… why are you only attacking Tsunade?!”
Though Hinata’s voice is soft and scared, the strange voice now sounding like Tsunade and Hinata speaking at the same time replies.
“We’re simply granting what you wish~ We’re not hurting anyone, just making sure they comply. Now relax, wait, we’ll give you what you want.”
Another black hand shoots out from the void wrapping right around Tsunade’s neck. “U-uggh! H-Hinata! J-Just get out of here! T-Try and find a way out!”
Hinata even with her eyes active was seeing no way out. Beyond the light they were standing in was just a sea of black arms. Twisting and writhing like snakes in a barrel. “I-I…” Hinata falls back to her knees watching Tsunade. “I-I can’t do anything… th-they’re everywhere. Solid… I-I can’t move past them all.”
The arms lift Tsunade up and then they make her look toward the water like she was laying on the ceiling. “D-Damn it all, I can’t move…” Tsunade looks down at her reflection in the water. It was strange despite Hinata being close to the reflection, the water was no longer rippling. It seemed almost solid like a mirror.
“Let’s start our little process, shall we? We have a little girl's wish to fulfill.”
Tsunade stares at her reflection within the water, her body being squeezed at by the pitch-black arms. “A-argh!” Tsunade does her best to fight against them, but even using her full power it seemed the arms were not breaking from her body. Even worse it felt like some of her chakra was starting to get blocked off from them. The process had started in earnest. In that reflective surface, Tsunade watches as mirrored Hinata steps close to her. The real Hinata of course was still on her knees sitting in the water a little away from this display. Even so, as the mirrored Hinata caresses Tsunade’s face she feels the hand stroke her cheek as if Hinata was there. “Wh-what is this now?” Tsunade’s eyes wince, the arm grabbing at her neck was making breathing normally a chore. “What are you trying to make me look at?!”
The voice laughs but does not respond. It had far too much work to get done. The mirrored Hinata circles around Tsunade in the reflection and first takes out a pair of scissors from their ninja tool pouch. Opening and closing them the Hinata grins and stands on her tiptoes snipping at Tsunade’s blonde ponytail. Just as it had proven before, a touch in the mirror resulted in a touch in reality. Tsunade’s ponytail falls right into the water making it ripple, and then it’s simply gone. Her eyes wince, and her neck feels a bit bare. What could Tsunade do though completely bound? She grits her teeth and tries her best to withstand. Looking at the rippling water it quickly reforms, showing the same mirrored image, Hinata and Tsunade side by side. “It’s alright, everyone needs a trim now and again.” The voice chuckles sheepishly seeming to have even more props within the reflection this time. A desk with supplies lining it. Mirrored Hinata grabs a bottle off the desk and spurts it into Tsunade’s hair. With gloved hands, the reflective Hinata massages the liquid into Tsunade’s hair turning it a much darker color. Almost black with some hints of a slight purple, much like Hinata’s hair.
The real Hinata was still at a loss as to what to do. She gets up for a moment but then the black arms press against her shoulders forcing her down. Before her eyes, Tsunade was changing and she was helpless to do anything about it. “I-I, I never meant for anything like this to happen.” A few tears begin to well in Hinata’s eyes, and another pair of arms grab at her wrists. It was just like what happened to Tsunade. It only took a few seconds for Hinata to be immobilized, the arms free to move around as they saw fit. Just as for Tsunade they lift Hinata into the air and point her down so she could see her reflection within the water. “P-Please stop this, I-I really don’t want anything to happen to Tsunade.”
Looking into the reflection Hinata can now see something similar to Tsunade. Though in this case, Tsunade stands by her grinning in the reflection. The voice seemed to enjoy giggling at Hinata and Tsunade’s struggle. It also seemed tired of talking and rather was focused on doing what it had planned. For Hinata it did not take out scissors, it simply holds out its hand. The reflective Hinata then giggles and tosses the cutoff ponytail to the reflective Tsunade. With it, in hand, she walks right up to Hinata and presses the cutoff hair to the back of her head. Hinata was unsure what to expect, but the hair fuses to her own in the reflection. From the action, her real hair starts to tug back like someone was pulling her. It was making her hair longer somehow. And even if bound Hinata could see parts of the hair brush over her shoulder. It was blond at the bottom now.
The girls were bound, the arms had them in their clutches and they could only wait to see what they would do next. Tsunade could not believe her eyes already though. Hinata’s hair was like her hairstyle, not only that it was changing color. “The bottom of your hair… is a different color, but now, your roots even. Your hair’s turning blonde Hinata. I have no idea what sort of Jutsu could do anything like this… or why they would even do this. Do you know anything more?”
A pang of guilt looms over Hinata’s mind. She did not cause all of this though, right? The fan was simply taking her words out of context. “I-I… I-I was given this… b-by someone not from the Leaf… b-but they said it wasn’t dangerous.”
Tsunade rolls her eyes and scoffs. “If danger meant we keep our life, we are still alive. Though I don’t know what the hell this thing is doing. Why change our hair?”
The voice giggles loudly, so loud Tsunade and Hinata’s voice that it was copying blends together, melding into one new voice. “You’ll be the new Hinata, and she’ll be the new Tsunade, it’s simple really, and just what was desired.” Both the girls look confused but the reflections take action. This time they both take out spoons and grab at each girl’s chin making them look up. Leaning in close they scoop the girl's eyeballs right from their sockets. Just like with the hair then, they swap what is needed. Hinata’s eyes go in Tsuande’s sockets and vice versa. The reflections take it well like they were dolls just exchanging parts. For the real Hinata and Tsunade, the process felt much different. It was like something was squeezing at both their eyeballs. They could not help but clasp their eyelids shut. They both felt the urge to itch, to rub at their eyes. Though with arms bound they could only both groan and fidget. The reflective girls laugh at them, and the real girls feel their eye sockets sink. Hallow inside eyes refill the sockets quickly. The feeling was far too odd like someone had spewed water into their eyes and then it was immediately sucked out.
Tsunade’s eyes blink open first tears running down her cheeks. “A-argh, damn it all none of this makes sense, we should have… this should have hurt a lot more if it was actual surgery.” Blinking a few more times the now white eyes in Tsunade’s sockets seemed to function perfectly fine. The Hyuga clan's special eyes were in her head in just a few seconds. “Ugh… still feels discomforting that’s for sure. Hinata? Hinata are you okay?”
The tears in Hinata’s eyes were not just from having her eyes now shining a lighter brown color. She was confused and scared, to say the least. “I-I’m fine… just… just a bit uncomfortable.” For better or worse having visual powers, Hinata was used to eye discomfort. The whole process she just experienced was nothing. “Th-they’re… it th-this thing. It’s trying to make us look like one another.” Hinata bites at her lip, she was too young for all of this. Why did she of all people have to go through something like this just because of one little thing she had thought? If she was made to look like Tsunade would it be anything she desired? “Y-you, mirror. P-put a stop to all of this... please.”
Both the reflective versions roll their eyes and now rip apart both the girl’s clothes. Without the arms even having to move the girls in reality the ladies watch their clothing burst from their bodies vanishing away like nothing. Examining the bodies closely the reflective selves press their hands against the girl’s breasts. The touch in reality felt firm, there was a clear pressure. Hinata felt like something was being pulled, while Tsunade felt a pushing. “Stop? Stop what? We’re giving you just what you want~”
Hinata’s body arches back the best it can, she could feel a sudden pinch at her nipples. “A-ahh!” She cannot help but whine in pain, the pressure from before was greater now. Her breasts were growing outward. Pushing out, jiggling a little, growing to Tsunade’s size. They felt heavy given her position hanging above. Hinata could barely process it all, she murmurs under her breath and looks at Tsunade seeing the lady begin to change in size as well.
In Tsunade’s case her breasts were now shrinking, Hinata was young, even if girls mature faster than boys, she still had a budding chest. Even though Hinata is bigger than some of the girls her age they were much smaller than what Tsunade was used to. “Wh-why you!” Tsunade’s eyes wince, she was feeling a bit of pain too like her nipples were being suddenly twisted. Her teeth bite against her lower lip, but it is the only thing she can do to brace herself beyond clenching at her toes. Her usual swaying breasts push into her body till they were just modest, average, it was almost an insult to a woman like her. “Th-this isn’t some simple transformation. I-I don’t understand how this works.” Trying to apply medical knowledge to what was happening was just confusing. The discomfort was annoying sure, but both of their lives so far have not been put in danger. Even though Tsunade is frustrated at her powerlessness in the situation. Part of her could not help but wonder if she could ever reach this level of medical genius to be able to change a body so easily.
Nodding sagely to themselves the reflective girls grin at one another and crack their knuckles. They made their intentions clear enough so they just had to keep the process going now. Things were different now; they were both far rougher than before. Grabbing at the bound-up girls they begin to crack fingers, pull at legs, and push at them. They twist arms and squeeze at shoulders. They both even squeeze at the girl’s cheeks letting those cheekbones crack. To a normal person, it would look quite disfigured at a glance.
“Auugh!” Tsunade felt the pain just looking at her bound reflective body. Though her own was being to deform as well. No amount of shouting was helping. Her fingers do crack, but instead of bending the wrong way, they appear to shrink a bit. Her knees feel sore, and her ankles hurt, but they do not snap and hang. Instead, they too are pushed against her shrinking down. Her body was getting shorter, smaller in general. Watching the reflections do their work, as they start to massage at her body, her skin begins to grow softer too, even paler. Smaller, paler, softer skin, smaller breasts. Tsunade understood that she was becoming like Hinata but her body was even feeling younger as well. The usual kink in her neck was not there. The need to keep up a Jutsu to deage herself was also not needed. “H-Hinata just hold up alright!” The possible good parts of the transformation aside, Tsunade still was in reasonable pain. But she was used to it as a hardened experienced ninja. She could only worry then over the still in training one beside her.
Hinata felt no pain. Her fingers grow out a bit longer, her jawline gets a little sharper, her arms gain more muscle. It felt nice in a few ways. Her body was getting older but with it, she could feel it refining in places she never normally would train. Her thighs felt like iron rocks that could crush anything, her body was taller in general! Hinata almost wanted to cry seeing her skin gain color to it. Usually, she would sit in the Hyuga manor far too long or stalk Naruto in the shadows. Her body having proper sunlight was new to her. Whatever deaging Jutsu Tsunade enjoyed using seemed to be automatically activated too. Maybe for Tsunade’s body, it was just instinct though. “Th-this… I-I’m alright Lady Tsunade.”
The reflections vanish from the water, and Tsunade and Hinata look at one another confused. They had no way to tell time but it seemed like the process happened so quickly. “What is it? Waiting for more? Hehehe~ Your appearances are as they should be now. Just a few minor touches left.”
THUD
Tsunade and Hinata are dropped to the floor their visions blurring for a moment. Then, they were back in the Hokage office. “What?” Tsunade is the first to speak, her eyes blinking in confusion at the sound of her new voice. Looking down at herself though, she sees the small hands, her smaller chest, and now jacket covering her torso. She was wearing Hinata’s clothes, she sounded like Hinata. The person in front of her now sitting at the Hokage desk looked as Tsunade should. “H-Hinata?” Tsunade’s voice naturally stutters out stumbling over her words. “What… we’re still like this but back here? Our clothes, our voices, everything changed!”
Hinata presses her palms against the desk and stands up looking at the fan resting atop it. “This is all so strange.” Hinata’s voice is quiet, but not like before. With Tsunade’s voice, it was pretty normal, just someone speaking their thought aloud. “The fan is still here though…” Grabbing the fan Hinata quickly flourishes it open and notices a normal paper design with floral print along it. “This… this can’t be right, Lady Tsunade, the… The fan it.” Hinata bites at her lips and turns the fan around to show Tsunade.
With a long groan, Tsunade slides into the guest chair of the office and ends with a sigh. “This… this sort of ability is amazing if used for medical science. Though it instead used it to change us to look like one another.” Biting at her lip Tsunade gives another glance over the new Hinata. “Apparently it somehow even aged and deaged us without having to maintain constant chakra. Our original bodies were transformed permanently.”
Holding her hand between her now larger breasts Hinata nervously looks over the room as if trying to find some sort of answer. “I-I don’t think permanently! L-lets not be negative about this. If they changed us, they can change us again… or, or. Oh!” Hinata runs around the desk and grabs at Tsunade shaking the girl's shoulders. “I know where we have to go! Back to that alley! Elica, Elica may have answers. She’s sure to show up again!”
Tsunade was confused enough but Hinata was acting far too energetic now. Grabbing at Hinata’s hands Tsunade stands up and tugs at Hinata’s arm to try and make the girl refocus. “Calm down… your body looks like mine, but we’re still thinking like always. Our voices I suppose can sound a bit strange with our personalities.” Sighing again Tsunade grabs at Hinata’s hand this time a bit looser waiting for Hinata to move. “Take me there. Wherever you first found this girl you were talking about. Even if she isn’t there, maybe it will give us some sort of clue as to what’s going on. For all, I know we could just be in some high-level genjutsu. Though it seems far too real for it.”
Hinata complies and begins to guide Tsunade. Out of the mansion, into the streets, the girls begin to walk through the roads of the Leaf. They take a few turns but mostly walk closer to the village's main gate. As Hinata takes another few turns Tsunade could tell she was leading them to the entertainment district of the Leaf. Most villages usually had such places. The Leaf has many more restaurants compared to some areas given the residential areas. Food needs being filled the Leaf’s entertainment buildings tended to be gambling dens or places to drink. “We’re almost there alright?” Hinata looks carefully at the buildings to recall just where she was last night, the area looked verily different in the daytime compared to the night.
Being pulled along like a child by her mother Tsunade quietly sighs looking at the different villagers giving passing glances and glares. It probably did look odd that the older Hokage was holding a Hyuga clan daughter's hand through an adult district of the Leaf village. Daytime or not it was becoming a rumor mill just walking down the road. “I have to ask, why exactly were you out around an area like this? You found this girl at night time around here?”
Sulking her head forward Hinata nervous rubs at the side of her cheek. “I-I was… well you see. I was sort of… following you Lady Tsunade.”
Frowning Tsunade wrenches her hand from Hinata’s grasp and thrusts her finger toward the alley they had come to a stop at. “Is this the alley?!”
Hinata nods nervously stepping in. A few more villages looking confused at the young girl taking lead over the bigger and older one. “Th-that’s right. It was in back there. A rabbit hole, but big enough to fit a person.”
Walking down the alley Tsunade looks at some of the piles of trash stacked up. Old sake bottles, wrappers from hard candies, stale pretzels, and rotting sugary treats. It seemed to be what one would expect from such a district. “So… you were watching me drink last night?” Tsunade keeps walking down the ally, unafraid to state her thoughts. “So what, that thing talking to us was right? You were jealous of me? At least some part of you. Is it because Naruto isn’t around? Most in the village know you have a thing for him. You’re not very good at hiding your feelings when it comes to him.”
Though Tsunade in appearance Hinata was still acting just the same. Face flushed red she presses her palms into her face and stumbles over her words more than usual. “I-I… i-it isn’t like that really! I-I… I just saw… I saw how Naruto was looking at you, a-and you two had seemed so close. Y-you can talk to him so easily, you’re useful to him too. I’m just…I’m just well—”
Pushing over a trash can Tsunade stares at a rabbit hole. It was indeed one that looked human-sized though the bottom of the hole did not sink in that deep. Squatting down Tsunade could reach her arm into the hole and touch the bottom. It went down to about her elbow in the small body she was in. “So, you were jealous. I’m a woman Hinata. Young knuckleheads like him, can’t help but fall for more mature women. Maybe he has a crush, but it isn’t like he actually loves me.” Standing back up Tsunade pats off the side of her pants and peeks over her shoulder at Hinata. “Think what you want. But if you want Naruto to be yours; becoming someone you aren’t isn’t going to make him love you.” With advice said on the matter Tsunade points down at the hole. “Now, what the hell are we supposed to do with this thing? I don’t see this girl you mentioned.”
Walking to Tsunade’s side Hinata crotches down not so elegant as Tsunade had. The weight on Hinata’s chest makes her stumble forward and she falls. Hands bracing herself Hinata has one hand in the hole and another above it. “A-ah… sorry.” Sighing she gets herself back up and more properly examines the hole trying to be mindful of her balance. “She didn’t tell me… about if I came back. I wasn’t sure if this hole would even be here when we got here. It’s not as deep as the first time though, so I think that means she’s not around.”
Holding the bridge of her nose Tsunade leans against the alley wall. “Well, then I guess we have no choice but to wait for her to come out, or come back.”
Hinata was not expecting to wait, but she nods in agreement and leans up against the opposite wall. “I-I suppose this will work well enough. It hasn’t been long; I don’t think she would have left completely. I wonder how long we’ll have to wait.”
The sun slowly runs past the sky, it was getting to noon. Hinata and Tsunade were stalking the hole but still left with no results. It gave them plenty of time then to look over their new bodies. To stare at themselves. “Hinata.” Tsunade crosses her arms under her smaller chest. “You’re not much of a fighter huh? You don’t have very much muscle… I can feel some, but not what I expect of a Hyuga.”
Hinata shivers a little rubbing at the side of her now swelled with muscle arm. “You’re a medical Ninja Tsunade. Yet you’re so strong too… it makes sense. I feel like I should be able to provide better support but… I’m really nothing like you.” Hinata gingerly cups at her breasts and lets them flop back down when letting go. “Y-your… I wonder if my body would ever fully mature like this.”
Snorting through her nose Tsunade rustles her dark hair a little frustrated by the comment. “You young girls… this caused this mess you know! Have confidence in your own body! You don’t need mine. And you don’t have to even be a Ninja you know?” Hinata shakes at the comment, and Tsunade’s voice suddenly softens up. “You do know that… don’t you? You don’t have to be what your clan wants. I already heard a bit about how things went for you. The people who like you, and want to spend time with you. Aren’t going to force you to do things you don’t want to do. Do you really think you need a body like mine to defend yourself?”
Later that night night
Hours upon hours had ticked away. Tsunade was used to this sort of Ninja work, waiting was something any Ninja had to be good at after all. Still, she was getting impatient. She had been stuck waiting around in a little kid’s body without even being able to drink. “This is too weird…” Tsunade scoffs into her hand and glances over her small frame. “You’re all so little at this age. Even though it’s night time my body still feels like it has energy. Tsk, I don’t even need to drink to feel okay, it’s too weird. I haven’t felt this youthful in a long time. Didn’t think I’d feel that way looking like this though.”
Chuckling nervously Hinata nods her head. Her eyes were a little sleepy trying to close now and again. It was hard to say if her now older body was weighing her down, or if it was some effect from the reflections. “Your body is strong… but I can tell I’m getting tired, especially since I haven’t done much.”
Click, clack, click, clack
The sound of wooden sandals clack, even against the dirt ground it was easy to tell if someone was wearing them. “Hellllooo~!” The voice was the bunny-eared girl Elica. It took some time but finally, she was here. “Oh, looks like I got two guests today hehe. Hello to you.”
Tsunade is the first to act. Leaping forward she jumps onto Elica sending the bunny-eared girl to the ground on her butt. Tsunade was not willing to be kind, she sits right on Elica’s waist holding a hand on the girl’s chest and one on her right wrist. “You did this to us didn’t you!?”
Elica giggles softly under her breath, she was trying her best not to laugh, but staring at Tsunade made it too hard. “Hehe, I take it you’re Tsunade? Our little Hinata’s body acting like this is far too strange, hehe, can’t help but giggle.” Tsunade’s eyes narrow and she presses her palm from Elica’s chest to her neck. “Oooh, getting angry about things, aren’t you? Do you believe I caused all of this? I made Hinata a promise, did she not tell you?”
Cocking an eyebrow Tsunade glances at Hinata. “O-oh!” Stumbling over her words as usual Hinata pokes her fingers together recalling the words Elica had told her before. “Sh-She said I wouldn’t die, that she’d make sure I have a good end. But… I didn’t really understand what she meant. No… I still don’t understand.” Hinata walks up to Tsunade and lifts her off of Elica like a toddler setting the smaller girl back on her feet. “Tsunade… don’t get angry at her. This, this was all my fault. Elica didn’t force me to do anything.” Taking a long breath Hinata helps Elica up to her feet, dusting off the back of the girl’s yukata. “You may be able to help us though… I used the fan Elica. I don’t know what I did to use it. But it spoke to me. It changed mine and Tsunade’s bodies, and… we don’t know what to do anymore.”
Elica frowns as she looks between both girls. “Well, what’s wrong with how things are? Tsunade got a younger body. She knows how to train properly and already has knowledge she could apply to the new body to become even better than before. While you Hinata have a stronger body, even if older you’re smart enough to manage the Hokage work and probably enjoy it compared to Tsunade. You won’t go gambling all the time either, if you two helped each other learn medical Jutsu and how to use Hyuga skills it seems like you’d just make better versions of each other right?”
The air is silent for a bit like Tsunade was actually thinking over the words. Hinata is the first to speak up, her hand gripping gently at her top. “W-Well that wouldn’t be right! I didn’t earn this myself… even if I wanna be like Tsunade, just becoming her easily like this. There’s too much wrong with all this!” Biting her lip Hinata takes another deep breath. “I do… get jealous. I want Naruto to be with me. Even so… I don’t want Naruto to like me because I’m pretending to be someone else… maybe if Tsunade was gone I’d have more Naruto time. Maybe if I was Tsunade, I’d have more Naruto time!” Panting softly Hinata’s hands shake a little her eyes welling with a few tears. “M-maybe if someone else was Hinata, they’d be a better me than I am. And actually, be able to make Naruto happy.”
Tsunade looks down deflated. “Hinata that’s how you were feeling with all this?” Ruffling up her hair Tsunade walks over to Hinata and grabs at her hand. “Look. I can say fine I feel good being suddenly young again. The idea Elica said doesn’t sound terrible either. But you haven’t gotten to live as long as me yet. It’s not my right to take away the life you have left to live. And—” Tsunade squeezes at Hinata’s hand and quickly hops up hugging the girl. “Don’t devalue your own life just because you’re feeling doubt. You’re a young beautiful girl still growing up. Don’t be so quick to think you need to change everything about yourself just for some boy.”
Sniffle
Elica wipes a few tears from her eyes. “Aw, that was a real good one. Hehe, I really gotta get more of these ones.” Lifting from her side Elica shows she now has the fan in her hand. Hinata looks quickly to see if she had it, but it was no longer on her person. “Don’t worry, not a double, this one is yours. I just grabbed it. Though you don’t know fully what I was trying to do huh?” Flourishing open the fan Elica turns it around to show the mirror side once again. “This fan shows doubts, desire, it can blend them up too. Then those looking are forced to face those things head-on.” Closing her eyes for a few moments Elica grins, her bunny ears suddenly twitching. “Hehe, I’ll make this sound easy for you. You both don’t need this fan to change back. It’s easier than you may think. You just both need to overcome the doubts within you. Then, you’ll be who you really should be, who you want to be. Maybe that means you’ll stay in those bodies, maybe you’ll swap back. Hehe, maybe Hinata will just end up stacked who knows, it’s a bit of a wildcard with that.”
Wiping some tears from her own eyes Hinata sniffles some more nodding. “I-I understand. I’ll! I’ll do my best!”
Rolling her eyes Tsunade eyes Elica over again. “You can still change us back yourself though, can’t you? But you want us to go through with this as some sort of test, right?”
Conking the side of her head with her knuckles Elica sticks out her tongue at them both. “Girl’s secret~! Hehe, I’m sure you two will figure things out. After all, I gave you the answer. Now.” Elica walks past both the girls and hovers one foot over her rabbit hole. “I’ll be going again. Maybe it won’t be you, but, we will meet again. You both, don’t need to be a mirror, be who you are with what you have.”
Tsunade and Hinata both run toward Elica. They hardly had any time to even talk to her. But it was too late. The girl hops right into the rabbit hole, and it fills itself in right as they both reach the spot. It was like a rabbit hole had never even been dug there before. “It’s not there at all anymore… is… d-does that mean she’s gone for good?” Hinata twists in place looking over the alleyway. “She told us some things… but.. I don’t know.”
Tsunade grabs Hinata’s hand and guides her out of the alley. The streets were bustling with people, the night still young. “She had weird powers… no clue if she was one of Orochimaru's experiments or something we could never understand. If the way we turn back or set things right is as she says though. I don’t think we have anything to lose trying.”
People stare, people gawk, some talk aloud, some whisper. A young barely teenage girl with the Hokage at night. Hinata was never the center of attention, but she certainly felt how it was like now. Still, Tsunade was there to squeeze at her hand. An ironic situation as they passed by the windows of the bars. The reflection showed a younger girl guiding an older one along when the reality of that reflection was much different. “Whatever we may face… I hope we can do it together now.”