Chapter Thirty-Three
Strange, confusing gloom followed Hinata as she walked down the stone stairs and into the unlit hallway. Her legs continued to carry her down the hall despite the unwelcoming gloom; the far end drew her to it like a moth to burning candle. Where the hell am I? How did I get here? As the brooding questions swirled her mind, Hinata's legs refused to stop the repeating pattern of one foot in front of the other.
Hinata's Byakugan registered nothing, no sign of life, as she scanned furiously to the chamber ahead. As she exited the hallway, she stepped out into a massive stone square, surrounded by and endless horizon of starless night. Finally scared enough, Hinata forced her legs to stop their advance. As she scanned again with her Byakugan, there was nothingness everywhere – as if the stone she were standing on where nothing but thin air.
As she struggled to think back to what she'd been doing prior to ending up here, the clacking of shoes on stone, a large number of them, approached. The resulting adrenaline surge broke though whatever had her mind sealed, and it came back in a flood: the Uchiha Compound, the secret passage, and the stone tablet. No way I'm still in the passage. Where is everyone? "Naruto!" she called out, but not so much as an echo replied.
The sound of footsteps, hundreds of them, grew louder, filling all the sound Hinata's ears could register. The rhythmic military march moved at pace, getting closer and closer until she saw them. Each figure was ghostly grey, wearing archaic shinobi gear reminiscent of Kakashi's mission gear. Most of them carried polearm weapons – yari or naginata – of stylized design. The veritable army marched in perfect order towards her, almost prompting Hinata to run, but something willed her to stand her ground.
The formation halted perfectly only am arm's length from her. As they did, the formation turned in unison to face their center, each shinobi taking a step backwards to open the center rank. For a long, pensive moment, not a sound was made as the ancient shinobi stook statue still. Deafening silence was broken by the sound of shoes clattering on the stone floor, and soon, rank after rank of the ancient shinobi took a knee as a ghostly figure in white approached.
As she took the man in, his robes were white, and his skin was an ashen white. The man's face was severe like father's, hinting at incredible strength, and his eyes were pale orbs of amethyst. Byakugan! As he reached the last rank, the elderly man paused, staring at Hinata as if he were taking a glimpse in her soul, "You're early," the slightest, almost imperceptible smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
"You…" something on a genetic level clicked for Hinata. "You're Hamura Ōtsutsuki!" She had no idea how she recognized him; even the best artists' renderings of him were primitive renderings at best.
"Yes, Byakugan Princess," the elder man said.
"Where… where are we? How did I get here? Am I dead?" she panicked at the thought of leaving Naruto, Hanabi, and their families without saying good-bye."
"Fear not, child, you are very much alive," he waved a hand, "This place exists in the deepest part of your heart – the part that makes you who you are, Princess."
"Because you are my heir, the one who inherited the gift of Byakugan by my family line, and you are the one who will carry it forward to other generations." His lips tightened to a thin smile, "It seems one of your descendants has changed things; you were not supposed to meet me for several more years."
"Several years?" she asked, head swirling, "But why are you here now?" Her thoughts raced like water from a broken dam. She remembered the tablet, reading the knowledge contained within, and she remembered fainting afterwards. "I'm dreaming?"
"Something similar," Lord Hamura said, "but that isn't important; what is important is the tablet." He paused to stare over his shoulder, "and that the others get here soon."
"Others?" she asked, bringing her hand to her chin.
"Oh, yes," he smiled, warmth invading his dead face, "Here they come now!"
Naruto awoke in a dark, dreary place. He was laying on his back in a deep puddle of frigid water. "Where am I?" he asked as he lifted his stiff, aching neck from the water. The cold, mildew-stained brick walls took him back to Hozuki Castle and the fetid dungeon Danzo had sent him too. Just the memory of the place sent Naruto's heart charging against ribcage. Had it not been for Hinata, he'd likely still be rotting in that godforsaken hellhole. Hinata!
His brain reoriented, reminding him of recent events: Hinata fainting at the sight of the stone tablet, being unable to wake her from a strange dream-state, and returning to the Uchiha Compound to try and undo whatever had happened to her. "HINATA!" he yelled as he got to his feet.
"She is safe," a strong, booming voice called from the shadows behind Naruto.
Naruto's throat clamped shut at the voice, and he slowly turned to see a ghostly figure dressed in white sitting cross-legged on a raised section of brick. In front of the man lay a staff with a rounded end and a crescent end. "Who… Who are you?"
"Don't you know me, grandson?" the strange man asked.
Somewhere in the back of Naruto's mind, a seal broke, and thoughts flooded Naruto's mind. "Yo… you're the sage Grandpa and the Toad Sages spoke about! The Sage of Six Paths!"
"I'm flattered," the man smiled, "and yes, I'm Hagomoro Ōtsutsuki." The man lifted his head to reveal maroon eyes with concentric circles."
"What…" Naruto pointed dumbly at the man as they locked eyes.
"Rinnegan, a blessing and a curse," the man replied and shrugged, "but all will be explained shortly." He stood up, you and I have much to talked about, we do."
"Bullshit!" Naruto's indignance flared, "Where is Hinata!"
"Ah, fiery and impatient as your ancestor," Lord Hagomoro laughed, "I think it's time we meet her and my brother. I'm sure she's curious as you!"
"Brother?"
Before Naruto could say anything else, Lord Hagomoro snapped his fingers, and they were transported to a massive stone square filled with what looked like an army of ancient shinobi with their heads bowed and down on one knee. Naruto also noticed to figures standing: another ghostly figure in white, and a familiar figure in understated blue utility pants and a pale purple windbreaker – HINATA!
Naruto sprinted to her, glad to see her up and moving. Thankfully, she returned his embrace, "You had me worried sick!" he fought back tears.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Hinata, you've been out since we first saw the tablet!" Naruto moaned.
"How long?" she asked, surprised by his statement, as she pulled back from his embrace.
"Almost three hours… you passed out when you saw the tablet, we couldn't figure out what was wrong with you at the hospital, and then… we came back to the Uchiha Compound…"
"And I told him to stop dawdling and get in here," a booming voice sounded from the edge of the square. Naruto and Hinata turned to see Nine-Tails towering over them. He bowed his head, "Lord Hagomoro, it is good to see you again."
"As it is good to see you, too, Kyuubi," the elder man nodded, "I just wish it were under other circumstances."
"Perhaps," Lord Hamura started, "we can save the friendly reunion for when the world we've created is no longer in peril." Naruto at least surmised it was Hagomoro's brother.
"Indeed," the sage nodded and turned to Naruto and Hinata, "I'm about to tell you the story on the tablet, although, you'll both be able to read it again as much as needed." The sage cleared his throat, "A thousand years ago, our mother and her mate came to this world, savage by endless wars, in hopes of harvesting the chakra fruit of its God Tree – an act that would kill the planet."
"Kill the planet?!" Naruto squeezed Hinata to his side.
"Yes," Hamura added, "However, she grew fond of this world and betrayed her mate, deciding to live among its people. She eventually married the emperor of one of its many warring countries. Seeking to bring peace, she ate the fruit of the God Tree and became the first wielder of chakra on this planet."
"W-What does this have to do with us?" Hinata asked.
"Mother used the power of Rinne Sharringan to reflect the Infinite Tsukuyomi off the moon." Hagumoro explained, "The world was locked in a dream, and all conflicts ceased. Overtime, she created an army of pseudo-humans known as the White Zetsu to protect her from the others of her clan as well as other humans. When we were born, she used them to protect us as well,"
"However," Hamura added, "mother turned malevolent, coveting control of all chakra, including that which she passed to us. She combined with the world's God Tree, becoming the Ten-Tailed Beast."
"We fought and defeated her," Hagumoro continued, "when we sealed her away, we broke the Ten-Tailed Beast into nine separate creatures named them."
"Hooray for birthday memories," Kyuubi sighed.
"Having defeated her, we sealed her and the husk of her tailed-beast in what became the Earth's moon," Hamura, "I took most of my clan with me to protect the remains in fear that someone would one day try to restore Ten-Tails and Kaguya."
"The Eye of the Moon," Naruto felt it click in his mind, "that's what they're after." He turned to Hinata, "That's why the Akatsuki have been targeting the Tailed-Beasts! They are planning on restoring Kaguya!"
"Why?!" Hinata asked.
"Because, they are foolish, greedy men, Hagomoro said, "but they are also being manipulated."
"How?" Hinata asked.
"My family stayed on Earth, eventually spreading chakra throughout the world's humans," he explained, "I had two sons: Asura and Indara." Hagomoro stared deep into Naruto's soul, "I swear, you look just like my Asura!"
"Asura?" Naruto asked.
"His family would eventually become what you now know as the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan," Hagomoro explained. "His older brother, Indara would eventually lead to the founding of the Uchiha clan." The old sage chuckled, "Ironic, being that Asura showed little promise, living in his brother's shadow."
"Gee, thanks," Naruto quipped as Nine-Tails and the ancient brothers laughed.
"Ah, but inauspicious starts sometimes have significant endings. While he lacked any special talent for Ninshū, unlike his older brother, Asura never gave up, and he mastered the art of rallying others and working with them – something his brother and his successors never fully understood. That is why Asura succeeded me as the Sage of Six Paths."
"Sadly," Hamura said, "our failing in sealing Mother also has led to most of the death that has followed."
"What do you mean?" Hinata asked, spellbound.
"Before we sealed her," Hamura explained, "she was able to create a humanoid clone to do her bidding, a formless creature known as Black Zetsu." He stared gravely at Hinata, "He tempted Indara to take by force what Asura inherited, and he caused the warring states period. He altered the tablet to say that the Infinite Tsukuyomi would be the salvation of the Uchiha, and he manipulated Asura and Indara's successors, hoping he would cause them to activate the Rinnegan and cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
"With the world trapped in dreams," Naruto swallowed heavily, "no one could stop it from releasing Kaguya!"
"Yes," Hagomoro nodded, "it may already be too late to stop them. They have started the process of reviving Ten-Tails."
"How, they don't have three of the Tailed-Beasts?" Naruto asked.
"The hand of destiny," Hamura spoke up, "has changed; hence, why we are here now."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto let his frustration vent.
"Naruto," Hagomoro spoke, "you weren't supposed to meet me until months from now," he turned to Hinata, "and you weren't supposed to meet my brother for almost two years from now."
"Weren't supposed to…" Naruto's mind felt the pieces of the puzzle lock, "Himawari!"
"Yes, your father and mother were supposed to die, Naruto," Hamura said, "and Hinata's mother was originally supposed to die. She's much stronger at this age than she should be."
"How do you know this?"
Hagomoro stared with his maroon Rinnegan eyes, "We can sense the change of destiny, much as we can sense you are Asura reborn; I suppose you can guess who is Indara's reincarnation."
"Sasuke!" Naruto said in unison with Hinata.
"And Hinata is the heir of my line," Hamaru said.
"But I thought you said your family went to safeguard Kaguya on the moon?" Hinata asked, confused.
"Some remained on earth, and they became the Hyūga Clan," his eyes turned sad, "Unfortunately, there is only one survivor of the branch that went to the moon."
"A survivor?" Hinata asked.
"That is a conversation for another time, Princess," Hagomoro said. "The question I have, it what do the two of you want from the end of the coming storm?"
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.
"I mean," the sage asked, "what do you seek for your future? What do you seek for Himawari?"
The question rattled Naruto to his very core. His daughter had come back from an uncertain future only to upend his life, at least the life he would have had. Naruto's life had been blessed – blessed by his parents, blessed by Hinata, and blessed by all the people that had shaped him into his current form. She gave me the life I gave her according to Hinata. What can I offer in return. "I want," he started, "a world safe for my children, a world she won't have to worry about going to war!"
"A noble task," Hamaru nodded to his brother, "I think it is time."
"Time?" Hinata and he asked together.
"Ideally, we would have you save Indara reborn," Hagomoro, "but I fear the change your daughter has brought about may have doomed him."
"How?" Naruto asked.
"Kaguya's agents have him firmly under their control; twisted him. It will take a miracle to save him now."
"We cant give up," Hinata took Naruto by his hand, "A true ninja never gives up!" She stared at Naruto with her gentle smile.
"We never go back on our word," Naruto glanced at the Hagomoro and Haruma, squeezing Hinata's hand.
"If that is the case," Hamura said, "extend your dominant hands."
Naruto exchanged a glance with Hinata. The nodded and let go of their hands, holding out their hands.
"To seal Mother, it took two of us," Hagomoro held out his staff, one end a symbol of the sun, and the other a symbol of the moon. "It will take the two of you, the sun and the moon."
A warm sensation flowed into Naruto's hand, and Hamura took the far end of the staff, infusing his chakra to Hinata's hand, "The moon shines brightest when it is closest to the sun."
"Go forth," Hagomoro said, "and save the world we have left for you."
"Lord Hagomoro," Hinata asked, "Why can Naruto and I read the tablet? It says only someone with Rinnegan can read it?"
The brothers exchanged a bemused look, "We didn't want to leave it so anyone could read it," Hamura said, "but at the same time, we didn't want any one person to have access to the knowledge within." He pointed to his Byakugan.
"And I made sure one who had the eyes of the Toad Sages could read it in case our history was lost," Hagomoro said, "Now go!" A bright flash overwhelmed Naruto, blinding him.
"Kakashi, visiting hours are over in five minutes," the normally soothing voice of Shizune failed to ease the aching gripping his heart as he sat at Naruto's bedside in the hospital. After carrying Hinata back to the Uchiha Compound, Naruto had gone completely catatonic, and Kakashi and Hiashi had to carry them both back to the hospital – that had been hours ago. It was nighttime now.
"Kakashi," Shizune's soft hand rested on his shoulder, "there's nothing more you can do. Quit kicking yourself."
"I shouldn't have let him go back," he protested.
"Kakashi, you had no way of knowing something like that would happen after nothing happened the first time."
"I…" he raised a voice in protest, but the words failed to collect. Shizune hugged him to her body, her fingers tussled his hair as she held his ear to her belly.
Come on, five minutes, then you're coming home for a good night's sleep. I don't care if I have to jab you with a tranquilizer and carry you over my shoulder."
"That would be bad," he rubbed her stomach, torn by duty to his future wife and the boy he'd looked after since he was a bump forming in Kushina's belly. "Five minutes."
"I'll be back," she left him with the boy that had practically been his son.
"Dammit, Naruto!" he huffed, staring at Naruto's sleeping face, "What are you trying to tell us! Why did you fall asleep the second time! Is this important! Does this have to do with Obito? Orochimaru? Madara!"
His momentary ire toward his nephew, turned student, turned comrade in arms deflated, leaving Kakashi feeling hollow for having gotten angry. "Kiddo," he sighed, "I can't do this without you." He took the hand of the boy who had been like his son for sixteen long years, "I'm going to be a father, and I can't…" Kakashi began to cry, "… I can't fail you know. I can't have them grow up not knowing you and Hinata!" The waterworks began running in full force.
"Kakashi…" a harsh, wispy voice erupted from the boy's moving lips.
"NARUTO!" he gasped as the boy opened his eyes. "SHIZUNE!" He squeezed Naruto's hand tightly as if he expected the boy's eyes to close again if he let go.
"Sensei, if you keep holding my hand like that, she's going to ask a lot of questions!" Naruto's laugher was weak, but Kakashi was satisfied the boy wasn't about to pass out again.
"Kakashi!" Shizune burst through the door, "Naruto!" she ran up to him, pulling a pen light from her pocket and beginning a quick exam.
"I'm all right," he squirmed, "How long was I out for?"
"Long enough to give us all the shit-scare of the century!" she scolded. "First Hinata, then you!"
"Hinata!" he struggled to sit up, but was clearly dizzy.
"Just hold still a minute," Kakashi said, "you're probably dehydrated."
"Kakashi, the drinking glass by the sink," she said.
Kakashi let go of Naruto's hand, raced to the sink, and filled the glass. "Here," he hurried back to Naruto, "drink slowly." Naruto sipped desperately, reminding Kakashi of the state the boy had been in after his first mission.
"Is it true?" Naruto asked, his voice returning to some semblance of normal, "Are congratulations in order, or did I dream that?" he asked, eyeing Shizune and then Kakashi.
"We weren't going to tell until after the wedding in a few weeks," Kakashi said, placing his hand on Shizune's back, "but yeah, we're about to be parents." Kakashi turned to Shizune, "Should we ask him now?"
"After all the excitement," she sighed, satisfied he wasn't going to expire or lose consciousness again, "I suppose there is no harm in asking."
"Asking?" Naruto turned a confused look to Kakashi as he set the glass down.
"Naruto, we thought long and hard," Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, "we want you and Hinata to be the child's godparents."
Naruto's mouth hung wide, "I mean… I'm honored, and I'm sure she'll be, too! But Kakashi, Hinata and I aren't even married yet; are you sure were a good fit?"
"Of course, I'm sure," he laughed, "and do you actually doubt you two will be married one day?"
Naruto smirked, "No, none at all," his fire was back. "Speaking of, where is my future wife?"
Hinata lay lifeless in the hospital bed. Not lifeless, just sleeping! Sakura wrung her fingers time and time again for the past several hours. Despite every attempt to revive Hinata, not medical jutsu she or Lady Tsunade had known seemed able to break the seemingly endless dream state imprisoning her.
"Hinata," she pleaded, taking her friend's hand, "please wake up." Tears threatened to cascade down Sakura's face. There was no suppressing the sensation that it was her fault Hinata and Naruto were in this state. She had insisted to Naruto that he take Hinata back to the tablet despite not fully understanding what was happening. She had forced the group to go straight to the Uchiha compound upon returning to the village. She had begged Hinata to bring Naruto into the KIB/ANBU. She had forced Hinata to promise that they'd find Sasuke and bring him home safely. That promise is the reason you're lying here like this!
Sakura let go of Hinata's hand, burying her face in her own hands. "I'm sorry!" she sobbed. "I was so jealous of you and Naruto, jealous that he'd go to the end of the Earth for you, jealous at how freely he loved you!" Sticky tears and snot ran down her face, "Hinata, PLEASE!" Her voice became a whimper, "Please tell me you can forgive me! Oh, please…"
The door burst open chased by the sound of Kakashi and Shizune shouting, "Naruto, wait!" Her blonde teammate lunged through the door.
"NARUTO?!" her heart jumped at the sight of him up and moving.
"Dammit! She's still out!" Shizune exclaimed as she rounded through the door and Kakashi followed behind.
"Naruto… I'm sorry…" Sakura turned her pleading eye to him, "… I had no idea this would happen!"
"Don't be," he surged past her to Hinata's side, raising her hand, and smiling at some crescent symbol Sakura had missed on Hinata's hand. He stared back her, Kakashi, and Shizune with a grin, "The moon shines brightest when it's closest to the sun." He gripped Hinata's hand and brought his lips to the sleeping girl's. "Rise and shine, princess."
"Naruto, that only works in fairytales!" Sakura protested.
"Honey," Hinata's lips moved, and her eyes opened.
"Welcome back, sweetheart!" he grinned ear to ear. Hinata sat up and embraced Naruto.
I'll be damned! The world began swirling around Sakura, overwhelmed by the near-miracle level romantic moment. Her head went light, and she felt herself falling. A strong set of arms enfolded her as she collapsed to the ground, exhausted with relief that her friends were all right.
Author's notes: Hi everyone, thank you all for reading as usual, and I hope you enjoyed. A few special notes
1) I am aware I'm playing pretty fast and loose with events from in the series. Being that I am only a casual Naruto fan, I hope that I did not offend anyone with the mixing of event in this altered timeline.
2) Due to family commitments this coming week, I will not have a chapter to post for next weekend. Fear not, I will have it up for the weekend of 6/5/21.
3) Again, thank you all for reading this story, and I hope you continue to enjoy. I could never have written the story without knowing you'd be here reading. Stay healthy and stay safe wherever you are in the world!
-Adam