The Ballad of Hinata

Hinata, Sasuke, Kiba, Sakura

Rated T

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its extensions, and I don't own Disney's Mulan.

Author's Note: This is Mulan, Naruto style starring Hinata as Mulan, Kiba as Mushu, Shino as Cri-Kee, and Sasuke as Shang. Sakura is Hinata's childhood friend who decides to go into battle with her, refusing for her to be surrounded by a bunch of testosterone alone and for feminine support. I hope you enjoy it. Love, SehunsBae37.

The Ballad of Hinata

Chapter 1

It was early in the morning, the sun not too high in the sky. The village was bustling, many families preparing their of age daughters to meet the matchmaker and bring their family honor. In a compound away from the hustle and bustle was an of age daughter, the eldest of the esteemed Hyuuga family. Her name was Hyuuga Hinata.

Hinata was currently in her room walking in circles as she muttered to herself, going over everything that she needed to be for the day. Today she too would be going to see the matchmaker, not of her own choice, but that of her father's Hyuuga Hiashi, leader of the Hyuuga clan and war hero from twenty years ago. According to him, she was eighteen and fully ready to be a bride. She didn't agree but knew better than to go against her father.

"Okay Hinata, you can do this. You just need to be quiet, graceful, poised, delicate, quaint, and punctual. And above all, impress the matchmaker to bring the Hyuuga clan honor," she said quietly to herself.

This was all nothing new to her; her father had been drilling it in her head ever since she turned seventeen. He had already started planning to marry her off to bring their family honor, while grooming her younger sister Hanabi to take over the family, though it should be her as she was the eldest. However, Hiashi didn't believe she had what it took to run the family and passed over her to her sister, the apple of his eye.

A knock on the door alerted her before it opened and her cousin Neji stepped inside. As customary of a side branch member he bowed to her upon his entrance, though Hinata hated it as much as Neji did. He found it degrading and Hinata found it embarrassing and it made her feel awful. She wondered why her father would do this to their family. Her late uncle Hizashi, Neji's father and Hiashi's twin, was beaten by his brother over who would be the leader of the clan and leader of the main branch, leaving him to be leader of the side branch and having all the males of the side branch branded.

Neji straightened and said, "Good morning, Hinata-sama."

"Please don't call me that. We're family, you can call me just 'Hinata'," Hinata said with a kind smile on her face.

"Thank you, but I must decline," Neji replied.

Hinata sighed and asked, "Is it time to get ready?"

Neji nodded and Hinata sighed once more following her cousin out of her room and down a series of hallways. Servants bowed to her as she went along until she reached a bathroom. She stepped inside and the doors closed behind her. Two maids were waiting for her and one of them was waiting by the large bath while the other helped Hinata undress from her nightgown. Once she was fully unclothed, she stepped in the bath and sat down, wetting herself before grabbing the loofah and soap, scrubbing and cleaning herself while one of the maids began to wash her long, dark blue hair. When her hair was thoroughly cleaned, the other maid dumped a bucket of water on head, rinsing the suds out of her hair and off of her body. Hinata then stood and squeezed the water out of her hair before stepping out of the bath and wrapping a towel around herself.

Drying herself off she asked, "What has been picked out for me?"

The maid that had washed her hair answered, "It is a very lovely kimono, Hinata-sama. It is made of the finest silk and is sure to impress the matchmaker. I guarantee that you will be chosen as a bride for one of the village's great men."

"Yes, I agree. If I may be so bold as to say this, I have heard that Master Fuyuhiko is looking for his fourth wife and he has his eye set on you, Hinata-sama," the other maid said, drying Hinata's wet hair with a towel.

Hinata couldn't help but cringe at hearing that. Everyone in the village knew old Fuyuhiko was a pervert and went from woman to woman, never staying faithful to his wife, or many wives he has had. And on top of that, not one of them has ever bared him a child in his forty-nine years, and Hinata did not want to be the one to do so.

After Hinata was dried off, the maids massaged her body with lotions and oils to make her already soft skin softer, then they pinned her dried hair up neatly. Hinata put on her own underwear before she was helped into a beautiful kimono. It was royal blue to with silver butterflies to help accent her white eyes. Once that was on a white obi was wrapped around her middle and secured in the back. She was then sat down and makeup was placed on her face before adding in a flower clip to her hair and sandals on her feet. When she was finally placed in front of a mirror, she did all she could to not gape in horror. Hinata didn't look like herself at all. She looked just like a geisha and would look just like the other daughters going to meet the matchmaker.

"You look beautiful, Hinata-sama," her maid said in awe, the other one nodding in agreement.

The maids then led Hinata out of her home and to the gates of the compound where her father was waiting with Neji and Hanabi. Hiashi stared down at her with a scrutinizing look, silently judging the way she looked. After a moment he nodded and said, "You look presentable. Let us be off then. And Hinata?"

Hinata looked up at Hiashi and answered, "Yes, father?"

"Do not embarrass me or the Hyuuga family today. We cannot have you bringing disgrace upon our name due to you being foolish during your meeting with the matchmaker."

"Y-Yes, father."

"Stop stuttering at once."

"Yes, father."

Hiashi nodded before turning and exiting the compound, Hanabi right behind him. Neji waited behind with Hinata a bit before turning to her and saying, "I am sorry I cannot go with you today. But I wanted to give this to you."

"What is it?" Hinata asked curiously.

Neji reached inside his own obi of his kimono and pulled out a little cage with a cricket inside of it. Handing it to his cousin he smiled softly and said, "For good luck."

Hinata smiled up at her cousin as she took the cricket, holding the cage carefully in her hands as she said, "Thank you, Neji-niisan."

"Y-You're welcome," Neji replied, caught by surprise at hearing her call him 'niisan' again after so many years, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks. Hinata giggled softly at seeing his cheeks turn pink, causing Neji to clear his throat in embarrassment. "You should hurry along now, before Uncle notices you're not following."

"Right. Thank you again," Hinata said before tucking the cricket and its cage in her obi and running after her father and sister. Before long she would be presented with other of age daughters to meet the matchmaker and chosen as a bride. She only wished her life hadn't come to this. But maybe the cricket Neji gave her would give her luck and the outcome wouldn't be so bad. Hinata could only hope.