So, this was what her mother and father looked like on their wedding day. Hikari looks down at the picture of them. Her mother looked lovely and happy, standing next to her father. The two of them dressed for their ceremony. The way her father held onto his wife, so loving and protective. He looked so happy and at peace. Even if his smile wasn't as expressive as her mother's. Who clung to Neji all just the same. The love in her eyes resonated through the photo. It beamed even more from her parents, on the picture with herself in it. The two of them cradled around her as a infant, holding her on either side. Looking at her adoringly. Both her parents smiled at the love they held, the love they made together. She saw her father's proud look of joy in his eyes. In another picture of him just holding her. He held her so delicately, yet so strong.
Going along the timeline of history, of their lives. This time getting a feeling and understanding of it. Her mother looked so young when she had her. Then again, she remember her aunt Hinata telling her how her mother was compared to her father. The where two years apart, so her mother was only sixteen when she was born, while her father was eighteen. It was amazing how they loved each other that much to have her. And still did. Continuing the movement through history, seeing the picture of her first birthday all way to her first day attending the Academy. She had to be at least five or six. Standing with both her parents on her very first day of school. Her eyes stop at picture.
For some reason, this strange feeling came over her. Something about the picture, seem off. Moving along, to her a picture of herself with her mother. She was eight in this one, the two of them taking a picture in a tea shop. Another one, was herself with her father. He was at his desk, going over something while holding her, as she sleep on his shoulder. She was at least four. Again that picture seem strange too.
Still looking, her eyes stop at a picture of her mother, when she was much younger. Back in her Academy years, so...11 maybe. With her team, she remember that her mother was also part of the same team as Neji. An extra member. Here she stood with them, Guy sensei, Lee, TenTen, and Neji. She stood in the front with TenTen, standing in front of Neji. Her hair was kept in low pony tail, resting on her back. Wearing, off shoulder shirt, mimicking sort of a short dress, with flared out sleeves, dark shorts, knee high sandals. She wore her forehead protector stitched into the front part of her shirt. Like some sort of breast plate. Her smile was the brightest out of everyone. Looking to her father, the way he stood behind her, rather protectively. He loved her since back then as well.
She could only imagine how their life was like together, how they talked to each other. Her mother had to have made her dad smile a lot. Because she could see it, in all the other pictures. Some of them with just the two of them without their teammates. One with Neji, giving carrying her on his back. Another, in a the snow, a bit older. Sharing a scarf. Was this when they became a couple? Another during a event with the Hyuga Clan. Her mother had to be thirteen. Wearing a nice yukata, always with Neji. Another, the two of them at a festival, he sixteen, she was fourteen. Her mother looked lovely, in her colorful kimono. Hair to the side with hair accessories. Her father, smiling again. Holding her hand, as they watched the fireworks.
There was a picture of them dancing at a wedding. The way the looked at each other, it was like no one else matter. This time, Neji made her mother laugh. He lead and she gladly followed. The trust in her eyes for him and he knew. Of course the beach picture of her family and cousins. Looking at this one, something seem wrong her too. It felt like something...someone was missing. Boruto, Himawari, Hinata and Naruto where there...then who was missing?
Who was that? Another picture caught her eye, going over to it, she wondered who this person was in this picture. She'd never seen them before, whoever they where, seem very close to her mother. Like family almost. Though, they looked nothing like her. It was much older picture, her mother had to be at least...five in her, the other person...eight maybe. With some man standing behind them. Smiling, while her mother and the other girl with orange hair and blue eyes, had their arm over each other shoulder.
This person...who where they? Picking up the picture tries to figure it out."That's your mother's sister."Neji appears in the room, telling Hikari. Startled by his presence she turns around to him. He was up at this hour, well, he did love to train. He walks over to her and looks down at the picture sadly.
"Sister?...Mother had a sister?"She was surprised."I didn't know."
"Yes, she did. Along time ago when she was younger."He tells her, she could hear the pain in his voice. For her mother."Her name was April, she and your mother where orphans, but, where adopted by a kind man name Yoshi Hamato. A well and respected shonbi. They lived a nice life, until one day...she lost her sister. When she was only nine, it was on a mission. A two years later, she lost Yoshi as well. Leaving her alone and orphaned again."He deeply sighs."It was very painful for your mother..."
"I-I didn't know..."Hikari sympathizes, looking back at the picture."Mom...always seems so happy. She's always smiling."
Neji looks at his daughter, questionable, he was sure she knew this. Maybe it was still the head injury. But, the guilt in her eyes he saw she was effected. She was trying to understand something. At least, that's what he saw.
He looks around at all the pictures in the room. Each one had his wife smiling. Not one was painful. Always bright and joyful. He understood what his daughter was feeling. He felt that way, too. The year she lost everything. It was the most painful thing she'd ever had to experience. She witnessed it. Her adopted father cut down in front of her. It was a mission, he remembered, they had been assigned to provide assistance.
May, she was so eager that day to meet up with him. As he had been gone from the village, for a mission. Being ANBU, she was going to see him. She just didn't expect what would follow. The horrified and grief-stricken look on her face and in her eyes. Blood splattered across her, his lifeless body laid upon her. To protect her. And Neji remember with his last dying breath, the smile he gave and his finally good-bye to her.
Her world just shattered right there, he was worried about her deeply. Everyone was, yet, she put on a smile the next day to push through it. There was no mourning from her. Nothing but smiles and laughter. It confused everyone pretty much. Even if he didn't have his eyes, he could see straight through it. The others didn't but he did. And it was that day, he made a vow to her silently.
"You're mother, isn't keen upon talking on her own feelings."He tells her."She rather take care of others."
Those words, he spoke, sounded familiar...some how. She thought. Looking at the picture of her mother."Mom...went through a lot of pain."
Placing a hand his daughter to comfort her."She did, but, do you know what the happiest day was for her?"Hikari looks up at him, wondering. He smiles at her warmly."They day you were born. It lite up her her whole world. You brought back the light in her life."
Akumaru, he stopped suddenly."What is it boy?"Kiba noticed, getting the others attention. Sniffing the air, the dog smelt something.
"What is it?"Shikamaru demands, coming over.
Kiba didn't seem to know."I don't know...he seem fine and well...I don't know."
"Did he loose the scent?"Gaara worries. Struggling to keep his frustrations in from erupting. Looking down at the dog, who just kept sniffing around and around. Seemingly at a lost.
This wasn't looking good at all."Akumaru? What is it? Come on?"Kiba pleads with him, getting down to his level. Akumaru whines a bit, unsure.
If he was like this, they wouldn't be able to go anywhere. The trail, it couldn't have gone cold. He was the best of the best, being able to find the faintest scent. Taking out something that had the scent Akumaru was following, Kiba holds it up to him. The dog sniffs it, to whine again. Dropping his ears and head. Covering his nose with a paw.
"He's at a stand still."Kiba reports. Knowing well, that wasn't what they wanted to hear."...There might be something interfering with the smell."He keep his eyes from locking with Gaara's. Still, he could feel the enraged Kage's on him.
"Can you pick it up?"Naruto comes over, defusing it. Kiba gives a sniff and shakes his head."No. I can't. There's something mixing with hit. I can't...I can't make it out."
This wasn't good, not at all. Without them being able to sniff out the scent, then, what would be their next move? Gaara couldn't locate them, if he wasn't on the terrain. Maybe, this was a good thing. It meant they were getting closer. Still, the delay. They did not need. Naruto had to keep himself calm and levelheaded. For everyone's sake, but, mainly for May's. Thinking on what to do next, his mind kept racing, he wasn't able too.
Having enough and patience limited, Gaara takes to higher grounds, to see. But, he saw nothing. Nothing but endless land...far and wide."I cannot loose them."Gaara tells Naruto, who joins him along with Shikamaru. They hear the tears in his voice. And anger towards himself."This is my family. May, I can't have her heart broken. Not again. Not anymore."A single tears rolls down. As he still kept his back to them. Overlooking everything.
"...Gaara..."Naruto tries to speak, but stops.
"I promised to protect them. I made that vow to on our wedding day."Gaara relocates."That day, I was luckiest person in the world. When she and Hikari became my family. And when our family grew. When Yoshi was born. And our daughters. Her master...I promised him...years ago...I would kept her safe. You both entrusted me, with her completely. She entrusted me, when she took my hand. And..."
He stops refusing to speak anymore. Consumed by his own anguish and suffering to speak. His brother-in-laws watched and gave silent comfort and console. To see a man break, was the most devastating sight. To feel hopeless. They couldn't imagine what he was going through. Knowing your family was being ripped away from you.
"We know you'll get them back."Shikamaru places a hand on his shoulder."We wouldn't entrust with May, if we didn't think so."Gaara looks at them. They give him a strong assuring smile."There's no need for tears. This is the time for strength. Your family needs it. May needs it. We're getting closer, we're almost there."
"Yeah."Naruto agrees, adding."You'll bring your family back. I won't..no we won't allow anything bad to happen. They'll come back. We all made that promise to May. We all love her, just as you do. We love her family. We don't want her to endure anymore suffering. She's precious to us all. This isn't the end. This isn't over. We must all be strong, now, and push forward."
Taking their words to heart, Gaara, nods in agreement. This wasn't the time to wallow. His wife needed him. His children needed him. Yes, Hikari went on ahead, he was worried. But, he knew she was resourceful. A quick thinker. Like her mother. He knew her well, taking a minute to think. He remembered something. Something she was know for doing. If Kiba and Akumaru had lost the scent, they where close, meaning...Hikari had to have passed through here and she was known for making to find her way back.
Dropping down, he begins to search. Naruto and Shikarmaru watch a bit lost."Gaara? What are you doing?"Naruto asked. Watching the man look.
Gaara ran his hand across the ground and trees."Hikari...she was known for putting certain marks to help her find her way back. She use to do it when she was younger. She did it a few times in the house, when she was younger. Only, for her eyes to see. Using chakra as a marker."
"Chakra?"Shino release a few of his bugs, as they could detect charka. They scurry across the ground and onto the trees. It didn't take them long to find it."There."He points.
Gaara hurries over a spot on the ground, a small one. Where a few bugs were. There, was the marking. And there was another. And another."It's a trail."Konohamaru said, rather surprised and impressed. Looking closely, he realized something."Hey, they look kind of similar to-"
"May's."Gaara finished. Smiling to himself."This way."He speeds off, Naruto and Shikarmau follow right behind him. He was proud of Hikari, for what she did. Back on the right trail, it would be just a matter of time when they'd find her. And his children.