Years Later...
Many stories had been told of The Raven. How he lived, what he could do, how cold and ruthless he was. Speculation as to his identity was rampant, and many who remembered Uchiha Sasuke as a younger man agreed he fit the profile.
But the man and husband who was still obviously madly love with Hinata Hyuuga didn't fit that profile. Old gossips would turn and see the young couple on the street and argue over whether such a nice young man could have ever done such things. Surely not, most said. He had a wife, and children! He hadn't been a ninja for years. Besides, The Raven had been active after he had been married.
They watched as Hinata giggled and shot a knowing look at her husband as they passed their gossiping group and looked at the two skeptically. He had raised an eyebrow at his wife and then smirked as he opened the shop's door, "After you, my lady." Hinata laughed, as if because of some private joke, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before she went through the door.
The gossips shook their head. Surely not. These too were far too obviously happily in love, and everyone knew that The Raven had no heart.
The sounds of the Uchiha couple's laughter faded in the street.
Kosuke had grown strong over the years. He was a little impatient of the way he lived, not enjoying his life to its fullest. He envied his younger sister Shicara. She didn't live the same way he did and he thought it was unfair.
"How come Shi-chan doesn't have to train...?" Kosuke complained to his father. The raven haired man looked down at him.
"Your mother does not want her to live this kind of life. She wants Shicara to live the life she wanted for herself but never had the chance to have." He said to Kosuke. Kosuke glanced at the house, looking for his sister in the windows. "Come on Kosuke, try the Katon jutsu again. You're getting close."
Kosuke sighed and turned to look across the field they were standing in. He had been trying to master this jutsu for a long time now. There were singed patches in the grass now. His father was really encouraging and always said that he was doing amazing.
The fireball went a couple meters across the field, just past the last singed area. Even though he had improved slightly it wasn't enough for him to feel confident in his ability.
"You can stop training for today and go inside, and please, don't try to do any more jutsu. I will know if you do." Kosuke nodded and walked inside.
'I'll master that jutsu and a whole bunch more before the night is up father, just watch me.' He thought to himself, looking over his shoulder at his father.
'He'll make a fine shinobi when he's grown up. I wonder how he feels about it though; he has nobody to look up to, nobody to allow him to challenge himself.' Sasuke was gazing up at the clouds, thinking about Kosuke.
There were things that Kosuke just didn't understand yet, and would never have the chance to. He would never know an elder brother, or the determination to beat this brother. He would think of his father as hard working and that's not the point Sasuke wanted to get through to him.
"Kosuke! Don't interrupt Shicara while she's practicing!" Sasuke faced the house. Kosuke was causing trouble again around the house, like always. Shicara didn't ever seem to mind but Hinata was a little annoyed by his actions.
"But mother... I'm bored and Shicara likes playing with me!" Kosuke shouted at Hinata. Sasuke smiled. Kosuke had a strong will; that would be useful later in life.
Sasuke started walking to the door of the house where everyone seemed to be. He could hear Shicara laughing from inside. Her laugh was just like Hinata's, when Hinata decides to laugh. Sasuke assumed that Hinata was punishing Kosuke in some way, not a bad way, but it was probably entertaining.
He opened the door and saw Shicara sitting on the piano bench, almost falling off from laughter. Kosuke was trying to resist laughing; he was however turning red in the face. Hinata was tickling him. Sasuke smiled even more.
"Mother stop!" Kosuke couldn't hold out any longer and burst out laughing, causing Shicara to laugh even harder than before. Hinata smiled and stopped tickling him. He grinned and jumped up but Hinata caught him before he could run off.
"Promise me you won't disturb her again for the next ten minutes and then you two can play." Hinata said, giving Kosuke a stern look. Kosuke nodded and twisted his hand out of her grip. Sasuke's smile disappeared at that moment. Hinata looked at Sasuke and he took a slight step back.
"It's not what it looks like..." He started but couldn't finish explaining why Kosuke had managed to get out of that before Hinata was on top of him. She was glaring down at him.
'What's she going to do this time...?'
"Did you teach him that Sasu-Kun...?" Hinata demanded, glaring at him. Sasuke flinched, she was pissed and that wasn't normal for her. Then again, her child wasn't behaving because of Sasuke, which had to be why she was like this.
Sasuke nodded and Hinata sighed getting off him. He sighed and got up himself. Hinata told Shicara to continue with her practicing. Sasuke listened to her playing the piano. His mother had played once or twice but nothing as intricate as this.
Hinata said goodnight to the two kids and closed the door. Kosuke tended to fall asleep easily, mostly because he got up early to go to the academy. Shicara stayed up late reading and drawing. The girl was two years younger than her brother but her chance to decide what to do with her life was coming soon.
"How's my lady doing?" Sasuke asked from beside Hinata. She was used to him appearing seemingly out of nowhere. She turned and faced him; a slight smiled gracing her angelic face. Then she shook her head and hugged him.
"How can I be okay when I know you have to leave again, especially on this mission? I don't want to lose you..." Hinata mumbled into his chest. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. He wasn't in the best of moods either. He had to leave that night on a mission.
The Raven was back in action after hearing rumours of an up-coming war. He needed information and he needed it quick. If he didn't get it the whole of Konoha would be in trouble.
The only problem with this mission is that the person he was hunting down was just as mysterious as The Raven is. His name is Sky Dragon. Well, it's assumed that Sky Dragon is male since they are an extremely strong fighter.
"Hina... I'll be okay; you know how strong I am more than anyone else, especially as The Raven. Sky Dragon couldn't be matched otherwise, that's why I'm going after him." Sasuke said. He wasn't good at reassuring people in the least.
Hinata simply nodded and hugged him tighter. She knew he would return but she didn't know when or in what condition. The worst case would be their two children growing up without a father and her having to tell them why.
Sasuke had her let go of him and held her so he could put his forehead against hers. She looked into his onyx eyes, seeing everything he was feeling. He was scared, hurting, and even slightly happy.
"Hina, I have to go now. I'll be back; you can count on that." Sasuke said to her. She nodded slightly and Sasuke smiled. He kissed her and the next thing she knew his mask was on and he disappeared. The Raven was stalking its prey again.
The moon shone through Shicara and Kosuke's window. Kosuke was fast asleep but Shicara was wide awake. Something didn't feel right anymore. Something was wrong and she could feel it in her bones.
"Kosuke...? Are you awake...?" She asked him quietly.
There was no answer so she got out of bed to see what had her so worried. The world seemed a little too dark, in a literal sense and a figurative sense.
She slid out of her room and down the hall, looking for anything suspicious. She had the makings of a shinobi but her mother didn't want that life for her. Shicara wanted it all too much though. If she could, she'd gladly take her brothers place, since he didn't like what he was doing either.
There was a sound in the room beside her. She looked over. It was her parents' room. She took as step forward and reached out for the knob. She hesitated a moment but heard sobbing from inside and slid the door open.
Her mother was sitting on the bed crying. She called out to her mother but she didn't respond. Shicara walked into the room and climbed onto the bed beside her mother; still no response.
"Mother... What's wrong...?" Shicara asked her mother. Still she didn't respond. Nothing was working. Maybe this was the bad thing she had felt. Where was her father anyway? Normally he would be comforting her. So where did he go?
"Shicara, you should be in bed..." Shicara's mother said to her. She looked up at her mother, confused and worried. "Your father is away on a mission. I thought we had both given up that life but I guess we can never leave it."
Her mother looked out the window at the moon outside. Shicara followed her gaze, hoping to see something there other than the moon and stars. There wasn't. Shicara sighed and looked at her mother's face. She was extremely worried about something but I don't think she'll tell me.
It had been three years. Sasuke visited his home so the kids didn't get too worried about him. Shicara was now in the academy along with Kosuke. Hinata was growing more worried with each passing day.
She'd make food for the kids like usual. Get Shicara to practice music, even though she was now in the academy. Kosuke would refuse help with training from her since he thought that her style of fighting was weak.
She spent most of her day trying to figure out why Sasuke hadn't come home for good yet. No war had arrived and she was pretty sure that after three years it wouldn't come. Could she be wrong?
Sasuke never revealed any details to her out of fear, so he said, of her falling into the enemy's hands for the wrong reason. Not like it hadn't happened before. He had been the one whose hands she had fallen into.
She didn't regret anything from her past but she has always wondered whether or not things could have been different. If she hadn't been the one to be married, would she have fallen in love with him? Would he have fallen in love with the other?
Questions like these took up most of her days. She didn't pay too much attention to her own children anymore because of it. She was becoming distant, like how Sasuke used to be when he was younger. But she was worse off.
She had children to look after. Becoming distant was not something a mother did or should do. Nobody had told her how much it hurt to be away from one you loved. Nobody had warned her. She wished someone had.
"Mother... Somebody is at the door for you... I don't know who or why but they want to see you..." Hinata raised her head at the sound of Shicara's voice and nodded. She stood off the bed and hardly glanced at her child as she walked past.
What was wrong with her?
