For a second it appeared they had lost, and then the world exploded leaving nothing but white light.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What? What happened? Am I dead?
Slowly Hinata regained consciousness, all around her was white light, and she drifted, formless within it, a tiny speck of lavender lost in the immense glow
I must have died…
At this Hinata felt a great remorse, an unbearable ache of longing for the Boy… No, For the Man that she loved, and the brightness seemed to feel her pain and respond, for suddenly there was another point of color, and then a second, and a third. Soon Hinata could see a Plethora of tiny points of color, colors that encompassed every spectrum of the rainbow, slowly they seemed to draw closer, an eternity of time seemed to pass, and no time at all. She didn't feel fear though, somewhere outside the brightness she could now hear a great roaring as though some monstrous beast were trying to get in, but in the brightness she was safe. And slowly the points of light came together. Unable to help herself Hinata shivered a little bit. These points of light were powerful, and the closer they came the more powerful they felt.
Is… Is this heaven? Is it Hell?
Neither child, we are you, you are us. Though not completely yet…
Even Formless Hinata was startled at the voice, it reminded her of birds singing, of water running, it was many voices and one, loud and silent, both nearby and as though heard from a great distance
Who… who are you?
For a moment the lights pulsed, and then there was a second flash and Hinata found herself standing near her favorite thinking spot, A small bridge over a river that ran though her family's garden. For a moment she stood, indecisive and a little fearful, but soon the sound of the brook below and the singing of the birds in the trees eased her fears. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to bask the peace that surrounded her.
"This is a very beautiful place."
The voice should have startled her, but somehow Hinata knew that it had been there, and had been about to speak.
"What are you?"
Opening her eyes Hinata took in the sight of the figure standing next to her. It seemed to be a young women dressed in a pure white Kimono wearing a colored sash that shimmered a myriad of colors as the light struck it.
"I am known as the sun-soul. Many eons ago, when the world was newly formed I was given the task of guiding the peoples, and guarding the world against the invasion of chaos."
"Why are you here?"
Beside her Hinata more felt than saw the magnificent women give a small sigh
"When the task was given to me, I swore before the creator that I would guard his works until he came again. He heard me and accepted, Unfortunately I was still mortal, so to continue his works I was given the ability to pass on my gifts, to pass the mantle so to speak. And I did, score's of souls have worn the mantle, and used my abilities, you saw them before I brought you here."
"And why am I here?"
"You are here because you have a choice. In the final fight with the chaos demons my body was gravely wounded, and it was clear to me… that is, to the being that wore my mantle at that time… that she would not be able to pass it on before she moved on."
"Moved on?"
"Died child."
"Oh."
"And so she pulled three small stones to herself. Crystals by chance. Into two of them she poured the blessings of the mantle, and into the final one she hid the key to the gates of hell, The Key to the realm of chaos. Many years passed, uncounted centuries before the stones were found. The man who found them knew instinctively that they were priceless beyond all measure and so he turned them into a necklace, something that he thought would be a legacy to his children for all time. It was not meant to be though. In a mere two generations his wishes were forgotten, though the worth of the stones was not. They became a symbol of leadership. The childless healer knew not their worth. Twice she tried to pass them on, and twice their bearer was killed and the gems returned to her, and she became convinced that the gems were cursed. The third time she succeeded in passing them to a suitable carrier. Though Him they reached you."
"Me?"
"I would like you to be the next sun-soul."
-------------------------------------------
Stretching Naruto smiled. He had been laying in the sun for almost an hour now doing absolutely nothing, and the feeling was Pure Bliss. As a Busy Shinobe he rarely had time to stop and relax, and as the Former container of Kyuubi, there were very few places that were available for him to do so in peace. He could feel the bond now. The old texts had stated that he would. He could feel the ancient Powers that connected him to Hinata Humming, Waiting for her answer. He had been worried initially, He had thought that it might affect them adversely, but now he couldn't imagine life without the connection they shared. There was a different feel to the bond though; it was almost as though something was waiting on him as well… Shrugging off the feeling he went back to napping in the sun. Or he would have if it hadn't been for…
"Ahh, Naruto-kun, I see we meet again!"
Naruto cracked one eye open and rolled it upward to see who it was that was blocking his light. It took a moment for his eye to adjust to the glare, but when it did and he saw whom it was, he just closed his eye again before responding.
"Itachi-san. Fancy meeting you here."
And indeed it was Itachi. Though not many people would have recognized him at first glance. His robes were now tattered and burnt in places, and he had lost his hat somewhere. On top of that he seemed to have developed a rather bad sunburn over the course of the last couple of days, and his eyes were sunken in as though he hadn't gotten much sleep lately either.
"Naruto, Naruto. Haven't our past encounters taught you respect for me yet?"
Naruto cracked an eye again, and seemed to be considering the question very carefully before he replied.
"No, can't say that they have. The last couple of Times I saw you, my mentor was chasing you around the village while you screamed like a little girl… Not really fear-inspiring you know."
Itachi Blanched at this comment. He had managed to avoid almost the entire population of Konoha, as well as all of their elite forces, and yet he hadn't managed to elude that DAMNABLE man in black. What was worse, was that several of the times he had thought he finally escaped, that son-of-two-bitches-and-a-hamster-which-smelt-of-elderberries (He's a master of creative swearing as well) had been waiting for him, and giving a running commentary about what he was doing wrong to the little shit in front of him.
"Circumstances were a little different then, as you can see, I have managed to give your 'sensei' the slip, I've been waiting to get you alone, and now you are in my grasp."
At this comment Naruto's grin turned decidedly sadistic, and he opened his other eye.
"In your grasp eh? Sorry Itchy-Chan, but I don't swing that way. Try your brother."
At this comment Itachi flushed slightly. It was a testament to how harried the last couple of days had been for him when he rose to the bait.
"You KNOW what I meant you little shit! Now come quietly and I might not rough you up too much before I rip the soul from your body, and the demon from your stomach."
Naruto's smile broadened.
"You seem fairly confident that you can get past my sensei without being caught again, you also seem to assume that I'm going to be an easy catch."
Itachi scoffed at this however.
"You are no match for me, and once I have you all I have to do is sneak out though the forest of death, no problem."
Naruto nodded to himself and rolled to his feet.
"Alright, if you can defeat this one move, then I will go peacefully. Is this acceptable?"
Itachi immediately fell into a defensive position
"Done!"
Rolling up his sleeves Naruto bit his thumb and ran it over one of his tattoo's and ran though a series of seals, most of them Itachi knew But there was one section that seemed to be in the wrong order.
" Juchoise no Jutsu!"
Itachi tensed, waiting to see what kind of summon the brat would call forth, but instead of slamming a hand into the ground Naruto pointed it directly at him. Rolling Itachi felt the wash of chakra go past him, and he felt very satisfied when he heard it strike the tree behind him.
"To easy kid, you should have tried calling for that sensei of yours. He may be a pushover in the end, but at least he was a challenge for…"
Itachi suddenly stopped speaking as he felt a familiar presence behind him, a presence that he had grown to dread in the last couple of days.
"A pushover am I? Did you interrupt my recreation time just to taunt my student?"
Itachi gulped and slowly spun around their leaning against the tree behind him was the same man in black, though he was only wearing a pair of pants at the moment. Initially he looked annoyed, but the pure malevolence in the smile that soon replaced his scowl was a great many times worse. Briefly Itachi noticed the mostly naked women who had appeared with him, she appeared to be trying to hide her modesty behind her numerous tails… She also appeared VERY pissed off.
Oh. Fuck.
Without another thought Itachi took off running, Kyuubi following close behind and flailing at him with a tree branch he had grabbed in passing. Naruto lay back down and listened to the sounds of the chase
"OUCH, Damn it you cur! OUCH! Just go back to that Bitch that you were…"
Naruto winced in sympathy As Hikari's voice drifted up to him.
"WHAT did he call me!"
Naruto was about to drift back off to sleep when another person landed next to him. For a moment Naruto didn't respond, and the newcomer shifted from one foot to the other uncertainly. Finally Naruto heard a noise as though someone was clearing their throat, it was then that he asked
"What do you want Sasuke?"
-----------------------
For a moment Hinata was shocked speechless and then she gave a small, but rather Bitter laugh.
"You are too late to pass this mantle to me. I've already lost the battle."
"You have not."
Hinata shook her head,
"Then why am I in here, Rather than out there fighting it?"
"Because you haven't the strength to do so alone, and this is not something I can force upon you. It is something that must be willingly taken up."
For a moment Hinata was going to scoff again, but the look on the women's face made her stop and consider for a moment. Finally she asked
"What does it entail?"
For the first time in the conversation the women turned her head and smiled
"Live, Love, Laugh. Get married and Have children. Follow your dream of being a healer. When the Darkness rises you will instinctively know what to do. I warn you though, this will change you."
"In what way?"
"You will find that you have greater control of your chakra, you will find yourself acting more forcefully and decisively."
Hinata thought this over for a moment, in truth; she had yet to hear a downside to accepting.
"It does have its problems though, the darkness will be drawn to you. When chaos touches the world, it will be you and yours that it seeks to destroy first. Also it has an odd effect on the amount of chakra you have, and there are rather stringent stipulations on keeping the power."
"What do you mean?"
Again the women sighed.
"You must be married within ten days of accepting the mantle, and you must have sanctified that marriage within a week of its date. Or it will burn you alive from the inside out. When you sanctify the marriage you will lose your own chakra, and gain his. You will be a mirror of him in every way. If he is silent and steadfast you shall become silent and steadfast. If he is wild and reckless, you shall become wild and reckless. Your personalities will slowly balance each other, finding a middle ground between his natural temperament and your own."
"The marriage must be sanctified?"
"Oh come now child, you have been dreaming of it for more than two months now, you can't be THAT ignorant."
Thinking of some of her racier dreams Hinata blushed, a crimson glow that seemed to envelope her entire body.
"No need to feel shame child, you were bound to him already in the eyes of the Heavens, Mutual and requited loved will do that. In part you have already taken on my mantle, unconsciously you used the knowledge of how to banish demons to save yourself."
"The dark men with wings?"
"Yes, You drew the knowledge out of one of the stones, and absorbed the other two. You have but to accept, and you will receive the full blessings of the mantle instead of the pale shadow of it you possess at the moment,"
"And if I say 'no'?"
For a moment the women hesitated.
"If you say 'no' then I will do my best to save you, But this far along I don't think I will be of much help."
"So then I accept or I die? Some choice!"
"LISTEN CHILD! I would have come sooner, but you kept fighting yourself! Until you admitted before the heavens what your heart had been proclaiming I couldn't speak, actually I could speak, but YOU couldn't hear! Do not blame your lack of options on me! I am offering you a gift that has NEVER in the entire History of the planet been granted to your race."
As the presence beside her thundered, Hinata felt humbled and more than a little numb. Here she was being offered another chance at life, and she was quibbling over details that she planned to accept anyway. It was shaming, and already she wished for it to end.
"I'm sorry, it's just… It's a lot to take in."
The Being beside her had stopped mid-rant when Hinata had started speaking. She hadn't been truly angry, but it was the fastest way to make Hinata stop and think.
"I know child, but time grows short. You must decide."
There was a brief pause, and then in a small voice, Hinata replied
"I accept."
-----------------------
"Ouch! Oh! No! NO! Please! Oh not my elbow!"
There was a brief blur of black followed by another blur of red, and the voice drifted off into the distance. Naruto didn't bat an eye, but Sasuke was trying to collect himself.
"Naruto? Did you just see…?"
"No Sasuke, I certainly did not your brother screaming like a frightened child and running away from my sensei, now, you were saying?"
Sasuke shook his head in wonder
I must have eaten some bad sushi or something
He didn't know the meaning of the word 'Irony'. For being a genius he was rather ignorant when it came to certain things.
"I just wanted to apologize for everything that's happened between us. I know that what I did was Unconscionable, and down right stupid, but I came to tell you that I've decided to give up my revenge against Itachi, all it's doing is…."
"My first born! My Coat, my POCKY! Look just leave me alone and I'll even promise to…"
"Come back here and fight like a man you little Piss-ant! If you want to keep interrupting my Husband with your petty drivel that you better be willing to…"
Sasuke shook his head again. This time he could have sworn that his brother was being chased by a mostly-naked woman. (Whom he had been certain to get an eye full of) He also would have sworn she was sporting Pointy fox ears, light red fur, and eight foxtails.
"Naruto? Are you sure that you can't see…"
"Nope, I also did not see your brother being chased by a half naked Demon Vixen, now if you will get to the point."
Defiantly the Sushi
"Anyway I've decided to turn over a new leaf so to speak, and I thought that the first step would be to ask your permission to date Sakura. As part of my probation I have to clear any change in my 'single' status with one of the other princes. I realize that I could have gone through Shikamaru or something, but I figured that since it was you whom I let down, it should be you to whom I am answerable."
Naruto leaned back, his eyes briefly following Itachi as he made yet another pass though their conversation, this time yelling obscenities and trying to put out a fire in his coat. When his eyes finally returned to Sasuke they were calculating, as though measuring his worth. Eventually he spoke.
"Alright. Tsunade-nee warned me that this might happen, so I've had a little time to think it over. I will permit you to start dating Sakura and even to take some low level missions on the condition that you tender (See: Write) and Hand Deliver an apology to every person who went on the mission to retrieve you. If they are not there when you try to deliver said letter, you will wait for them to return."
Sasuke Gulped at the conditions, Neji and Shikamaru had both made it abundantly clear how they felt about him… On the other hand, it could have been much worse…
"Oh dear KAMI I don't think that you can stick that… OUCH, FUCK! Fuck fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck FUCK! That HURTS!"
Once again Itachi ran past, this time with part of a tree Brach sticking out of Unmentionable places. (His nostral) Sasuke shook his head again.
Or the whelk, It could have been the whelk too.
"Thank you Nar… err… Uzumaki-san I know that we will probably never be friends, but I hope that one day You will at least not hate me."
Bowing low, Sasuke started to stand up when Itachi came back. Skidding to a halt he grabbed his brother by the collar.
"KILL ME!"
Sasuke blinked,
"Here, Here, Quick! Take this…"
So saying he threw a kunai into the ground between his brother's feet.
"… and this!"
Here he laid the ANBU sword he always carried with him beside the Kunai.
"Alright…"
Looking Sasuke straight in the eye Itachi said.
"I apologize for killing our parents, I apologize for screwing with your mind, I apologize for tormenting you for years. These are all the things that I have which are really of any worth at the moment, they are yours if you will just KILL ME!"
Sasuke blinked again as his brother dropped him and knelt down bearing the back of his neck for a quick and relatively painless death… his brother, torn, battered, and broken, was begging him to do what he had sworn to do so many years ago. Blinking again Sasuke stepped over both the weapons, and his brother and continued his walk down the hill
Nope, it's Defiantly the Sushi… I think I need to talk to Tsunade, if I'm seeing things like that I need to have my head examined.
-----------------------
All was still, the only sound was the rustling of the wind in the trees, slowly she moves, a silent ghost drifting to the sound of her own heartbeat, Fluid in a way that would make grown men weep. Suddenly she pauses, her eyes flickering.
Something is wrong.
The pause is brief, but she soon continues her hushed dance, the pause was all it took though, there is a whisper of movement, so slight that it would have given a mouse only a moments pause, She heard it however. Again the beauty pauses for a moment, the golden light glowing in her hair
I can feel you, I know you are here.
Again she moves, as though her dance remains unbroken, listening intently now, letting her body follow well know motions as her mind strains for the slightest sound. For long moments she can hear nothing, but suddenly there comes again the briefest hint of motion. This time she does not hesitate, in a flash she has attacked, a single blade thrown with deadly accuracy. It hisses slightly in the air, the light glinting off its razor edge, reflecting a deadly elegance that matches its mistress. It's flight lasts only the briefest of moments before it sticks… Into a tree. There is nobody there.
But… I know I heard…
Shivering the beauty glances away, scanning for any sign of the presence she felt, and when she looks back her blade is gone. Frantic now she draws another, preparing her graceful dance to become death embodied. Suddenly she hears another sound.
BEHIND!
Whirling she prepares to attack, suddenly she stops. Standing no more than two feet in front of her is a young man, someone she feels she should know, the body is so similar, but the eyes have changed, Once they were flat and dull, but Now they seem Beautiful pools of crystalline beauty, shining with a warmth that momentary leaves her weak in the knees. Even with different eyes though she knows him, smiling he hands her blade back, and reaching up, he gently brushes a finger over her cheek. Finally he speaks
"Ten-ten."
Only her name, but from those lips it seems a lovers caress, there is a warmth there, a warmth that was once only a suggestion, but now blazes forth. Ignoring decorum she wraps her arms around him and kisses him soundly. For a moment he is shocked, and stiffens slightly, but his hesitation lasts only a moment, and soon his arms encircle her waist, and his return kiss takes her breath away. A minute passes, then another. Eventually they both let go, though it is a reluctant parting. Smiling she replies.
"I've missed you… Neji"
-----------------------
Tsunade sighed again as she surveyed the villages gathered around her.
Like sharks scenting blood
Glancing at the smug looking council members She could already feel a headache coming on.
I can guess who started all these damn rumors… and if I can prove it they are going to be in a HELL of a lot of trouble.
--------------------------
Mikuhasi smirked from the shadows as he studied the Hokage
Well played you young fool, but not near enough. What will you tell them? How long do you expect it to take me to convince these petty fools that you are trying to mislead them? Resentment of the Kyuubi-brat runs deep in this village, thanks to myself it is undimmed even after all these years, and all his good deeds.
Slowly the demon looked over the assembled crowd; here and there he could see what appeared to be a dark smudge under the left eye of an otherwise normal person. These where his chosen followers, each a powerful fighter in their own right, not in terms of physical strength of course, a single exceptionally skilled Jounin could probably kill them all, But these people had been given gifts. They were now LIKABLE people. When you spoke to them, you automatically gave their words more weight; they seemed to scream 'Trust me'.
In less time than it takes you to draw a breath I can turn this gathering into a bloodthirsty mob, but for now we shall see what you can do 'Kage' The fun is just beginning!
-------------------------------
Sakura's eyes darted wildly side-to-side as she searched for an escape, Not very long ago Sasuke had left her to look for Naruto, and now she was in a tight spot. She knew him, she knew how his mind worked, and she KNEW that he would show her no mercy; carefully she stretched out a trembling hand and placed a large black stone down in front of her. Then she looked into his eyes, he knew, and he was ready.
"Your move."
Flashing a 'good guy grin' Lee's hand darted out and set down a white stone, neatly trapping almost half of her pieces.
"Sorry Sakura-san, but it looks like I win this one too."
Sakura slumped back against the tree she was sitting under.
"Alright, I admit it, you are the all time 'stones' champ. I just can't match your skill."
"YOSH!"
Lee jumped up and did a happy dance as Sakura watched and tried not to giggle
That dance is actually kind of endearing without those gawd-aweful green leotards.
After a moment lee sat down and held up a pair of stones, one white, and the other black.
"Again?"
Sakura shook her head, and slowly stopped smiling
"No Lee-san, not right now. I think you and I need to talk."
Lee, catching her sudden mood shift quickly packed up the game and sat down beside her.
"What do you wish to speak about Sakura-san?"
"Lee… I… we… I think that…"
Dammit! How the hell do you break up with someone who has treated you like a goddessSakura sighed. But what she didn't realize was that Though He didn't always look the part, Lee was smart enough to figure out what that probably indicated.
"Is this about the other night?"
Sakura looked up, startled. Lee just smiled slightly though
"Don't worry about it, I saw pretty much the whole thing"
Sakura blushed,
"I'm so sorry lee, you didn't deserve that, hell you don't…"
Lee cut her off however.
"Don't worry too much about it I knew when we started that it probably wouldn't last. It was fun though, and you definitely taught me a thing or two about affairs of the heart."
Sakura blushed again.
"Still, I shouldn't have just…"
Again lee cut her off
"No, you shouldn't have, and let me tell you, just watching and doing nothing else hurt like hell. WE were a pair Sakura. I can understand your confusion when the person you have been pining after for so long suddenly took an interest in you, Hell, I can even understand how things escalated to that point without any real intent on your part. The fact remains however that you did in fact cheat on me, and that you are about to dump me."
Sakura bowed her head in shame
"That being said, one good thing did come of this… travesty."
-----------------------
Flashback
-----------------------
"I don't know if that is this was a good Idea all of a sudden Lee-kun. Your sensei has been warning everyone to keep you away from alcohol"
"Oh come now Sebeki-Chan, I am a shinobe am I not?"
"Well… Yes"
"The 'Kage' announce that all shinobe at gennin level and up can drink did she not?"
"Well…. I suppose."
"Therefore?"
Lee waited patiently as Sebeki sighed
"Come on now, I'm waiting for your answer."
Sebeki sighed again
"Alright, You can drink."
"YOSH!"
Wincing Sebeki sat down and signaled over the barkeeper.
"Watcha need kid?"
"A bottle of Sake and a couple of glasses."
The bartender paled slightly at the sight of a squirming lee sitting next to her
"Are… Are you SURE you don't want some hot tea and honey for your... Friend?"
Lee frowned, and Sebeki knew she wasn't going to get out of buying him a drink that easily.
"I'm sure. I will even pay for any damages incurred though either of our drunkenness."
The bartender shrugged
"Suit yourself kid."
Quickly putting down the Sake and the shot glasses the bartender retreated as fast as he could to the other side of the room. And Sebeki put her head in her hands
He knows, I know, and Lee won't admit it… I am SO screwed. Maybe I could distract him by…
Suddenly she was brought out of her reverie by the sound of a glass hitting the table with a hollow 'Thud' followed shortly by the sound of liquid being poured. Fearfully she looked up just in time to watch lee toss back his second shot and close his eyes. She studied him for a moment, watching the alcohol work it's way though his system, visibly causing him to relax.
OK, Here it comes.
Closing her eyes Sebeki braced herself to witness the legendary 'Drunken fist' at work. To her surprise it never came. Cracking her eyes open Sebeki was shocked to find a rather amused lee studying her as he sipped at his third drink.
"You know, at this rate I'll have the bottle gone before you get your first shot down."
Sebeki looked down, and sure enough there was a full shot glass in front of her. Surprised she looked back up at lee who was busy pouring himself a fourth shot.
"But… I… You… They said…"
Lee nodded sagely as he took another sip.
"Yes, they did, didn't they. The odd thing about that particular rumor is that nobody ever checks to see if there was another reason for my behavior."
"What?"
Lee chuckled a little at the dumbfounded expression on her face.
"When I had my first drink I was on some fairly strong medications which were specifically designed in an attempt to make my body produce chakra. Think of them as a special soldier pill. When I had my first drink it didn't occur to me that the alcohol might do funny things to my system. And it did. The Pills were made to amplify what little natural chakra I possess; they ended up amplifying the effect of alcohol a great deal better than chakra... testosterone as well. Were I to estimate, I would wager that a single drink with those pills in my system was the equivalent of between seven and ten bottles of sake. In reality I'm closer to a heavyweight when it comes to drinking rather than a lightweight. Tsunade later told me that I should have gone unconscious, and that it was a testament to how well my body works that I was able to continue functioning."
"But… but the rumors of your skill at the drunken fist…"
"Oh don't get me wrong, those are true. It just takes a whole lot more for me to get there than people think. Although I do keep a couple of those pills on me just in case.
Sebeki shook her head and then downed her drink. Slamming the glass on the table she motioned for lee to fill it up. He happily obliged, and in a short hour the two of them were laughing in a corner as they slurred out crass jokes, pointed out various shinobe and villagers to each other, and made dares that neither carried out. In the end they had ended up in lee's favorite training ground as he demonstrated his drunken fist style in exchange for learning a couple of dirty drinking songs. All in all it was a wonderful night.
-----------------------
End Flashback
-----------------------
"But in reality, that is none of your business. It hurt, It Hurts, but knowing you, you'll ask for forgiveness. To save us some time, I'm giving it to you now. Just don't expect me to pay for your meals anymore!"
Sakura looked up with a light blush and noticed lee was smirking slightly. Shaking her head she smiled before answering
"Thanks Lee, I don't deserve friends like you and Naruto."
"Well, I can't deny the truth I guess"
Sakura hit him lightly in the arm
"Prat."
Lee smiled and offered her a hand up.
"Come on, the town meeting should be starting soon, and I want to see what it's all about."
-----------------------
The white being smiled slightly, she could feel the child's worries and insecurities, she could also feel her determination.
"Alright child, Brace yourself, it's going to be a bit of a rush."
"A…Anno Do we have a moment?"
The women paused.
"Yes, but you must be brief."
"What will happen?"
"We shall join you. It is perhaps a good thing that you have already exhausted your chakra for ours shall rush to fill the gap. After that things will get interesting. First we must banish the demons chakra, and then we shall have to call your future husband for a discussion. You may have accepted, but he has to know and agree with what will happen as well."
Hinata took a deep breath.
"Alright, lets get this started."
Again there was a bright light, and again, there was nothing.
-----------------------
Berra sat, it had been several seconds since Hinata's apparent loss, and the darkness seemed to have completely taken control, there wasn't even a shred of the previously beautiful aura left, Berra despaired
I have failed. I am sorry Hinata, I am so very very s…Berra's internal lament was cut off however, for a moment she thought she had imagined it, but then it came again. A white pulse, like the beating of a heart deep within Hinata's soul. Suddenly however the girl fell to the floor, clutching her head in obvious pain.
"And so falls your false savior."
Berra looked up and Glared at the speaker. Nishin looked uncommonly smug, and after a second he gestured to the struggling Hinata.
"Finish it."
Berra raised an eyebrow, and Nishin frowned.
"Finish it, Do your job and kill the body before the Dark Sprite is born of the remains of the humans soul."
Berra regarded him coolly for a moment.
"I refuse, She hasn't failed yet."
Nishin shook his head however.
"You have somehow grown too close to the subject Berra, if you won't do it, I will.
So saying he vaulted the desk he was sitting behind and began to approach the shaking Hinata. He was just about t unsheathed his claws when his way foreword was suddenly blocked by a hissing Berra
"DON'T YOU DARE!"
"STAND ASIDE YOU YOUNG FOOL! THE DARKNESS HAS CLAIMED HER AND WE MUST RID THE WORLD OF HER BEFORE SHE WAKES!"
"I may have been forced to step aside once, but not THIS time! Her safety was entrusted into my hand, and I will NOT break that trust!"
Nishin Growled and dropped into a crouch. He had been the eldest for a great many years. In fact he had been in charge since the death of the last sun-soul, and he would be DAMNED before he'd allow some upstart to Usurp his authority.
"STAND ASIDE NOW, AND I WILL FORGET YOU HAVE DONE THIS!"
Berra however seemed unfazed by this threat. Shaking her head slightly she too fell into a fighting stance.
"I will not allow you to destroy the new keeper of the mantel. If you want to take her, you will have to go though me!"
With a Primal snarl, the old hermit did just that. He was slightly saddened to have to kill off such a promising youngling, but for the good of the clan he would do so.
Such a waste, she had such potential too.
The fight was short and to the point, Berra was a healer, not a fighter. Add to that the fact that the man she was fighting had taught her the little she knew, and was considered only slightly less dangerous than the newly released Kyuubi, and she didn't stand a chance. It was over in seconds, and soon Nishin stood victorious over her, watching with a slight sadness as she tried vainly to heal herself.
"You have thrown your life away, even as the human did, I am sorry Berra, but for your treason you are sentenced to death. Goodbye."
The only sound was the near silent 'Snick' of his claws extending followed by the slight 'Hiss' they made as they cut though the air.
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"Tsunade-sama? May I have a word?"
Tsunade frowned slightly as her gaze once again traveled over the gathering crowd. It was still almost a half-hour before she was scheduled to address them, but already they were beginning to shift and murmur amongst themselves
A dangerous crowd for certain"What do you need Sasuke?"
"I… I spoke to Naruto about dating Sakura."
Tsunade's gaze was rather forcefully ripped away from the crowed by that remark, and she immediately started scanning him for signs of injury.
"Oh? And how did that go."
"Well… I thought it went quite well, But I'm beginning to wonder."
"And why is that?"
Hmm, now Physical sign of injury... at least not on the exposed skin…
Sasuke looked uneasy.
"Well… I could have sworn that I… Saw something."
Now Tsunade was beginning to look alarmed
"What do you think you saw?"
"See, that's the part that makes me think I might have imagined the whole thing. Not only am I intact but I could have sworn that I saw Naruto's Sensei chasing my brother around."
"I… See…"
Aw Crap, He's finally snapped
"And what worse is that there was also a women that did the same. Naruto's sensei called her 'Hickory' I think."
Hickory… Hickory… that sounds familiar… wait… does he mean HIKARI? That would be Kyuubi's… OH…
"And… well. Things got even more weird after that."
Sasuke rubbed his head in confusion. It had all seemed so… So REAL.
"Ahh, I think I know what happened."
"You do?"
I think I need to have another talk with you Kyuubi...
"Yes. Obviously Naruto was playing a prank on you. Look at this as the first step, Perhaps there is still something you can salvage of your former friendship."
"Oh… Ok... Thank you."
Tsunade shook her head as she watched a dazed Sasuke walk away.
Now if only this job was always that easy…
With a sigh she turned back to the gathering crowd.
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And the light faded. For a moment time seemed to stand still for her, but soon Hinata could feel it, it was like a burn that wouldn't stop. She could feel her body's coils shifting, stretching, thickening as they tried to accommodate the sudden rush of power. Again Hinata saw the dark kanji, still trying to fight it's way to her though her renewed and replenished attack. Then the knowledge came, it didn't trickle in, but came as a flood giving her a blinding headache, One bad enough that she fell to the ground clutching her head, not even trying to process it, but allowing it to pass though her mind, letting her mind store it for later.
Is… Is this what Naruto-kun felt like? Is this why he is so afraid of forgetting?
And then it stopped. For a moment Hinata felt the darkness creep closer as she momentarily lost control of her chakra. Distantly she could feel her body shaking, and even more distantly what sounded like the snarling of angry cats. Her eyes sought the dark Kanji, and suddenly it seemed so simple to remove, Childs play really. Focusing inward she touched her newly restored chakra, and with a slight wave of it disrupted the remaining writing at a single key point. With nothing to hold it together the darkness quickly evaporated, leaving behind a rather gruesome scene. Their lay Berra, hurt and bleeding, trying desperately to survive, and above her stood one of the elders, his hands already red with her blood. Even as Hinata watched he unsheathed his claws again.
No, This is not right.
Hinata didn't even have to think about it this time, the knowledge came easily and unbidden to her mind. Her hands flickering, Hinata performed a string of almost thirty seals in the time it took most people to blink and pointed her hands at the fallen Berra before whispering
"Sun-soul technique: Shield of faith."
After a half second's pause she flashed though three or four more seals and added
"Linked technique: Chorus of heaven."
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Berra closed her eyes in preparation for the blow.
This is it, At least I fell fighting the good fight.
Instead of pain though Berra was surprised to feel a sudden warmth and a slight itch as her wounds suddenly closed, instead of the sound of claw striking flesh Berra heard a chorus of beautiful voices in her mind. Shocked she looked up into the face of an equally stunned Nishin Who was staring at his now half melted claws in shock.
What… what just happened?
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Itachi Smiled cruelly as he gazed into the already glazing eyes of a young girl, a child who couldn't have been more than ten or eleven years old
Embarrass ME will you? NOBODY gets away with that, and this will ensure that you remember it.
Smiling Itachi surveyed the room. There were two other people there. The child's mother and father as it just so happened. They had been fools who had thought to try buying their daughters life with their own. They should have known that he would never keep his word.
And now to give it a little more of a personal touch.
Reaching down he daubed his fingers in the already cooling blood on the floor. Reaching up he began to write. After a few minutes he turned and left. When he got to the door however a crowd greeted him. Apparently the neighbors had heard the screaming and had come to investigate. All in all there were more than 100 People waiting for him with blades and Bows at the ready. Slowly he favored them with a sadistic grin,
Exactly as I planned.
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A/N: Hello everyone, another chapter has come and gone. In all honesty I'm a little impressed with myself. I said that I have been shooting for a chapter a month, but as it stands I've been working at almost twice that speed. Of course I don't have to work quite as hard now that school is back in session. (The opposite of most people I know) But All I can say is that Morning classes RULE. of course as I write this it's about 6PM local time, but that's still really early compaired to my normal publishing time of 1 or 2 AM. I would like to thank all of you who have reviewed recently. I Think that this month has shown the most new reviewers since I started writing! I would also like to extend a special thank you to those of you who have been with me from nearly the start. I've recently been re-reading my first ARC, and in all honesty I'm having a hard time recognizing it as my work -(Blushes)- Talk about a change in writing style. especally the first three to five chapters while I was getting settled. Thanks to all of you for seeing the potential rather than just the product.
Sincerly,
Manatheron