Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Notes: Short chapter. Kinda filler, but not. It's the kind of chapter that breaks away from the story but also enhances it. Ya know move a plot along. Make change. Big Change. I'm ready for it but not. Jesus take the wheel.
Tubular, man!
Secrets
Books and scrolls, new and old, are stacked and lain about without thought to their placement. A few shelves, among many, once lined and filled with various books, now lay mostly empty as the once occupying books and scrolls find their place among the ground and table and greedy hands. The smell of ink and paper covers the Hyuuga library while Neji and I scour it for its hidden secrets.
Candles melt and lanterns burn as I and Neji read inked words on faded parchment worn by the passage of time. For the past four years each scroll, each book has been found useless pertaining to the information we so endlessly pursue. None have withheld the sacred and treasured information of breaking the Caged Bird Seal.
Ever since Neji has so carelessly, so foolishly burrowed his way into my heart...
Ever since okaa-san's death..
Ever since Haishi revealed the secrets, so feared, only their words shall fall from lips deign to be from the main branch...
I have endlessly scoured books upon books, scrolls upon scrolls to find the ritual hidden by the fear of our ancestors. So has Neji...
It has been two years yet I have not even scoured through half of this library. Ever book is filled with memoirs or history or stories. Every scroll found is laws, regulated or discontinued, or jutsus or memoirs as well. No clues have been found either.
All I know is that the Caged Bird Removal lies within this library hidden by powerful fuinjutsu. Fuinjutsu that seals the scrolls presence from even the Byakugan's all seeing eye. The ancestors were right to be this paranoid. They were also right to put contingencies in place in case if the ritual is ever needed. The clues lie hidden within this library as well, but in what form is the question.
Decades went by and the clues to find this hidden ritual became a mere mention. They lay within the library untouched by innovation or remodeling of any sort, they lay forgotten.
And I have yet to find it.
Ten minutes pass as I scour through another scroll, containing removed laws, before I activate my dojutsu. Every ten minutes I activate my white eyes since I can not continuously use the dojutsu for long periods of time without repercussions and to see if anyone heads towards the library and its lock door.
Someone does and they knock after a tug to attempt to open the door. Behind the lock door lies Neji while he calls my name.
For I am the only one to continually use the library within the compound.
Deftly I walk towards the lock door and turn its status to unlocked. Neji appears before me with relief filling his eyes. Without a word he steps into the chaotic mess I have made and locks the door. Randomly he picks one of the scatter scrolls to read in the solitude of company with no curiosity toward my intense nature.
Two hours pass before he asks...
Fifteenth minutes pass before I write the true answer on paper for him to read.
Not a second passes before he helps in my effort to find the ancient secret ritual.
I burn the paper by candlelight when Neji opens the next book.
My Byakugan activates when five minutes pass. Neji leaves to reach for another book placed on the second shelf from the top. No one passes by with a glance toward the locked library since it is common place now.
Neji removes the next book.
Faded paper sealed by red wax falls from broken threaded string. Paper that does not show itself in my Byakugan's sight. Immediately a still silence freezes the room as the ancient yellowed paper drifts to the ground.
After a moment's pause Neji picks up the sealed paper. A slight gasp comes from him. Without hesitance I appear before the shocked boy.
The papers breaks and melts the wax seal. It begins to open by itself in the boy's hand.
It drops.
And intricate symbols rewrite themselves on the ancient paper.
Fuinjutsu.
We found the clue for the ritual, but it seems we have hit another obstacle.
Notes: That's right. Imma gonna break the fvcking seal.
I mean one day. It will happen. It's gonna happen and be glorious.
Also Hinata trusts Neji and loves him like a brother and I am sooooo here for it.
These types of chapters will appear throughout the story and one day emerge with it. Ya know without an obvious break from the main storyline.
