-1A hissing voice pierced the night, "It will happen tonight. It is time to rob him of his beloved. I ponder around in my imagination, imagining the look on his dear face as he makes out that his precious children are missing." The source of the voice sneered, exposing large white teeth, sharp, pointy and trickling with slimy saliva. "Hm. I wonder…" With one wave of his finger, three ninjas, hiding in the shadows, were dispatched.
----------------------------------------------------x-----------------------------------------------------
Back in Konoha, the great peace treaty signing took place. Confetti fell all around and the streets were so noisy, you probably couldn't hear a gun shot. Hokage-sama was sitting at the most highest most tower, watching. A Cloud Shinobi leader came to sign the treaty. He was clad in dark cloth, and his forehead protector slid and slightly covered his eye. There were many people there, so people barely noticed that one clan was missing, the Hyuuga clan.
"Congratulations." Hizashi's face muscles adjusted into a large, fake grin, "Hinata-sama is already three!" He stood in front of the Branch members as highest and closest to the Main house. They were clad in dark blue, embroidered with thread made of silver.
"Mm-hmm." Hinata's mother brushed Hizashi away as if he were nothing. She, and the rest of the females who took care of the children in the main clan, was dressed in pure white kimonos that were also embroidered, but with threads of gold. Hizashi frowned behind her back. Hinata stood a few feet away, also dressed in white, clutching her father's kimono. A crown of bluish black hair surrounded her little head, hey eyes, like all the Hyuugas' were white. (AN: I think, that her eyes have a tinge of lavender. Neji's has a tinge of gray and Aki's has a tinge of pink. PS: PLEASE review!) She was a shy girl and she didn't like the company, she didn't even notice the huge pile of gifts that lay waiting for her. She hid quietly behind her father, like and obedient dog. Hizashi felt a small tug on his kimono, he looked down.
"Isn't she cute father?" Neji whispered into his father's ear. Hizashi looked down at his son. He looked at Neji's eyes, filled with so much innocence it was blinding. Drawn to his son's calmness, he was enveloped in a fantasy, his imagination. But, his imagination would soon come true, and he could do nothing about it. Nothing, could've stopped his son from suffering what he did. The seal on his forehead throbbed as he cursed the main family. "--ather? Father!" Hizashi jumped. "Father, what's wrong?" Neji's eyes were submerged into worry. A smile skipped along Hizashi's lips.
"It's nothing."
----------------------------------------------------x----------------------------------------------------
A gentle hand touched Hizashi's shoulder. A familiar voice, exactly like his own spoke. "Hizashi, it's time." Hiashi cleared his throat.
"Well…I'll take Neji now Hizashi." The younger twin looked at his feet, full of dust, three drops of water escaped from his eyes. They made little spots darker than the dust. Neji, Aki, how can I ever say sorry? Hiashi spoke softer this time, "You know, I really don't want to do this to my niece and nephew, but, it's a family tradition that I have to go along with." Neji stared at the adults, a confused face implanted on his head. Hizashi slowly nodded his head, still focused down to the ground. Hiashi took Neji's hand, "Come Neji." They started walking slowly past the mourning Hizashi. Hiashi paused right beside his brother, an awkward moment swept through, like wind slipping through a desert. "Hizashi, please, forgive me." Hiashi blinked back a tear, and kept walking towards the Hyuuga manor.
----------------------------------------------------x----------------------------------------------------
Hiashi crouched down andgot the medicinal items necessary. Im sorry Neji. I don't know Neji, he might bleed, as Hizashi did, or maybe he might not. Hiashi brought out several feet of white bandages just in case. I'll bring out the antiseptic and --- His thoughts were interrupted.
"Uncle Hiashi?" Neji sat down on the Dojo's floor. He squirmed around a bit to make himself comfortable, "Why was my father crying?" Hiashi hesitated for a moment. He then straightened up and walked over to his nephew. He knelt before him.
"Neji, Im not sure how to explain this," Hiashi picked Neji up and set him on his feet, "You know that the Hyuuga clan categorizes its inhabitants into the Main Family, and the Branch. I am in the main family, so that makes Hinata in the main family too. Your father on the other hand, is in the Branch family." Hiashi put his hand on his forehead, "A special ninjutsu has been passed down this family for generations. It allows the main family to mark the Branch family. It makes them swear an oath that you can only go back on if you wish to die." His hand slipped down his face, "Neji, you have to make this oath, actually you have no choice." Hiashi stood up.
He slowly performed handsigns. A greenish glow filled the room, a figure formed infront of Hiashi. With every handsign it grew brighter and brighter. Neji drifted slowly to a corner, "Uncle?" Neji stared in fright, "Uncle, please stop, this is scaring me! Uncle!" Hizashi performed the last handsigns.
"Neji, I have no choice, please, forgive the main house." Hiashi's cheek was shining with wet tears.
Hiashi raised his hands close to his face, and closed his eyes, face glowing an eerie green light. "(unknown chanting. Will be known as "blahblah")" Hiashi opened his eyes, for a moment, his eyes turned jet black, then became diluted and returned to white. "blahblahblahblahblahblah." His blahing got stronger and more fierce, "blahblahblAHBLAHBLAHBLAH!" The ground shook. Neji crouched in the corner, frightened, and scared. He wept silently as his uncle chanted the unknown words, "-BLAH-BLAH-BLAH!"
A green 'x' surrounded by wavy lines appeared in between his hands. With every second, it grew brighter, and sharper. Hiashi closed his eyes and a single tear fell onto the ground. Neji leant on the locked door weeping with fright. Hiashi opened his eyes again, "Neji, I'm sorry." He thrust his hands forward and the green 'x' sliced through the air, it landed painfully onto Neji's forehead. Neji whimpered in pain.
--then, everything, went silent. It was if nothing happened. The birds chirped, and the normal everyday chatter of people went by. Hiashi fell to his knees, Why? Why do we have to do this to our loved ones? He crawled over to his fallen nephew. The breaths came out in horrid gasps. Neji was having a reaction, similar, to his father's. The seal on his head gleamed brightly.
Trickles of blood fell from his face, they looked like -- tears. Red tears, streaming down an infant's cheek. Hiashi bandaged up Neji's forehead. He picked him up and held him awhile.
Hizashi burst into the room, "My son, is he alright?" Hizashi snagged Neji away from his brander. He was crying, "Neji…Neji…" Whimpering, he stood up, "Hiashi, what do you intend to do with my daughter?" The tears still streamed down his face.
"I-" Hiashi looked into his brother's fierce yet saddened eyes, "I- I- will take care of Aki later on." He looked to the ground to clear up his misery. He looked at his brother again, face gleaming with pleasure, "But right now, my daughter has presents to open!" Hiashi marched out of the room with his fake happiness. Hiashi glared at his brother's back, If you really didn't want to do this, you would not have laid a finger on my son. But I don't believe you didn't want to force this upon us. You WANTED us to be tortured. You enjoy branding every person important to you, including - me. Our own FATHER branded me. And put me into this damned and cursed Branch family.
Hizashi stood up and walked up the stairs to Neji's room. Carefully, he laid him onto his bed. The bandage on his forehead was tinged with blood. Hizashi sighed, not with grief, but with anger. He stood up quickly and transferred himself to his daughter's room. She slept so peacefully there, not knowing what would happen to her when she awoke. Just gently breathing there, so quiet and so small. The amount of pain such a small being can handle is limited, and yet, the main family still forces the pain unto these small children. Hizashi stroke his child's feverish forehead.
It's a horrid thing.