As a new mother Hyuga Hikari could not have asked for a better first child. Her son, Hyuga Haru, was a quiet baby that was silent for the most part, not including when he needed his food or changed diaper or when he was sick. To Hikari he was the most beautiful little thing. He held the eyes of a Hyuga that were tinted a slight blue, pale skin and the softest crow black hair.
Haru was a happy little baby even if he was a bit quiet, always cooing happily. For both Hikari and Hiashi he was an angel, especially for Hiashi who was soon to become the lord of the Hyuga's Main Branch, taking the place of his quickly sickening father, Hyuga Hiro. And though Haru was conceived out of wedlock he was born in wedlock, making him the heir instead of a bastard.
Hikari took care of Haru for the most part, only leaving him with a nurse-maid when the duties of the up and coming lady of a clan called her away to meetings and small parties not suited for a newborn child. For the first few months of his life he was within the walls of the Hyuga compound - but that changed on a slightly chilly morning at the end of September. Usually Hikari would ask one of her friends in the Branch family to get her supplies for the garden she had been passed down from her obaa-sama when she was young, but it was a beautiful morning if only a little chilly. So once she and little 4 month old Haru finished their breakfasts Hikari bundled Haru up and the two set off to the market square in the center of Konoha. It was there, in the midst of the sluggish moving civilian Hikari saw a face in the crowd she hadn't seen since her first and only try in the Chunin Exams - having become a chunin after easily defeating a civilian boy who had made it to the last test. The forever youthful face of Uchiha Mikoto, wife of the new head of the Uchiha clan and newly made mother.
They hadn't even been friends in the academy though not enemies either, so Hikari didn't know why she called out her name, "Mikoto-san."
The moment the name was out of her lips Mikoto looked upon her, recognition lighting in her deep, coal-black eyes. "Hikari-san," Mikoto addressed, walking away slightly from the store to talk to the young Hyuga, "I haven't seen you in a long time. Are you still a kunoichi?"
And from that moment they connected like they had been best friends their entire lives. It was around lunch time when Haru got hungry that Mikoto invited Hikari to her friend's house, only replying to Hikari's insisting she be personally invited with a small, sly smile and a reassurance of "she won't mind a bit". They walked a bit, only 5 minutes from the market and closer to the training areas where they came to their destination - a little cottage placed between two training grounds with a little vegetable in the front, though it looked a little wilted.
With a determined Uchiha leading her and her little fussing Haru whimpering for food, Hikari had little choice in the matter, following Mikoto without a choice. Before they made it half way down the little stone walkway the bright red door burst open and an equally red blur came through, stopping in front of Mikoto and talking a million miles a second. Hikari stood there in shock, even Haru becoming still at the sudden noise. After a few seconds of her stillness Hikari unfroze and did something unexpected - she burst out laughing. For some reason Hikari found the situation hilarious and just couldn't stop. When she finally stopped laugh she looked up, whipping her eyes with the hand that wasn't holding Haru and looked up to see green and black eyes filled with mirth and joy.
"Hi, my name is Uzumaki Kushina, pleased to meet ya, dattebane!" was the enthusiastic greeting.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Hyuga Hikari."
That was the beginning of something, a beautiful friendship between the three women.