Tangled Souls…
Destiny, Will and Love intertwined
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers APPLIED. Especially I don't Own Naruto, Kishimoto-sensei does.
Genre: Romance, Try hard Humor, could lead to angst or drama, few adventures, less fight scenes. I, myself, still has no Idea where this story would lead.
Full Summary: Naruto, Hinata and Neji. If the three were tangled by Destiny, how will they change it? What do they do if others still comes in amidst their already tangled lives?
In the present Naruto has what he wanted, STRONGER and ACKNOWLEDGED. Hinata's not the shy girl that she was before. Neji discovers what he wanted to do, to protect Hinata. But in a sudden twist of fate, their lives becomes connected to each other. They thought it was a good change and won't get any better anymore. But Destiny doesn't think so, can Will and Love be enough to change it? What do they do if others still comes in amidst their already tangled lives?
Notes: The characters are between the ages of 16 (Naruto-tachi) to 17(Neji,Tenten,Lee). Orochimaru's dead. Akatsuki's disbanded. Itachi's still out for the kill. Tsunade & Jiraiya are in their 50's. What else? Hmmn… Oh well, you know the drill right?
CHAPTER IV
Ties in the Leaf: Conversations and Changes
The main family including Hinata, Hanabi , Hiashi and their grandfather, who was the former head, gathered together for their dinner. Things were always the same every night. All close relatives of the head of the Hyuuga clan eat their dinner together. This would include only the parents, children, main branch grandchildren and grandparents. The only time branch families gets to join the gathering is when there are festivities and special occasions.
However, for Neji's case, there is an exemption. From time to time, even though he is a branch member, he is allowed to eat with the main family anytime. This could be the privilege he receives as Hinata's companion or several other reasons known and unknown to him. After dinner, they would usually go to the living room all together, either talking about important matters of just sitting there silently for some solemn moments.
Before they finished eating their dinner, Hinata spoke up to her father, "Otou-sama, I have a very important matter I would like to discuss alone with you and grandfather. Please grant me some audience with you."
Everybody who was gathered looked at Hinata. She would never speak during dinner for it is very inappropriate to do so. Hinata blushed for her misconduct but knowing how important the matter that she wishes to discuss with them is, she kept her head up. Basically, she knew where she stands in this conversation, unlike before where she would stutter and apologize profusely.
"How important is it? Can it not wait for tomorrow?" Hiashi asked.
"It could wait until tomorrow but I'm afraid I may not be able to contain it." Hinata answered.
Hiashi observed his daughter, he saw that she was not disturbed to say the least. Her expression speaks mostly of uncontained excitement. Her breathing were deep but not nervous and her hands were clutched beside the pillow where sat. All indicating determination to continue with the conversation, excitement and that the matter is of great important to her. His observation convinced him to continue the conversation after dinner. "Alright then."
"Thank you, Father."
"Hinata, you really contained yourself there. I believe Neji is doing a good job as your companion." Her grandfather laughed silently for a minute.
"Yes it seems so too, grandfather." Hinata answered back politely. Then, the entire member continued to eat their dinner silently. Hinata was quite disappointed that Neji was not there. She just knew that he would have been excited too although not in the same intensity as she was. 'Its alright. I think I'll just tell him when he's back from his mission.'
After dinner, Hiashi dismissed Hanabi and proceeded to the living room together with his father and Hinata. He and his father seated themselves comfortably in front of Hinata, he looked at Hinata , silently urging her to start the conversation.
"I'm really sorry for what happened during dinner." Hinata stopped for a while looking at both elders. Seeing her grandfather nod and the way he closed his arms firmly told her to go on, she continued, "I believe that the possibility that the Aoiki Clan are still living is high."
The two leaders looked at each other, astonished by her declaration. They have already given up hope for this a long long time ago. They looked back at her with question in their eyes, "Hinata, we have long searched for them but nothing happened. I think you have been focusing too much of your time for that part of our history. It is impossible, it was destiny that caused their misfortune."
"No Otou-sama, it is possible! Here, look." Hinata took out from her pocket the item that she borrowed from Shikamaru that afternoon. Hiashi was lost within the conversation. He could not see what was so important with the item she just brought. However, it seems that his father had something in his mind. Her grandfather was shocked to say the least.
"What importance does that item have then?" Hiashi immediately followed. He dislikes the idea of possibly wasting his time as he saw no need to even inspect the broken necklace of some sort. However, he changed his mind as he saw interest and surprise in his father's old form.
"How did you find this, child?" The grandfather asked.
"I… uhm…" Hinata started to stutter again because of nervousness. No one can blame her though, she never did anything like this before nor face the two main leader of the clan for such cases. 'I think I should have waited until Neji-niisan came home, At least he could have helped me. What if I did something stupid and fail?'
"Go on, child." His father said with interest.
Gathering up her courage, she continued, "A friend shinobi of mine bought it from a shop last festival. I took notice of it before. But it surprised me to see how similar it was to the Aoiki symbol."
"Indeed my child. Indeed." Her grandfather suddenly muttered.
Hinata was more surprised on why he seems to agree with her.
A while later, her grandfather stood up and slowly walked towards the side of the wall, knocking on each wood as if trying to listen to something. After some moment, he knocked on a part of the wall that gave a shallow sound. He pushed it to the side until its other end was pushed out. He then took out the drawer-like piece of wood and inside it was a box in black color. After taking a good look at it, he went back to his previous seat beside Hiashi and placed the box in their midst. The two Hyuugas were definitely questioning this actions.
"May I have that Hinata?" The old nut wise man asked.
Hinata gave it silently, still wondering what it was about. The old man opened the box and inside it was a small sphere with a spiral design. The old man, then, with the use of some technique activated his Byakugan as if trying to x-ray something out of it and activated his chakra in his hand and using the needle-like chakra to fix it. And in some bizarre ways the entire chain was fixed, and in the middle, the sphere that was connected to it through chakra and hanged loosely in the center as if it was floating in the air.
"But how?" Hinata asked.
"This is a genuine artifact. Definitely from the Aoiki Clan. This could also confirm that someone did lived."
"But how can you be so sure?"
"That clan like us also have their shares of irrational ceremonies like ours in keeping the things secret. This is a part of their life. By the time a child is born, this insignia is entitled to him as a sign of his membership to the clan. But he only learns to master it after adulthood."
"Father, How is it that I did not know about that sphere?" Hiashi asked.
"That is because… I have planned it to be a secret and never be told off again…"
"But why?"
"We have already lost hope of finding them, As you can see, for almost 10 generations, not even one clue led us to their where about, though it is hard on our part, it was most likely that even if one survived, he had never borne a child. This is already a very old story and a big burden to our clan. I felt that it is not right for us to be bound by something that has been gone for a long time."
"I see." Hiashi answered in understanding. After a few minutes of silence, he finally spoke. " How did you get that, Hinata?"
"Uhm, Shikamaru… I borrowed it from Shikamaru…" Hinata answered. "He said he bought it at the festival weeks ago."
" Ahh, I see…" Hiashi answered. " I have decided."
Both Hinata and her grandfather looked up in surprise wondering what he was going to say next. Both were expecting a good decision.
"We are going to resume the search again and track down the possessor of this bracelet. Being each other's protector, we have every responsibility to protect all of the remaining member of the Aoiki Clan. We are also going to implore the Hokage's help."
"Father, I want to help in the search too."
"You know you cannot do that Hinata." Hiashi interrupted. "You have other responsibilities than this one. Let others take care of it."
"Yes, Father."
After a few more conversation, the three went to their separate quarters with different emotions etched in their faces.
Early next morning in another place in Konoha, Sasuke met up with Jiraiya for his first lesson in writing. He was asked to go to the waterfall by nine in the morning. However, Sasuke decided to go earlier to the meeting place in order have some time for practice. While practicing, some women from Konoha started to come by for a picnic. Slowly taking off their clothes in assurance that it was only them and there are no perverts a thousand miles away. Realizing this, Sasuke's face reddened and at that same time Jiraiya popped out.
"All right!" Jiraiya started. This was the first day of his next two weeks of troublesome tutorial with the Uchiha-brat. He never liked geniuses and never will, they just learn too easily and he can't find anything challenging in it. His principles had always been taking in the one who holds such challenges, much like Naruto and the previous Yondaime. Those were the fun part, the two were foolish, stubborn and holds a good amount of pervertedness in them. Definitely his kind of environment. "First part will be creative writing…."
He looked at Sasuke's sitting form on the rock behind the water fall. The said boy just looked at him silently with his cold expression. Jiraiya's eyebrows twitched. This was why he hated teaching cold-geniuses. The silence takes a lot of his patience. That was when he remembered what Naruto told him. "Lesson one, Assessment. You will stay here and watch the 'cute' ladies having fun. Then I want you to write a story about it. I don't care if the form is good or not. I only need the plot. I'm going to assess your skills first before I start teaching you."
"And, why can't the topic be different?" Sasuke interrupted, not looking at the source of screams from women having fun just outside the waterfalls. While Jiraiya couldn't resist the urge to turn his head towards the sound. "Hey…"
"Anything wrong with the topic, brat?" Jiraiya asked and grinned. "It's the most interesting and easy part you know. If you can't even make a very good plot out of it, I'll never teach you."
"Whatever." Sasuke finally gave up.
Within the next few hours, the two individual were very busy with their own particular 'work'. Jiraiya, who was grinning and laughing in the most perverted way from time to time but never forgot to look over at Sasuke who was fuming by the rock where he sat. Jiraiya was holding back his laughter at the boy whose face would turn slightly red from hearing suggestive shrieks from the women. 'I think this will be fun!'
"Koyuki-hime! We're leaving!" Naruto shouted at the top of his voice.
"Yeah, brat! I know, can't you just wait?"
"Eh? Where's the fun in talking with Tsunade-baachan anyway?"
Tsunade's eyebrows twitched but she kept her cool and continued her conversation with the princess from snow country. "Are you really sure that you'll be fine with just that brat over there?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean… I think I'm having second thoughts…" Koyuki complained. She always thought that Naruto would have changed or at least became more submissive or a little quite. Yet her theory proved her wrong, after four years of not seeing him, he was surely the same as before. "Since when did he became more energetic?"
"Well, who knows… You wanna bring Sakura along?" Tsunade suggested. "She can always keep Naruto intact you know…"
"Yeah I know and right now. I'm wondering why I didn't thought of that." Koyuki answered.
"I thought this would happen. So I asked Sakura to prepare her things, just in case. Well?"
"Ohh! You really are good at keeping that kid in place, eh?" Koyuki asked again. "Thank you very much! I think I'll be taking that offer."
"All right." Tsunade turned around and shouted Sakura's name. She called forth one of the jounins and asked him to call Sakura as soon as possible. After a few minutes, Sakura came rushing along with her traveling bag and bowed to the two influential people in front of her.
"Sakura, go and escort them to Snow Country, ok? Don't forget to keep the brat in place ok?"
"Hai Tsunade-shishou." Sakura answered and looked at Koyuki-hime and smiled. "It's been a long time, Koyuki-hime."
"Yes indeed, Sakura-chan." Koyuki grinned at her. "Let's go?"
"Hai!" Sakura answered and follow Koyuki-hime to the ship. Naruto saw her walk up with Koyuki-hime and was more than elated to know that she would also accompany them on the mission though it would mean less fooling around for him.
"Yo! Sakura-chan! You really are coming?" Naruto started. "I see beautiful days ahead!"
"Naruto! Stop yapping and try helping out on the ship will you?" Sakura scolded him and knocked him on the head.
Koyuki grinned and found it really funny. The sails were already set and when she and Sakura were already within the confines of the ship, the plank were raised and the sail started. She was sure that the next three weeks will definitely be fun and lively with the two around.
"And may I ask how grave the situation is that the head of the Hyuuga clan himself would require himself to go to my office?"
"Yes indeed, Hokage-sama. I would like to implore your help in assisting us with a search that we are doing right now." Hiashi answered. After their discussionthe othernight he thought that it would be right if he talked to the Hokage himself. "This is about the clan that supported the village long ago."
Tsunade straightened, curious about where this would lead, of course she knew about 'that' clan. Her grandfather, the Shodaime himself would tell her stories about them. Now, as the Hokage, she was given the privilege to know about them. "What about them?"
"Well, it seems that my heir, Hinata, found a link to them. Although this might prove nothing, my father decided to take the chance. Now, I would like to have your assistance and send someone who specializes in investigation and Shikamaru together with Neji and another clan member on a mission."
"Ah, I see. I will think about his proposition. But why Shikamaru?"
"Apparently, he is the only one who can identify the man where the 'insignia of the Aoiki clan' came from or was bought."
Tsunade nodded in agreement, contemplating on their conversation. 'If this proves that the Aoiki has survived. It will give our village enough boost in our moral and greater power. With both the Hyuuga and the Aoiki, the best possible scenario is an indestructible force… The worst would be more liability if they already forgot about their own clan…'
"Well then, I am leaving." Hiashi excused himself and left the Hokage Tower.
Tsunade called Shizune after deciding to accept the mission requested by the head of the Hyuuga clan. "Shizune, assign a mission for assistance to the Hyuuga clan. Give them a week's worth to prepare. Make it a class A mission, including Shikamaru himself. Which of our Jounin specializes best in investigation besides Morino Ibiki?"
"If that is the case, Genma would be the best choice but he has his Genin team to take care of."
"Well, we don't have to worry then. Hanabi is in the team and she's the top rookie of her batch. Just send them on D class missions. They would surely do fine without Genma."
"Hai, Tsunade-sama." After bowing in respect, Shizune left and continued all her work.
Neji immediately went back to the Hyuuga household after submitting the mission report to the person-in-charge. He really wanted to go home and rest, the mission he went through were tiring and had taken in a lot of his strength and stamina. He turned to the last corner leading to the household when he thought of Hinata. 'I still need to excuse myself from Hinata-sama… I don't think I can train with her today.'
"I'm back." He announced as he entered the compound.
"Welcome back, Neji-niisan." Hinata acknowledged. By the look on her face, Neji realized that something very good might have happened to cause Hinata to act this way.
"Hinata-sama, is there anything you want to say?" He asked his voice wavered due to to tiredness.
Hinata noticed this and decided to tell him the good news later. Right now, she thought of helping him relieve himself from the mission. "No, I think it can wait later. You better get yourself a bath first and I'll prepare you some snack. Anou…, you don't have to train with me today, I'll just train by myself."
"Thank you, Hinata-sama."
Hinata smiled meekly then waited until Neji was already out of her view before she went to the kitchen to prepare him some tea and snacks.
Neji nestled his head on the bathroom wall feeling the hot shower wash away some of the tension and pain he felt. He stayed like this for more than five minutes. In his mind, the memories of things that had happened to him during his mission played.
It was just a simple escort mission gone wrong. Their client was just a simple farm owner that wanted to be escorted back to his farm in the Earth Country. However, somebody wanted him dead for reasons even the client himself did not know. They realized the reason after reaching the place. Apparently, the man's wife was the daughter of one of the most influential lord in the place. An admirer wanted to kill their client so that he could marry the woman. This almost caused some misunderstanding because the man never knew that his wife was rich. The woman was stubborn and determined at the same time which reminded him of Hinata. This fact alone made him more involved than he professionally would.
Right now, he was wondering why he acted that way. It was the first time that he acted against the rule he set for himself. In the end, he decided that it was because it was the first time he saw a situation like that which usually happens only in movies. 'That's right. That was probably it'
Satisfied by his reasons, he instinctively closed the shower and went out of the bathroom. After a few minutes, he went back to the main house as was instructed to her by Hinata. He saw Hinata sitting beside the tray where some tea and snacks were placed. Seeing Hinata's approving look, he sat on the other side of the tray.
"Eat well, Neji-niisan." Hinata mused. She silently watched Neji take the tea and eat the cake fascinated at how refined and smooth he move. She then remembered his mission. "How was your mission Oniisan."
"It was fine, we succeeded even with some changes." Neji glanced at her and saw her eagerness to know more so he decided to tell her the whole story. In the end of the conversation, Hinata was laughing discreetly her face getting red by the information she had just received. "Why? Was there anything funny with what I said?"
"No…" Hinata stopped laughing and explained herself more. "It's just that, it was so unlike you. Naruto-kun, would most probably do what you did though."
"Oh, I see." Neji did not bothered to talk anymore. He thought of Naruto, indeed, the man would meddle if he knew something was wrong. He could easily influence people too but still being compared did not go well with him. He decided to let it pass as he looked at he happy face beside him. "What about you? What did you do?"
"Oh Neji-niisan, you wouldn't even believe it." Hinata answered with joy, instantly forgetting about everything else as she related what happened the other day but afterwards, Hinata was quiet.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Father won't let me come with the mission…"
"Well, your father might have some reasons of his own."
"Will you go Neji-niisan?" Hinata looked at him as if pleading him to go.
"Why not? Even I would want to gain first hand information on them."
"Thank you, Niisan!" Hinata bowed merrily.
After eating, Neji excused himself and went to rest for the remainder of the afternoon. His tiredness elevated a little from the tea and the shower and could also most likely be because of their current conversation. He drifted off to sleep in content.
Author's Note: An update at last! September 04, 2005 10:35PM ... This is not Beta-edited. Beta-edits will be done every after an arc is finished which would mean a loonngg loonggg time from now! Sorry about that! Anyways! Thank you for getting interested with the Shika-Hina hints! Then for the reviews... most of whatmyprecious readers observed were...!But my lips are sealed for now!
Anyways, about Sasuke, no matter how we all want him to appear as THE MAN (stoic, cool and everything) he is still human (in anime's case). He laughs, gets in trouble, problems, smirks and everything in between. etc. So for me, he is not out of character in this fic's case. If you don't like it, hmmnnn... too bad, I'm forming some great ideas of him reading Icha Icha Volumes! that could mean another Kakashi in the making!. NOW, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING AND OUT OF CHARACTER! Haha! Even I can't ... can't... OMG! (remember that Kakashi WAS very very much similar to Sasuke before! and see how he turned out! ) what was I planning to do?O O
Hope you like this chapter too! Yup, this fic could turn out long and draggy...
Thank YOU for reviewing the previous chapters!
PS: I almost screwed up! I replaced it as soon as I noticed what was wrong in the author's note! Hope nobody read i!
