A/N: My first fic. Please don't kill me reviewers, I'm sure this isn't going to be the best of stories but I will try. Reviving Neji might be overdone but if someone didn't kill him in the first place I wouldn't have to go through the trouble. Please excuse the errors and bad grammar. Rating may go up later in the story. I do not own anything.
The last thing he remembered was Naruto asking him why he did it. "Because they called me a genius" he replied. But in actuality he didn't really know why he did it. In actuality he didn't want to leave this earth. He was close to finding his purpose - and not just his duty to the main branch - but his purpose for being... for his other half. The cold wooden daggers that pierced into him didn't bother him one bit, he was numb to the fact he was leaving and he could never return. But when he saw his cousin standing next to her beloved, he smiled at them instead of cursing himself because he knew they had a much better chance at happiness than he had - even before he knew he was doomed to die.
And he didn't regret it .
Not yet, anyway.
And with that he was plunged into the dark. It dragged him down. Suffocating him. Like being pinned under a boulder at the bottom of the deepest chasm of the ocean. Just as fast as the darkness came it left him all at once. Now at this present state he slowly stood up from his laying position in a white bright world. It took him a good 30 seconds for his eyes to adjust to brightness that ignited everything - which was at the same time nothing - around him. Everything was white. There were no walls, no floor, no ceiling or horizon. He understood what was happening but didn't understand where he was.
"So much for seeing my father again," Neji huffed and sat down criss cross applesauce.
"You were always so pessimistic Neji, I really don't know where you get that from," a voice called out, a bit sarcastic on that last part.
Neji instantly jumped to his feet and went into his defensive stance. Activating his kekkei genkai he searched the vast white realm until his eyes landed on a small woman.
She was about 5'2", mid-thirties, wavy mocha brown hair down to her hips and pupil-less eyes white as snow. Garbed in a long white robe and a heavenly smile, Neji could have easily mistaken her for an angel. Until, he heeded close attention to the way her nose was straight and slender and curved in perfect form right at the tip just as his, the way her left eye crinkled just a tad bit more than the right when she grinned just the way his did also - in the rare case he ever grinned. He dropped to his knees in complete shock, because he had only heard stories of the woman in which sang him lullabies to sleep (which he can unbelievably and vaguely remember). "Mom...," Neji managed to whisper while tears streamed down his face without his knowledge or consent.
"Oh my baby! I didn't mean to startle you! Come get up my love we have a lot to catch up on", the woman rushed to her child's side. Never actually having the chance to raise her child she instantly treated him like a 4 year old that just scraped his knee while playing on the playground. She lifted him up using all her strength - She soon realized her "baby" was a grown man - a heavy and tall grown man at that. 'Goodness you look so handsome like your daddy!' She thought inwardly and stifled a giggle.
Once he regained his senses he felt his mother pulling him up. He towered over her by a good 10 inches. It reminded him of how he used to look down - literally not social stature wise - at that someone. The feeling of loneliness started creeping up on him until he heard his mother rustle in front of him. Then he got the overwhelming sense of warmth from his mothers presence - which also reminded him of the woman back on earth who substituted when he needed most in his mothers place - and he quickly embraced her in a bear hug that rivaled his sensei's.
"Oh my darling, it seems you have inherited something from me", and she hugged him back with equal fervor then released to pinch his cheeks and give him a mommy-son Eskimo kiss. It was then that he realized his mother was an annoyingly loving woman, and once again he was reminded of the girl back on earth - back at home. He always put up guards when it came to his teammate but he knew he shouldn't do that with his mother, so he just scowled at her.
"Don't give me that look! It never worked out well for your father when he did that, and it sure won't work for you", she teased him.
"Where is he?" He gave her a look of impatience and longing.
"Come and sit down, we have a lot to discuss." So they sat and she began. "Neji, my love, as you may know you are dead."
'Wow so blunt. Thanks mother I'm well aware' he thought while mentally rolling his eyes. As if she knew what he was thinking she gave him a slap to the back of the head. His eyes grew wide.
"Sorry honey! It was a thoughtless reaction... I didn't mean to.. It's just that ... your father and you are so much the same. I already knew what was running through your mind." After her fit of giggles she continued. "You're father is in the heavens, only one of us was able to great you and get you ready for you're journey" She ignored the questioning look her son gave her. "Since I passed when you were still an infant, I felt this was my only chance to actually be a mother to you ... I wish I could have been there for you, love. That's why I won't let you fail this 'mission'". Once again ignoring her sons questioning look she continued. "Neji, the heavens have chosen you to go back to earth. To give you a second chance. Now this only happens once in a millennium, so listen carefully to everything I'm about to tell you."
Needless to say Neji was overwhelmed. He was just beginning to process being in his late mothers presence - just how much of him came from her, how beautiful she is, her distasteful nicknames she gave him, how much she oddly reminded him of TenTen personality wise. 'Oh ... TenTen' the thought of her made him sad. 'I can only imagine what you are going through. Did you mourn for me? Are you even still alive? Please Kami now that I KNOW you exist please tell me you kept her safe. She's my ... I don't know what she is, really... My best friend...and I can't forgive myself if she died because I wasn't there to protect her and... Wait! What? Did my mother just tell me I was going back to earth!' On that note Neji's mind went into hyperdrive and he started hyperventilating. 'I'm going to be revived? Wait what if I'm only reincarnated? Won't I be an infant? I wont be able to continue my life with my family and friends. At least not the way I wa-'
"Neji pay attention. This is really important! If you do not do exactly as I say while on your journey back on earth your soul will be brought back to this realm", His mom popped him upside the head a second time. But this time he didn't protest; he was beginning to understand his mother was not to be played with.
"My apologies ... Err... Mom.. Please relay that to me once more", Neji was so caught up in his own thoughts he missed half of his mothers instructions. Her very important instructions.
"As I was saying" She decided continuing from where she was instead of backtracking as punishment for not listening. He would have to find out the hard way of the information she just entailed to him regarding his quest. "You have 3 months to do this, if not you will be sent back the heavens. As much as I want you here with your father and I, I need you to live the rest of your life the way you should have. I believe in you honey. Now let's get going I will be here with you through the first bit but once you are revived and interacting with the living, my soul will go back to the heavens and I cannot venture on further with you."
"So what exactly is my mission?" He noticed she didn't recount the parts he missed.
"The only thing tying you to the living world... Her". She placed a hentle hand on his shoulder, the way he remembers his father doing.
"Who? What are you talking about okaasan" he knew there was a short list of people he could be referring to. A short list of one.
'Why is my son so dense when it comes to matters of the heart... Oh wait Hizashi' she thought to herself.
"Oh lord here we go again. It's like dealing with your father all over. Neji who is the most important person in your life?"
"Hmm... My father. I don't mean to hurt you mom, you would've been my first choice if I knew you'd better."
"It's ok. Your father was a HUGE mommas boy and since you are so alike I'd imagine you'd be one too" she giggled then threw Neji a sympathetic look. "Neji you really need to take some time out to sort out your feelings. Come on I'll show you exactly what your mission is about."
The white realm then started to turn polka dotted. At first they were big then they got smaller and smaller of all different shades and hues. It soon looked like and old fashioned tv without a signal. The image started off staticky then grew less and less fuzzy. Every time Neji blinked the images around him were more clear and more familiar. He was then standing right in front of the memorial stone - in Konohagakure - in the Fire Country - in the world of the living.
