Chapter One
Sunshine cascaded through the trees surrounding Konoha while sounds of wildlife filled the air. But the only sound Hyuuga Aikou could hear was the thump of her heart beating in her chest. Her breath labored and her mouth dry, what could put a highly skilled ANBU member in such a state? Aikou carried with her the most precious of cargos strapped upon her back. She walked slowly, careful not to jostle it as she began the long trail to a place she had not been in six years, a place that often appeared in her nightmares, causing her to break out in a cold sweat. She knew there was no longer anything to fear at her destination, that is, nothing to make her fear for her life, yet now more than ever she was afraid. The memories of those events six years ago were not on her mind, but rather the absolute fear one feels when faced with the greatest decision of their lifetime, a decision she did not want to make, but one she had no choice but to.
Books were the only source of excitement for Tanomoshii these days. The former number one Hunter-nin of Misuto, the Hidden Mist village, had long since retired from chasing renegade Shinobies from country to country and now lived vicariously through the cunning heroes that matched wits with evil geniuses from page to page of his stories. The retired life had not quite suited Tanomoshii the way he had hoped. Sure, at the beginning he was thrilled to have so much time on his hands, but as each new year came, passing the time became more of a chore than a joy. Tanomoshii chose to retire in an isolated swamp in the Water country away from Misuto where he had spent his entire life. He wanted to put all the bad memories of the place formerly known as "Blood Mist village" behind him and start over new, but was finding his Shinobi blood too much to fight. He had never enjoyed the killing and the loss of loved ones, common in a Shinobi's life, but he underestimated his joy of fighting. The thrill of facing an evenly matched opponent gave Tanomoshii's life meaning and now without the excitement of competition in his life he felt dull and void. "What I wouldn't do for a companion," Tanomoshii thought to himself as he turned the page, "but that's a foolish dream I suppose." Just as the hero was about to save the damsel in distress, Tanomoshii noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. His Shinobi instincts as quick as ever, Tanomoshii got out of his chair and made his way over to the window. "It's definitely a person," he said, "but who in their right mind would wander all the way out here alone?"
After two days and countless miles, Aikou was finally nearing her destination. Her sandals sloshed through the grotto with each step as she peered through the dense fog surrounding her. On the very edge of her vision she could make out what appeared to be a sign. As she crept closer she knew; she knew she was at the right place. The sign read, "Tanomoshii's place" in faded black letters, and under those letters Aikou noticed a short phrase etched into the wood. "Savior of the Lost" Aikou said, as she read the etching aloud while touching the grooves in the wood with her fingers, "Yep, this is definitely the right place." She paused for a moment to take a deep breath and swallowed as someone that was about to enter their first battle. Her legs were shaking and tears welled up in her eyes as emotion began to overtake her. "You're doing what's best" she told herself, as she walked down the lane to the small house created out of a giant tree that lay before her. Ever perceptive, Aikou noticed movement in the window and within a couple steps the door began to open. "Tanomoshii..." Aikou uttered as she dropped her head in reverence, face to face with the only man that could help her.
"Yes, that's my name, but I do not believe I know who you are."
"That...that etching is still visible after all these years..."
"The sign...then you must be..."
"Hyuuga Aikou." Aikou said as she lifted her head and the familiar white eyes of the Hyuuga clan were revealed to Tanomoshii.
The two Shinobies stared each other in the eyes, each not knowing what quite to say. The awkward silence would not last long, however, as the cries of a child broke the air. "A child?" Tanomoshii exclaimed in surprise as he stood on his tippy toes to look over Aikou's shoulder. "Actually...that's what I came all this way for" Aikou said as tears filled the corners of her eyes. "Then come inside and tell me all about it. It's been rather cold lately and I wouldn't want you or the child to catch something. Once inside we can make some tea and tend to the child" Tanomoshii stated as he ushered Aikou into the house built into a giant tree. A small smile breaking her stern demeanor, "I would like that" Aikou replied as she walked through the small entrance into fire-warmed home.
Chapter 2
Shadows crept across the house, dancing on the walls with the fire's blaze. The sun was beginning to set as Aikou sat across from the man she held great respect for. The sounds of insects in the grotto invaded the air as Aikou and Tanomoshii sipped their tea, or at least as Tanomoshii sipped his tea. Aikou's hand shook too frantically to drink and every time she tried to sip she ended up spilling.
"I'm...I'm sorry" the surprisingly vulnerable ANBU member said.
"No I'm sorry" Tanomoshii replied as he retrieved a blanket from the closet and wrapped it around Aikou's shoulders.
"...I'm sorry my presence can not put you more at ease" the aged warrior finished as he sat back in his chair.
Even after all these years, he looked as imperious as ever, his strong shoulders gave character to his small figure, a figure once derided by his colleagues, but he had long since proved his worth as a bastion of strength. He stroked his white beard before circling his hand through his short, coarse hair, finally ending with his elbow on the arm rest and his hand firmly supporting his face. He stared at Aikou with his light blue eyes which still sparkled with exuberance, forming the words he wanted to say to defuse the situation. "Now Aikou, I haven't seen you since those terrible events you suffered six years ago..." Tanomoshii paused realizing his mistake. His countenance changed to one expressing grief hoping he hadn't brought back unpleasant memories. "It's okay Tanomoshii" Aikou replied, wiping the tears from her soft white eyes. "I have long since put those events in the back of my mind. I do admit that upon seeing the sign out there, all the memories came flooding back, but as you can see" Aikou said pointing to the ANBU mask on the side of her head, "a Shinobi does not let her emotions control her." Aikou sniffled and regained her composure. The gentle ANBU warrior pulled back her disheveled jet black hair and tightened her flak jacket in an attempt to recall her heritage. She straightened her pants and wiped the dirt off her boots before lifting up her chin proudly, looking down on the old man before her as only a Hyuuga could. Tanomoshii chuckled to himself, "Even after all these years, you still believe that?" he said referring to Aikou's paraphrase of the Shinobi code. "I see your father has schooled you well in the Hyuuga ways. How is Hiashi doing these days?" Aikou's stiff demeanor crumbled as she drooped her head down, her eyes found the floor as once again she felt pain in the pit of her stomach. She reached her hands behind her head and untied her forehead protector. As she lifted her head the look of surprise on Tanomoshii's face said it all. "That's...that's the branch family seal...what happened?" Tanomoshii exclaimed in astonishment. "I..." Aikou began as the tears once again began to fall, "I...wasn't faithful to the Hyuuga."
"Not faithful to the Hyuuga? Whatever do you mean child?" Tanomoshii inquired with wide eyes. Aikou lifted her tear stained eyes and looked over at the child, now back asleep on the couch across from the fireplace. She rose from her seat and knelt down by her child, gently caressing his face. Tanomoshii followed Aikou over to the couch and looked down.
"Then...his father is not from the Hyuuga?" Tanomoshii said, while staring at the child.
"No...no he's not."
"I see...well even considering how strict the Hyuuga clan is, you are the heir to the main..."
"Was the heir..." Aikou interrupted depressingly.
Tanomoshii's face saddened. He hated to see the vibrant child he had met six years ago in such a state.
"It seems once again I have spoken foolishly, my apologies...but even so, relations outside the clan have happened before. Such an act as banishment to the branch family is unheard of! The Byakugan gene has shown to be only active in the bond between two with Hyuuga heritage so there is no fear of having the clan's secrets passed out..." "But don't you see!" Aikou said as tears gushed from her eyes, "I'm the heir! I'm supposed to pass down the secrets of the Hyuuga to the next generation! And besides..." Aikou paused to catch her breath, "...the boy's father is not just any man..." Just then, one of Aikou's tears fell upon the face of the sleeping child. He twitched and wiped his face. The moisture on his skin awoke him from his slumber and within seconds he began to open his eyes.
"...his father is an Uchiha."
Chapter 3
Tanomoshii gasped as he looked at the boy's eyes. Noting his reaction, Aikou said glumly, "That...that is why I have come here." Tanomoshii stared as the boy's eyes, unable to look away. The sclera (author's note: commonly referred to as the whites) of his eyes were not white as all other individuals he had seen but were rather a deep black that seemed to suck you in as you looked at them. Within the sclera, the boy had the famous white irises of the Hyuuga clan. Most shockingly, though, was what lay within the iris. "This...this can't be!" Tanomoshii said in astonishment. "The...the sharingan!"
Staring back as Tanomoshii with his mysterious eyes, the young boy smiled. The kind-hearted Tanomoshii's face returned the smile and thought to himself, "It looks like the sharingan...but it's not the same....the marks on his pupil are white rather than black...what is this boy?"
"Were the boy's eyes the reason you were subjugated to the branch house?" Tanomoshii inquired to Aikou who had by now regained her composure. "No, they have never seen him. Even before I began to show I was pregnant, I could not hide from my father's eyes...he knew. Out of respect for my father, I chose to tell him the truth...that his grandson's father was an Uchiha. I don't know if you know this or not, but the Uchiha clan split off from the Hyuuga a long time ago after the Sharingan began to develop within the bloodline. There was a dispute and the two clans have been in competition ever since, fighting for the title of the most powerful of Konoha. That fact that the heir of the Hyuuga clan would become pregnant by an Uchiha was unacceptable. My father branded me with the branch house seal and I went to live on my own at the edge of town. Even the branch family hated me for what I had done. Speaking of my connection to the main house became forbidden and my newly born sister Hinata was declared as heir to the family. When it came time to conceive, I had to bear it all on my own. No one was allowed to help me, even if someone wanted to. When it came time to name him, I knew the fate that awaited him. With no clan to tie his loyalties to, I named him Hitokage Jakunen, as he will be lonely all his life."
"So Jakunen is his name?"
"Yes that is what I have chosen to name him."
Jakunen began to laugh as Tanomoshii tickled his belly. "Even with such sad eyes, he sure lights up a room" Tanomoshii said as he smiled in return. "I'm glad to see you two getting along, which brings me to why I came here..."
Aikou's demeanor once again turned serious as her soft white eyes stared into Tanomoshii's.
"In Konoha, I have no one to turn to. Once a proud heir to the foremost clan of Konoha, I am now an outcast in my own family. Everyday the pain and anguish of being alone burns a whole in my soul. I refuse to allow Jakunen's father to throw away his whole life by coming to my aid, I must bear this burden alone. For me, my only escape is my missions for ANBU, but for Jakunen, there will be no escape. His eyes are much more of a curse than my seal could ever be, in Konoha he will be an outcast for the rest of his life, never having a chance to succeed. I know with his heritage he can have a bright future. You can see, even by looking at his eyes. Some form of the sharingan is already there, no Uchiha has ever been born with the ability so innately. But even if he is a genius, he will be spited for his appearance and my wrong doings. I...I cannot allow this to happen to him."
Once again, tears began to run down Aikou's face as she maintained a stern appearance. "In hopes of saving my son, I am appearing before you, broken and crying. You saved my life once, now I am asking you to save his. Please...please save my son!" Aikou cried out as she fell to her knees before Tanomoshii, her hands clasping to the robe Tanomoshii had worn since his Hunter-nin days. Reacting quickly, Tanomoshii fell to his knees. Tears began to roll down the old man's face, a face hardened by many years of wars and death, yet had maintained the warmth that radiated from Tanomoshii since his birth. Tanomoshii wrapped his arms around Aikou and held her close to his wiry frame. Aikou's mouth opened in surprise, taken back by the kind man's gesture. "For you Aikou..." Tanomoshii pronounced as he struggled to speak through the crying.
"...For you, I will do whatever this boy requires!"
The two broken warriors sat there, holding each other in silence. The silence did not last long, however, as Jakunen began to cry. Rising from the floor, Aikou reached out to take the baby, only to find Tanomoshii had beaten her to it. "I know what you are asking Aikou, and I would have to be the most cold-hearted of men to refuse." Jakunen quickly stopped his crying in the caring arms of the old shinobi, as Tanomoshii rocked him back and forth. "Living in the Water Country, where bloodline abilities are still feared, it will not be easy, but under my care, I will see that Jakunen realizes his potential." Aikou began to cry once more. "Please don't cry Aikou, I know firsthand how painful it is to loose your child, but I can't bear to see you cry any longer, this old heart can't take it. Aikou smiled, fighting back the tears, "Do not worry yourself over my tears Tanomoshii, for they are tears of happiness. I am happy that Jakunen will have a real home, with the man I respect the most." Tanomoshii's eyes welled up as he began to laugh wiping the tears from his face, "The fact that you would say such things, makes me want to cry even more!" The two laughed together, breaking the melancholy tone of the room. "Well Tanomoshii, I cannot put into words how thrilled I am that you have chosen to look after Jakunen, but staying any longer will just make it harder for me to let go. Just look at him, already he feels comfortable enough to sleep on your shoulder" Aikou referred to Jakunen, pointing to the sleeping babe in Tanomoshii's arms. Sure enough, Jakunen had closed his big bright eyes and had fallen asleep. "At least stay the night Aikou. The Leaf is still at war with the Lightning and even here in the Water Country, there may be enemies. It is not safe, even for an ANBU warrior such as yourself, to be traveling alone at night." "Your old age has made you even wiser Tanomoshii, you are, of course, justified in your concerns, I will stay" Aikou replied with a smile. "Besides, it will give me one last night to spend with Jakunen." On cue, Tanomoshii handed over the sleeping baby to Aikou and guided her to the guest room in his humble home, hollowed out of a giant tree. Tanomoshii tucked in the exhausted girl and shut off the lights. As he closed the door, Tanomoshii whispered gently, "Sleep well Aikou...sleep well."
The sun burst through the windows and warmed Aikou's face. She gradually opened her large white eyes and stared down at her sleeping child. Her mind was racing a mile a minute, realizing that momentarily she was going to loose her son forever. He could never know her, just knowing her existence could ruin his life and she would not allow that to happen. Besides, it would be too hard on her to see him again, knowing she would have to walk away once more. The smell of Ramen flooded her senses as she rose from her bed and opened the door. Inside the main living area, Tanomoshii was furiously preparing a hardy breakfast for his visitors. "Oh hello Aikou, good morning to you!" The kind man said to his adoring guest. "Ah ramen, my favorite!" Aikou replied. The two sat down to eat in silence, each dreading the moments to come when Aikou would walk away forever. "Tanomoshii..." Aikou said, "...thank you for everything." "It is a pleasure my child," Tanomoshii replied, "I never thought I'd get a second chance..." The old man's mind drifted off to thoughts of the past, feelings of pain and loss, broken dreams and heartache. "I'm just saddened that it had to be this way." Both Tanomoshii and Aikou broke eye contact and looked down, neither wishing to recall the deep felt emotions of the night before. "Well Tanomoshii, it is time for me to be leaving" Aikou said while retrieving her ANBU overcoat. "I don't want to be here when Jakunen wakes up...it'll be too hard." "I understand child" Tanomoshii replied while opening the door. "Take care my dear, beware of enemies on your way back." "There is nothing to fear," Aikou said while smirking, "I am a Hyuuga after all." As Tanomoshii admired, Aikou walked down the lane, disappearing into the morning fog. Tanomoshii closed the front door and walked into the room where Jakunen still laid asleep. "Today is your rebirth. A Konoha genius transformed into a child of the Mist" Tanomoshii said while clenching his fists. "I will not allow my past failures to happen again...you...will...be special!"
Aikou stood still in the mist, staring at the sign to the entrance of Tanomoshii's place. Her heart once again filled with emotion as she reminisced. Picking up her feet, Aikou renewed her journey home. "Six years have passed and nothing has changed..."
"...You truly are a savior of the lost..."
You can find the latest updates to this story, an easier to read format, and more at my website:
http:www.freewebs.com/hitokage/index.htm