"This chapter ran longer than I expected it to, so this will always be in 2 parts. That means today will be a double whammy, which will also bring a close to Kit: The Beginning!" -BX3
The sun hung over a misty sky. Yet despite the slight fog, the world below was quite eventful. A mass of people walked over an immense bridge, some transporting delivery goods, coming home from work, traveling or just taking an afternoon walk. Two little boys chased each other around, zigzagging around the many legs in their path. One of the boy's shoulders bumped into someone.
"Sorry, mister!" The boy said, turning around. He continue running, gaining on his friend.
The man gave a smile and kept walking. "It's nice to see The Mist so lively these days." He said. He carried a large stack of lumber in one arm and a bucket in the other.
"Yeah. Real nice!" answered a man who happened to be walking with him, who was also carrying lumber. "I just wish we could also be more lively, instead of trudging with these heavy weights."
"Ah, c'mon, don't be so bitter. We only have to carry this stuff a little ways past the bridge, then you can be back home with your family in no… hm?"
He stopped after hearing a crunching noise. He looked around and to his surprise, something caught his eye on the ground.
"Hey, what's wrong Inari?" The man behind him said.
"Was this crack always here….?"
"Ugh…I can't keep track of every rock and crack on the bridge, man."
"Sorry, it just that…. All these years… I don't think there's ever been a crack in this bridge."
"Well, this thing is aging, it's only natural. C'mon! I wanna get this over with and get home ASAP!"
"Yeah…" Inari looked from the crack to the sky, staring up into the light blue and fog above. Yeah, it is only natural, I guess… But why is it that I have this terrible feeling…?
Chapter 9
"Hardships & Confessions" Pt. 1
Tenten downed a cup of Sake and slammed it down on the table. She sighed hard, pouring more drops into it. She was drinking with Neji and Lee once again. The afternoon was coming to a close and mixed chatter filled up the tavern as more people came for food and drink.
"It's been 2 weeks since his death…" Tenten slurred. The statement came out of nowhere.
"Yeah…" murmered Neji.
Silence fell between them again. Tenten filled another cup and downed it.
"Didn't any of you notice…? Sakura wasn't at the funeral yesterday."
Lee looked up.
"Well, it's only understandable." answered Neji. "Naruto was one of her teammates and closest friends. That paired with Sasuke's actions prior to his death… perhaps she couldn't bring herself to participate. I'm not sure how I would react if I were put into her position."
"Yeah. You're right. It must be painful for her."
Lee's eyes shot back in forth between Neji and Tenten then down into his melon drink.
sigh… if only that were the only reason. He thought. Then that pain could heal… or atleast fade. But….
Flashback
"I hope the kids like this. Oh, they can be such picky eaters sometimes."
Sakura carried two large bags of groceries filled with vegetables, fish, baby food and diapers. She was heading home to make dinner for herself, and her children. She stopped short of her house. There were two people blocking her door, one leaning on the wall and one sitting down, legs crossed. Sakura looked neither surprised nor scared, she simply kept a look of indifference.
"May I please enter my house?" She said.
"I dunno, should she, Kumo?" the standing boy said to his friend. He looked to be about 17 and his friend, no older. "So, I heard you didn't attend the Hokage's funeral. Any particular reason?"
Sakura said nothing. Her eyes lowered.
"Well if you care that little about our Hokage, atleast you could have come in honor of the others that died by your husband's hand? 23 people dead, and several others injured. You didn't have respect enough to come for them?"
"Please… move."
"I don't think we should." said the one named Kumo. He stood up and walked toward Sakura. When standing up, though Sakura was older, Kumo actually came up about 2 inches taller than her. "Not until I've gotten something of my chest. That maniac husband of yours… among the innocent people that he killed in that rampage… my father was among them."
Sakura's lowered eyes shifted to the left. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"Yeah, I'd bet you are!" Kumo spat. "You brought that bat-crazy disgrace back, then you begged and pleaded to have him put in jail instead of killed, like he deserved. Heaven knows why he got out clean. Then he played us all for chumps, you married him, he became a ninja of the leaf and fooled all of us… but then… it happened just 2 weeks ago. And now, you have the gall to shirk the funeral that he caused. You don't even look the least bit sorry! Do you have anything to say??"
For the first time, Sakura looked up and saw Kumo's eyes. They were burning with fury. If it hadn't been for the pure snarled anger in his face, he would have looked very handsome. But one look in his eyes told the story about him and Sakura simply said…
"To garner that much hatred and throw it at me… you're not worth anything I say."
"You… HOW DARE YOU!!" He screamed. He snapped and reared his fist back for a punch. Sakura shut her eyes and braced for impact. A moment later, she heard impact, but didn't feel it. It also didn't sound like the sound of someone being punched. She slowly opened her eyes and found a mass of black hair before her. There was someone standing between her and Kumo, wearing white dojo attire.
Kumo was struggling. His fist was being held in place by the man's hand. "Damn it, man… let go…" Kumo muttered through gritted teeth.
"No." The man said.
"L…Lee-kun?" Sakura gasped.
"I can understand that you are angry" Lee said to Kumo. "And I am deeply sorry about your loss. Still, I can not stand idly by and watch you attack a lady. Especially not one of so much importance as her."
"Cram it old man!! How could you understand anything!? Huh?!"
"You know so little…" Lee said, tightening his grip.
"Gnn…! Why're you protecting this bitch, anyway?! She's the one that brought back and married that traitor, so that makes her a traitor too, right?? My father was KILLED because of that MANIAC!! And she doesn't even apologize on his behalf!! She makes me SICK!!"
"Ignorance." Growled Lee, pulling back his own arm for a punch. Sakura placed her hand on his wrist. Surprised, Lee looked back at Sakura, puzzled. He saw her eyes, solemn and serious. She closed them and slowly shook her head. Lee gave a sigh and understood, dropping his fist to his side. He gave Kumo one last threatening looking, gave his hand a final squeeze and threw it down.
"Heed this warning. Unfortunately, I can not change your mind, or heal your pain; you are free to think whatever you wish about her." Lee jammed his thumb at himself. "But if anyone lays a hand on this woman… you will have to answer to me."
Kumo clutched his wrist, sneering at the bushy browed Jounin. "Grrr… w.. whatever! Just…. sigh c'mon man." Kumo and his friend walked of, mumbling curses.
Lee looked back at Sakura, disappointed. "What is wrong, Sakura-chan? You are a strong ninja. Why did you not even attempt to defend yourself against those delinquents? It is not like you."
Sakura said nothing as her eyes lowered down to the ground. She walked to her home to open the door, but before going in, she spoke up. "Because I know that they're feeling the same pain that I am."
"Yes… but.. But you should also know that that does not justify how they are reacting…"
"… just… leave me alone for a while… okay Lee-kun…?"
And with that, she closed the door.
End Flashback
"Lee..? Lee."
"Hn?" Lee snapped out of a trance. Tenten was staring at him, somewhat pouting with pink around her cheeks.
"Ai, Lee… what're you, daydreaming? We asked what you thought of the whole thing."
"Hn…? Er… yes…."
"Saahh… so you were daydreaming."
"Excuse me…" said Neji, getting up out of his seat. "I'm leaving."
"Eeehhh? Already?"
"Yeah, sorry."
"Where are you going?"
Neji turned around and spoke as he walked toward the door. "I just remembered something I had to do."
…
"I want you to watch over them for me. Hinata could deliver any moment, Kagetsu will need your help; you are the only one I fully trust watch over them. Can you do this for me?"
The sun was dropping low, creating a peaceful orange glow that blanketed Konoha. There were people on the roads heading home, some heading to a bar or tavern. Neji walked down the road, thinking to himself and Naruto's last words to him.
Naruto… He thought. Is this what you meant when assigned me that job. Did you really head into the fight knowing you would die. And if that's the case, how would you have known. It doesn't make sense to me.
Neji stopped. He'd reached his destination. He knocked on the door and listened for a response.
"Come in, it's open." came Hinata's voice.
Neji turned the knob and found Hinata sitting on the couch, holding her newborn in her arms, wrapped in blankets.
"Why is your door open?"
"I've been getting frequent visits from the villagers and medical-ninja, lately. They say I should take it easy and not move much for another 2 weeks. This is around the time they stop, though, so maybe it's about time I locked it back up."
Hinata seemed to be shrinking away and Neji couldn't help but notice that Hinata was completely covered in blanket. She must have been nursing.
"Oh… I.. if this is a bad time I--"
"Oh, no. Please come in. It looks like you have something important to tell me."
Neji let himself in and not being comfortable sitting on the couch, sat on the arm of it instead.
"Well, not particularly. It's about Honor--… er, Kagetsu. Where is she?"
"Locked up in her room…"
"I see."
"Why?"
"Well… I've been thinking for a long time ago. It was under a year ago. Tenten told me something that caught my attention… ever since then, she's been pestering me about it and well… I think now is the best time."
"For what?"
"Well…"
Flashback
Nej-ojisan." Tenten cooed teasingly "I have an idea."
Idea? Neji thought, a slight wince forming on his face. Why is it that I'm starting to regret coming?
"Ai, don't give me that look… just because I'm drunk, doesn't mean I don't know what I'm saying."
So she openly admits it.
"Just hear me out. Now, you say The Honorable Daughter learned the basics of the Byakugan by watching you, right?"
"Supposedly."
"Well think, she obviously has your chakra prowess. Just think how great a ninja she could be if she received some help."
"What are you suggesting?"
"Man you're slow… I'm suggesting that you train her Neji!"
"What?"
"WOW! I am liking this idea so far!" chimed Lee.
"Well I'm not." Countered Neji. "Tenten, don't you think she's a little young for ninja training?"
"Well. It's not like I'm saying to do it right this moment. But you should give it a try soon. Very soon."
"…"
"Think about it Neji, everything she does, she does to get stronger because she admires ninja beyond anything else. You could teach her more basics. Maybe give her a little training when she enters the academy. She'll really know her stuff! She has the potential to be a prodigy Neji-san!"
Neji thought to himself for a moment. It would certainly aid Kagetsu in reaching her dream, but he couldn't help but feel really uneasy.
"I'm still not sure."
"Well, Neji-kun, from where I stand, it looks like you owe this to her. Despite how you act toward her, she really respects you. Not to mention the fact that you also owe the Hokage himself."
Neji flinched. He knew exactly what she was talking about.
"She is right Neji." added Lee. "Naruto fought tooth and nail for the sake of the Hyuuga clan. The Hyuuga clan's customs are still far from perfect, but it took him the whole 2 years of his occupation as Hokage to insure that children no longer had to go through what you did as a child."
Neji thought and thought. Lee and Tenten certainly had a point, but…
"Do it Neji!" Le said, giving a thumbs up and smiling broadly. "I know you would be an excellent teacher!"
End of Flashback