Chapter 28: Remarkable
"Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part."
― Shawn Slovo, Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Naruto & Hinata
The field goes silent, air swirling with barely restrained anger. The mist begins to fade and waltz away slowly in the sunlight, yellow-white light pouring against tracks of mud and grass splintered across the Hyuga garden.
'What does he know about Boruto?' Naruto scowls.
"You two care about your future son, don't you? Enough to not put things to chance to hear me out." Toneri pursues between slow rasps.
"What do you mean?" Hinata whispers causing his attention to peer towards her with a weak smile.
"I mean, I've seen the future as you two apparently have. Except in regards to your son, the paths he could take, who he could become." He explains.
Naruto lifts him up roughly, not caring his pressure is enough to crush at his throat, eyes glinting crimson.
"Stop beating around the bush and just tell us!" He growls in a near roar, squeezing harder until a gasp escapes him, dribble of blood trickling down his chin.
"Naruto, don't!" Hinata pulls him back, tugs at his shoulders until her hands are dusky red and finally he releases him. Toneri crumples back down to the ground like one of his puppets in a mix of garbled pants and coughs.
Hinata maneuvers herself near enough to heal at the bloom of purple-red splotches spreading down his neck like hazy watercolors, Naruto binding him in place with his adamantine chains.
"Tell us everything; now. I'm not in a forgiving or patient mood." Naruto demands him icily as the last chains click in around Toneri's arms.
"I wasn't going to try to escape." Toneri mentions coolly as Hinata's healing takes effect, though the amusement in his voice drips with the acid of a lie.
Naruto watches him with an intensity that fractures his mask of calm, mind whirring on what he'll say.
Toneri catches his breath once more, turns his head towards the pair fully sensing the way Naruto backs Hinata farther and farther away from him, wraps an arm around her so gently and protectively in spite of those very same hands just a minute ago were fully ready to snap his windpipe in two.
"...The vision came to me about a year ago, though back then I didn't consider it something I needed to focus on. I can see now I was wrong to believe I had plenty of time to court you Hinata, to take you back to the moon." He begins.
Naruto's impatience rises up again like a coming wave only tampered by Hinata's fierce hold of his hand calming the pulse of his heart in his ears.
Toneri must be enjoying this on some level, dragging out the story knowing they'll wait until he finally brings up Boruto.
"Your son Boruto, if you still choose to name him that, will be incredibly gifted. A child of Uzumaki and Hyuga heritage, though it's because of those very reasons as well he'll always be layered with pressure, in both your shadows especially in being compared to his Father; the Great Hero of all the nations." He smirks.
Naruto shifts, weighs with his words.
Bitterness breeds resentment he knows, can shift so easily into malice if around the wrong people.
It's the last thing he wants his own son to spiral into.
"There will be others like me from my clan who will desire his power or at least recognize it as an obstacle that needs to eliminated, the eye that can bring about destruction or hope." Toneri continues on cryptically.
"And what if this power in his eye never manifests or isn't what your vision for told? What then?" Hinata pursues.
Toneri chuckles hoarsely, sound more like crackling glass.
"True, it may...it may not appear at all." He agrees slowly.
"Boruto Uzumaki can go down multiple paths. There's routes where Boruto does nothing in particular of note as a shinobi and one where he is a spectacular shinobi, but must fight an old friend in a ravaged Konoha. In one path he gets eyes just like the Hyuga's byakugan and others where he gets an eye like nothing nobody has ever seen before; perhaps a mutation." Toneri finishes.
Naruto clicks his tongue, anger threatening to devour at what's left of his patience for this conversation.
He's still not telling them everything.
A shadow flits across his face and Hinata sends him a look to stay calm, breathing out slowly creating a puff of white air.
"Did you only see the possible futures of Boruto? Any involving yourself?" Naruto inquires, contemplating his next move to keep him bound or release him at seeing the way his chest rattles, blue forming near his lips.
Toneri turns his head fully in his direction alone.
"Yes, I dappled into looking into my own future when I asked my Father years ago what life I could lead if I came down to Earth to live instead of merely visit. Back then I was so young and restless, driven to explore, to want answers no matter how painful..." He trails off.
But instead of continuing or explaining himself further Toneri leans his head back, blackness of his eyes closing again contrasting the sunlight that makes his pale skin glow.
'He's becoming unconscious!' Hinata realizes, souring that he hasn't answered all of their questions yet.
They don't know exactly which vision he fully saw of Boruto all the way through, what exact problems his other clan members could cause to Boruto and anyone else, or if these are all just lies meant to stress Hinata out for the rest of her pregnancy...
Naruto stiffens, fists tightening seeing a ghost of a smile cross Toneri's lips.
"My future matters no longer to you both, it's all crumpling away..."
Sasuke & Sakura
"I'm going to keep asking and bringing it up until you tell me something." Sakura mentions tightly.
His silence doesn't seem to faze her much, so used to it by now that she simply powers through it. "I don't want to keep dancing around this subject Sasuke, if we're...if we're going to be together in the future then we need to communicate properly, don't we?"
Sasuke nods slowly, but his gaze sticks to making sure he's lining up these pumpkin seeds correctly, trying to not to burrow too deep into the dirt and grass the way Sakura's been doing since she came here. (The same way she had to instruct him not to do in the beginning.)
'That feels like so long ago.' Sasuke considers taking in the gold and scarlet foliage that's blown into the backyard. He's become used to the mornings where he sees her pink hair out of the corner of his eye walking up the path to his garden in either her scrubs or usual red qipao.
"You're the one who told me to come by and now you won't speak." She grumbles bringing Sasuke back to the here and now.
Thinly veiled anger laces each word, is a doubled-edged sword.
Their encounter with Naruto and Hinata in Sakura's private laboratory was days ago, he'd only dropped that the name Sarada would be connected to him at some point in the future and now he's created this situation.
He's being stubborn he knows, sees it in the way Sakura's jade eyes burn on his back like rippling lightning, the way her lips twist into a near scowl whenever they passed each other at the markets...
"One of you needs to give up soon or I'll stage an intervention." Itachi warned when 2 days passed of Sakura not visiting the Uchiha district.
Itachi getting involved was not a risk worth he wanted to take.
"Back then you put me on the spot." Sasuke begins, trying and failing to find the right words to explain himself.
He looks to the sky for an answer. Dawn descends in from the mountains making the greenery shine, streaks of pinks and violets against the coming clear day all tell him nothing.
Sakura follows his gaze, watches two passing sparrows soar in the direction of the forests.
"Well, looks like nature isn't giving you an answer." Sakura notes dryly.
Sasuke clicks his tongue.
"Daughter. Sarada is the name of our daughter." He swallows.
Sakura's shovel falls back against the dirt with a soft thud, eyes widening.
A blush the color of the coming sunrise slowly crawls up her cheeks.
"Our daughter?" She repeats. Clarifies.
A coil wedges itself into his chest, digging. Hinata never actually said who her mother is, he just assumed.
"Well, I don't know for sure, I didn't get a confirmation from Naruto or Hinata on that part." Sasuke mutters.
Naruto unlike him, foolishly wears his emotions on his sleeve to both his strength and weakness he's seen. He's painfully easy to read whenever he's faking a smile or pretending everything is fine.
And back then it was obvious he and Hinata knew more than what they said. For once, he partially wished Naruto had just blurted it out the full truth like he would've done so in the past...
Because now this annoying coil wraps around his throat, twists at his chest tightly at seeing Sakura deflate.
He reaches for her hand, end ups tumbling them backwards into the dirt at his roughness.
"Stop it." Sasuke orders, tensing as he feels Sakura shift beneath him in surprise. His stomach lurches, body uncomfortably heating up taking her in from head to toe.
Sakura's breath hitches at his rolling stare before she matches his glare.
"Stop what?!" She questions harshly right back at him and her breath warms his neck.
Sasuke gestures to her still darkened cheeks, her squirming out of his grip on her hands about near ready to punch his face in if he doesn't give some proper form of an answer to what exactly he's doing.
"This! Looking upset, reacting to me so much." The words stumble out and Sakura clicks her tongue, hands reaching up to his face.
"I can't help it if my body reacts to you Sasuke...and if yours reacts the same." She murmurs and those bewitching green eyes of hers soften.
And then she pulls his face down to hers.
Kakashi, Naruto, and Hinata
"There's no reason to worry or assume the worst at this time."
Kakashi summarizes while simultaneously signing off on an endless bout of paperwork Homura and Koharu keep sending his way.
He multitasks between trying and failing to placate Naruto while trying to find his main talking points for the rest of the meetings he has today.
'Where did I put that information on the new medical wing that Lady Tsunade had in the works?' He frowns.
Natsuki signals him with a hiss to his left and he sends her a nod of thanks. His assistant gives him a strained smile as she peers up at him from her clipboard, gazing between him and Naruto and Hinata.
Her auburn eyes harden without having to say a word.
'You need to wrap up this conversation. Now.' He concludes.
She's been onboard for a little over a month, highly recommended based upon what he heard from the other older advisors interviews with her.
He can see why they liked her.
The persimmon tea she made for him will need to be reheated, along with her finding something for his growing migraine.
She mouths the words '30 minutes' again. That's all the time he has left before he must attend his next meeting with the police force and hospitalists on new measures they want to implement on training new graduates in defense and medicine respectively.
Toneri remains in the interrogation room with both Inoichi and Ibiki at ready. However, he's still as unconscious as he was when he was first brought in over a day ago now.
Of course, his bland and short answer doesn't calm Naruto, huffing and crossing his arms.
"Oi, but shouldn't we have more researchers investigating all his claims or see if there are any more of these Otsutsuki people lurking about, you know?!" He babbles, slamming a fist against his redwood desk creating a river of tiny cracks.
Natsuki scowls and steps forward, this boy is wasting their time. "You actually talk that way to your own sensei, now Hokage?! I thought the Hyuga clan improved your manners."
Naruto barely glances her way, focus remaining on Kakashi.
"I'm not going to go until you give me a better answer Kakashi-sensei." He amends.
Hinata meanwhile lowers Naruto's arm back down to not cause anymore damage to the office, offers Kakashi a respective smile. "I'm sorry we're taking up so much of your time, though Naruto and I are concerned by Toneri's comments his other distant clan members will try to infiltrate into Konoha as well at some point in the future."
"I'm aware. Though we can't do much at this time with what little he gave us to go off of do any further research." Kakashi notes, peering back to Toneri's file.
It hasn't left his desk since his lockdown.
He leans back in seat, about to ask Naruto what he would do in said situation next when a knock comes from the entrance.
Kakashi barely hides a sigh.
"Enter. It's open." He voices.
Gai pokes his head in, beams when he sees Naruto and Hinata.
"Well, well, it's a party in here! And if it isn't the newlyweds!" He cheers as he saunters in.
Natsuki rolls her eyes. Great, of all the people to stop by...
Hinata's cheeks gain a rosy hue. "We're just engaged Gai-sensei."
Naruto greets him with a fist bump and grin.
"What brings you by Bushier Brow-sensei?"
Gai pauses, as if he'd forgotten his reason for coming by the office in the first place before snapping his fingers.
"Ah, I did want to challenge Kakashi to an old fashioned soba noodle contest, but he has meetings to attend and-"
"I could use a break." Kakashi cuts in only for Natsuki to send him an icy glare that no he most definitely can't put this meeting off another weak with a silly excuse like a stomachache or sudden flu.
Gai hums, knowing he's missing something before it clicks, pointing at Naruto and Hinata with a sudden ferocity, gesturing for them to get up with wild, renewed energy.
"No wait, I came here with even more important news!" He breathes out.
He motions with his head behind himself and both Naruto and Hinata instantly realize what he means.
That boy! He woke up just a few minutes ago."
Naruto
"I won't harm him anymore than what's been done to him." Naruto promises.
Hinata leans close to him, breathes in the scent of pine and sweat, listens to gentle thrum of his pulse.
"I believe you, but not everyone else here does." She ventures out.
Not only are Ibiki and Inoichi looming back in the shadows, Yamato-sensei has even been called in as an extra safeguard should a barrier be needed to separate him from Toneri.
Naruto manages a weak smile, lips brushing at her cheek before patting at the rising bump on her stomach.
"This is for you both." He whispers.
He lets the Interrogation Team move ahead of him, tampers the twitch of his fingers by shoving his hands into his pockets.
"What have you actually been able to see or get out of him, you know?" Naruto decides to ask just to break the ongoing silence.
Inoichi glances over to him, sighs.
"It seems he lived quite a solitary life with his Father before coming here. He's spent majority of his life around these puppet servants, periodically visited Earth to observe the Hyuga clan; Hinata being the primary focus." He begins.
Naruto grits his teeth, staying silent.
"When his Father eventually became too ill to leave his bed or carry on traveling with him to Earth, it seems he encouraged Toneri to forget about the clan's original policies and declarations regarding monitoring mankind and their use of chakra, especially after a civil war broke out between the families leaving him the last branch member alive. His Father's dying wish was for him to go to Earth and make friends and allies, live by his own means without restrictions." Inoichi exclaims.
Ibiki lets out a harsh laugh. "Not only did he ignore his Father's last desire for him, I was able to pull out of him that he spent more than just his childhood looking at various futures, he's been doing it for years. I assume he was trying to find the supposed 'right' one to create that would've given him what he wanted. Supposedly there's ones where the Earth would've needed to be destroyed like I'm sure he's mentioned before to you and Hinata in order to maintain peace and others where Earth is left the same, but ravaged once more by wars."
Naruto nods slowly, a quiet overtaking them all once more.
They go through winding long hallways until they reach a dimly lit room. Toneri sits up in bed, eyes shut with his head turned to the slight breeze coming from the solitary window.
He turns himself just barely at hearing their footsteps, Naruto stepping forward.
"Ah, have you come to finish the job? Don't worry, I now no longer have plans to interfere with you, Hinata's, or anyone else's lives here on Earth. I'll be returning back to the moon once your interrogation teams are done with me." Toneri examines, calm lilt to his voice contrasting the myriad of bruises and scratches to his pale skin.
Naruto takes in each purple-blue mark, cuts that burrow deep and finds his anger evaporating.
Boruto isn't here yet, but letting his rage fester, letting things like envy and anger control his thoughts isn't something he wants to teach him or for him imitate...
"Are you sure about that?" Kurama asks for the depths of his mind.
"...Yes." Naruto answers after a moment.
And seeming to understand where his thoughts have gone Toneri grins, a coldness returning back to his expression.
"Just don't forget this one thing regarding your son Naruto, the knowing with all the changes you and Hinata made: You were warned."
Naruto & Hinata
The first flurries of winter flakes come in early November, laden much of Konoha and the surrounding forests and fountains in layer upon layer of crystal white frost. Usually snow doesn't come to Konoha until later in the month or the beginnings of December, typically with the advent of the Rinne Festival and other end of the year festivities.
Asami greets her just before a round of sleet is expected to come by one afternoon right before the wedding, delving into her blankets for warmth.
"I swear my wings will freeze if I try and go out there again so soon." She sighs in comfort, Hinata giggling brushing at her feathers swiping away cold droplets. Winter is the busy season according to her, when the younger female owls begin their egg-laying process and nesting while the males hunt and deliver excess prey. Her orange orbs tilt to Hinata's stomach, cooing softly.
"You're a little bit bigger each time I come by. How did the patriarch and those ancient ones from your clan take it?" She questions though she can guess from Hinata's shuffling not well.
"Well, Father was a tad disappointed. He wished Naruto and I had waited...the Elders don't really know yet as I've hidden my bump with various kimonos and padding." Hinata relates.
Asami hums at that, pointing with her beak to her current bump. "Such a thing can't really be hidden now, what will they do in regards to the wedding?"
'Everything is going to be moved up.' Hinata answers in her thoughts, unsure how to state that aloud without Asami asking more questions on how she'll hide or explain things to the coming guests.
The meeting comes back to mind, all the preparations made.
"We should have the wedding before the end of the year. Before it becomes too noticeable to hide your pregnancy. Your grandfather and the other Elders have grown suspicious with your change in eating habits and less hours in the training hall." Hiashi decides from his private quarters.
"I've given them excuse after excuse as well that you've been trying out new foods, but I'm sure they don't believe you moving from the compound is enough reason to not continue your daily meditation and matches. After dinner the other night I heard Hikaru mutter that Hinata could be having a baby out of wedlock and it created such a flurry of whispers I interrupted before it spread across both branches." Neji relates.
Hanabi nods. The little gossiper was just waiting to find the right conversation to eavesdrop on, one slip of word to chastise Father on how he's raising them.
Hinata straightens, stomach flipping. The wedding invitations have been just barely been sent out to the other nations, food/catering options and the reservation set for the banquet hall completed just days ago.
She and Naruto haven't even had their kimono/shiromuki and hakama fitting yet!
Neji notes her tensing up and gives her a comforting smile while Hanabi squeezes at her hand.
"Don't worry, we'll ensure this process goes smoothly." He assures her.
"Yes, don't even think about it Big Sis! You and Naruto are going to get married in style!" Hanabi promises.
That meeting had been back in the early days of autumn before all the leaves had even fallen in the garden, time running away from her and Naruto bringing them to the here and now.
She lays a hand upon her stomach feeling Boruto kick, probably feeling another wave of the jitters she's been having since the start of this month. Part of her wants to sneak a hamburger somehow to calm his moving about, her craving for the meal gone up a notch in the last few weeks.
"Mama is fine Boruto; please relax." Hinata rubs at her stomach, fingers dancing across where his tiny feet shift.
"Boy's as active as his Father and he's not even here yet." Asami muses.
The wedding is set for this next weekend, the weather set to be sunny with off and on gusts of wind.
"Nervous? Oh wait, you're just gossiping with your owl summon!" Hanabi teases from the doorway, Asami rotating her head to look at her before slipping herself out of her covers.
"Give Hinata here some ginger or chamomile tea; that will help with her nerves and any headache/stomachache." She advises.
Hinata pouts, reaching for the tip of her wings. "Leaving already?"
Asami nods, nuzzling herself against her shoulder before hopping towards the windows. "I can't leave the new parents for long, especially with this up and down weather we've been having. I'll be back for the wedding and when you yourself are a mother as well."
Hinata reddens, watching her disappear back into the greenery, ice-capped trees swaying and tilting in the distance.
Hanabi pats at her shoulder regaining her attention, holding up two variations of white kimonos. One is embroidered with gold lilies along the ends, the other with red and pink petals.
She snickers as she helps Hinata to stand, turns her towards the mirror.
"So...which do you want to try on first?!"
'Neither when they both look so tight.' Hinata sighs.
Naruto wasn't faring much better with Jiraiya in the room next door.
"Oi, Pervy-Sage! Stop gawking over those magazines and help me with tying this thing on properly!" Naruto huffs.
He wonders briefly what the other Hyuga men would make of him right now lecherously grinning over the latest women supposedly trying out for the role of the main heroine for his Make Out Paradise movie. Apparently actresses from across the regions believe it could make them the next big star.
Jiraiya finally looks up from a laundry list of women of all shapes and sizes, sporting a wry grin as he moves to stand and help him.
"Your haori is all twisted at the bottom, can't have my godson looking foolish in front of all of these important guests coming in!" He jokes as he straightens it out.
'If you could only see him now Minato.' Jiraiya smiles proudly, he's sure both he and Kushina are looking down from heaven eagerly awaiting their son to cross this milestone in his life.
Naruto grins at him from the mirror, peers up at him fully meeting his gaze.
"Thanks Jiraiya...for being here as my Father. Heh, I know you're not the biggest fan of wearing fancy suits and what not, you know."
Jiraiya shrugs, feels his throat tighten before he can find the words to form a joke and lighten this serious situation. He still keeps wondering why him, why not somebody, anybody else when he is a man with so many failures?
Tsunade's words echo to mind, he promised he would crack absolutely no lewd jokes or try and flirt with any of the assistants or guests coming for the duration of this wedding period.
At least he promised he wouldn't do it around her or within her earshot.
"You mean so much more to Naruto and so many others than you think."
He smiles, for once her gamble that Naruto would pick him to be his Father at the wedding actually came true, perhaps he should add that to his speech at the reception...
"Well Kid, it's not too late to change your mind and pick Kakashi or even Teuchi; I'll understand! Hell, even one of the other jonin from the Academy-"
"You. You're selling yourself short again Pervy-Sage! I want you to be apart of mine and Hinata's life, give me advice when I'm Hokage and to Hima and Bolt...minus the perverted stuff." Naruto interrupts with a frown and Jiraiya's mouth twitches before a laugh escapes him.
He can't recall the last time someone wanted him around so badly without an ulterior motive.
Jiraiya pats at his shoulder, blinks away the rise of tears.
"Naruto, you're going to be a great Hokage and Dad! And who knows, maybe someday I'll take one of your kids on a training trip to Mount Myōboku to meet all the toads and learn sage mode or show them how to use their byakugan for more than just finding chakra pathways/chakra points!"
Naruto nods along in agreement before realizing his double entendre.
"I'm fine with everything except for that last part."
The weather thankfully cooperates.
Despite the short notice and hassle of getting their old classmates (who take border/guard patrol duty in shifts), teachers, and friends over from the various regions in through spells of freezing rain to sometimes snowstorms, most everyone is able to come for the biggest even to end the year.
Sunlight breaks through a patch of clouds, warms the garden venue highlighting the orange lilies and violets situated at each table. The trees are dusted with light snow from the night before, twisted with fairy lights of pinks and yellows.
"Ah, you look so pretty Big Sis, Hanami did so well with your makeup and hair!" Hanabi exclaims while flittering around her doing the final touches.
"The extra pregnancy glow helps too!" She whispers in Hinata's ear making her cheeks burn red.
Said topic she's sure will be the most commonly whispered thing she'll hear from the guests throughout the day, gazing down to the vaguely noticeable bump wrapped under the white and gold of her threads.
Hanabi arches a brow gazing back to Father and Neji who've been silent since her appearance, pair stiffly staring straight ahead.
"Don't one of you have something to say or add?!" She scowls.
Hinata follows her gaze, old feelings of nervousness betraying her searching her cousin and Father's eyes, stoic features of their clan giving nothing away.
Father is the first to crack much to both her and her sister's surprise, tears bubbling up in his pearl orbs.
"You look beautiful Hinata." Hiashi states simply, adjusting his cane to lean off of his bad leg.
Neji nods sending her a warm grin. "Uncle is right, you look dazzling Hinata."
Hinata swallows, holding back her own tears to not ruin the makeup Hanami and Hanabi preciously worked on since the early hours of the morning.
"I'm glad you're both here." She reiterates softly.
They gaze to someone approaching up behind her, fingers intertwining with her own before she even has to fully turn around.
"They're right." Naruto smiles, gazing into her eyes and for a moment they forget they have an audience until Jiraiya coughs for them to get a move on already before their guests start to think they've started their honeymoon early.
Naruto murmurs to Hinata then the same words he asked the day they moved in together, lips brushing against hers softly.
"Ready?" Naruto asks.
Ready!" Hinata beams.
Marriage is just the next step in their lives together.
And when Boruto comes the following year as the last of winter draws it's final breaths from the forests, frost ebbing away from the rivers do they notice one of Toneri's predictions ring true.
"He has Hyuga eyes!" Hiashi declares, voice filled with mirth as Boruto opens his watery eyes for the first time to the world.
-x-
I wrote and edited the majority of this chapter while recovering from a nasty head and stomach cold so please excuse it being shorter than normal and any potential spelling/grammatical errors I didn't catch! Don't worry, I feel better now mostly! I'll just try and get some more sleep in and drink more water!
I promise the epilogue chapters covering more of the future with Boruto, Himawari, Sarada and the rest of new era cast, which I think I'll break into two chapters so it doesn't seem rushed will be longer! Let me know your thoughts as always!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!
