Beyond The Stars (Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 110~ Trust

"That's okay, but do you feel comfortable enough to be around us?" One of the figures with deep blue and black hair spoke up. Her voice was soft and polite, judging from her height, she had grown rather tall. "Hinata Hyuga right?" 

"Mmhmm." I took in another deep breath, propping myself so I was sitting on top of the desk. My body faced the others as I felt myself relax. "Sure I'll explain." 

After I had managed to calm myself down and explain I seemed to be less on edge. I was grateful for the fact that they let me explain instead of twisting their own ideals. Well mostly. 

"How can we be sure you're not lying right now?" My head snapped towards the reaction. He was on the same team as Tenten and Lee. Sakura stood from my side and I could see her ready to talk, "Sakura, it's fine. Hyuga I am really sorry but I don't have anything to say I'm not." 

"So you could of switched sides during the years. Who's to say you were ever on our side." He was absolutely right, this is what I expected. "Don't you think you're going a little far Neji?" 

"No, he's not at all. Everyone was being too lenient, I guarantee you all have at least a little doubt in your minds already." Everyone was still silent, which answered what everyone was thinking. They were still cautious, good on them. "I hold no prejudice towards any of you for being cautious. I applaud you for it, that is what I had predicted from the beginning." 

My tone had become sterner as my sentence structure reverted back to formal. The semi-casual way of speaking I had recently adopted seemed almost foreign as the words flowed from my mouth. 

"I've seen you in action Astara-San, you are incredible but you came out of nowhere one day with skills higher than everyone in the academy." Shino Abarame, I don't think I've ever had a full conversation with him. "Ask me questions, I'll answer. Unless I am completely uncomfortable then I'll be vaguer."

"When you joined the academy where did you come from?" They wasted no time in asking questions, but what surprised me most was how intently everyone was listening. "I had escaped from Orochimaru and was found on the outskirts of the village. From there I was introduced to the Hokage and offered a home here." 

"Why were you with Orochimaru?" This time the question came from Choji. "Well I was taken from my compound when I was four, and from then on I was trained to become a weapon." 

"What's that on your neck," She was timid when asking, and almost posed less as a question. But I gave an answer nonetheless, tilting my head to expose more of the curse mark. "This is a curse mark bestowed upon me by Orochimaru. It's how it was able to control me for so long." 

"Is he still able to control you using it?" The skeptical nature of the question was asked by the other Hyuga. "Yes and no. Yes, he still influences how the curse mark is worse, usually when I am near him, or thinking back, the curse mark tends to try and influence me with power. If I ignore the mark it causes pain, and will slowly spread. But no it doesn't bother me as much anymore. I've grown used to the pain and instilled me with a sense of pride knowing I was disobeying the bastard."  

"Why were you taken?" I wish I had the answer. "To my knowledge, I was a promising swordsman at my age and Orochimaru caught wind of me and my clans kekki genkai. So he attacked and killed almost everybody in my family and compound. Using my mental state and uncertainty he approached me and said he was a friend of my father's, so I went with him."

"You willingly went with Orochimaru?" Hyuga was outraged, but nobody could really blame him. "I did, I won't lie to you. I was called a monster and so many names I wish not to repeat. He was nice to me like my father was, so I thought it would be okay."