"Ryoma, we have to do something." a female voice spoke up. "What do you propose we do?" a male voice asked. "I...I don't know." the female replied
When she opened her eyes she saw a white light, her nose tickled with the smell of cherry blossoms in the wind, and the softness of grass she slept on. Slowly blinking her eyes awake, Hinata saw a samurai adorned in red with a long spiky ponytail and a red haired girl dressed in a shrine maiden's garbs looking at her in gentle surprise. "I see you're awake now." the man mused. "Hey there, heh." the maiden giggled. "There are better places to nap than on the ground you know." he joked softly. "Give me your hand." he told her as he gently held his hand out to her.
Hinata carefully placed her hand into his, and noticed a strange mark on her hand; the shape of some sort of star in a circle as she was pulled up to him. "Thank you...Ryoma was it?" she asked as the man folded his arms. "I'm sorry, I heard her call out you name when I was waking up." Hinata apologized politely. "I see, may I ask why you were lying out here in the plains of Hoshido?" he inquired. "Hoshido...?" Hinata asked, looking around in confusion as she tried to locate where she was.
"I...I was in Konoha just a while ago! Where did they go?" she asked to herself out loud in confusion as she looked around in a small panic. "Take it easy there, you just woke up. Um, maybe we can help?" the shrine maiden asked. It calmed Hinata down a bit as she sighed. "I'm sorry, my name is Hinata Hyuga, do you happen to know where Konoha is located?" she introduced herself while asking her question. "My name is Sakura, and I'm sorry, but I've never heard of Konoha before." the shrine maiden introduced herself with an apology.
"She's never heard of Konoha before?" Hinata thought as she noticed even Ryoma was confused with the name. She needed to know where she is and if it's possible to get home. "Do any of you have a map? I should be able to find out where I am." Hinata politely asked as Ryoma cupped his chin in thought. "I don't understand, Mother sent us to search for a falling star in these plains, and instead we find you." he muttered faintly, but to Hinata's trained ears, she knew that was not normal. She tried to recall what happened to her before she passed out.
The Chūnin Exams, the giant Heartless, Turanox...Darkness. "Am I...am I even in my own world?" she asked herself, catching the attention of Ryoma as he looked at her. "Your world? Are you from an Outrealm perhaps?" he asked. It's not common for people from other worlds to travel from the Dragon's Gate to other worlds. Few venture them, but those who do usually have quite the tale to tell.
"All I remember was darkness consuming me..." Hinata shuddered. "It devoured my world, feasting on the light..." she answered, holding her head as she grew dizzy. Ryoma caught her, concern on his face. "Easy there, you should get some rest, we'll help you." he told her as darkness consumed her vision.
Turanox rumbled on the roof as he watched Corrin duel their sibling Xander. He usually kept his distance from the royal siblings, out of mild disgust because his dragon instincts looked down at them. His dragon instincts call them mongrels, as their dragon blood was diluted over the years. Its opinion is that they're not worth his time to even bond with, yet the human mind was different. It saw Xander as a stern and honorable leader, Leo a cunning strategist with a hidden soft side, Camilla was a motherly figure that was broken on the inside from some tragic past...and Elise. Elise was...bubbly; if Turanox were to say anything about her, it was that she'd give Tokiko a run for her money in having a bright personality.
Not to mention she likes trying to pet him, which was something he does not like. It's not just the petting, but her trying to get into his personal space. Corrin was an exception because they knew better and got the good parts of his neck when it itched. Plus they were good friends so that was a bonus.
During his several year stay in this world, he noted time flowed differently here from where the rest of the other worlds where Heartless naturally spawn originate from. He calculated a year here is equivalent to an hour back in the Realm of Light. During that time, his injured wing has recovered and his knowledge of the situation here was confirmed. Corrin was pretty much on house arrest, currently turned 19, there were only four retainers, twin maids, a butler and a knight, a stable girl and several horses. The stable girl was a fellow dragon, and she couldn't fool his nose, for some reason, the girl Lilith smelt similar to Corrin, almost as if they were siblings...
He theorized Lilith was a pure dragon offspring while Corrin was a half-blood one. He was honestly surprised that a dragon had a child with a human, which was a very rare union amongst dragon kind. Judging from the age difference, Lilith was younger than Corrin, and also very fond of her older sibling. He was curious if Corrin knew about their relation to Lilith or not.
His thoughts on the subject was cut off when Corrin defeated Xander, a smirk on their face as Turanox noted they might have utilized a trick of sorts to knock Xander off his high horse. Flexing his wings, he glided down the tower roof he latched himself upon and descended; landing elegantly before Corrin as the young royal smiled at him and rubbed his snout fondly. He liked this person, and he owed the dark royal a favor for aiding him in his recovery.
He could smell it in the air, war was brewing and he will make sure Corrin lived till they were happily married and the fighting ended. He swore to that, for parts of him that was still Cypher Naruto Uzumaki demanded that he return the favor with interest. "Come on partner; let's get ready to meet Father." Corrin smiled as Turanox rumbled gently as he developed an eye twitch when he felt Elise hanging off his tail, causing everyone to laugh at his annoyance.
Hinata was thrashing in her sleep, she had no idea why this was happening but this was a nightmare. War, it was war and people were dying left and right and in the center of it was a person. White hair, red eyes, wielding a golden sword as it shined with an unnatural light. It was beautiful, and the blade sang as it was swung. Warriors and monsters alike fell to it as Hinata saw this brave warrior confronting a dragon. Its hunger was ravenous and unyielding as their battle scarred the very earth itself. Then she heard it, a song being sung by a songstress, a voice so beautiful as the dragon roared in agony. With a final cry of effort as the song continued to echo throughout the battlefield, the golden sword plunged itself into the dragon's heart as it fell.
She opened her eyes with a gasped as she broke out in cold sweat. Hinata knew that was no dream, but a vision that has yet to come. She heard soft footsteps and the sliding door opened to reveal a priestess of the highest order, a sun tiara that reflect her nobility, and a beauty that would bedazzle many men with her gentle smile. "I see you're awake now, Hinata." the lady bowed her head politely. "My name is Mikoto, Queen of Hoshido." she introduced herself. "F-Forgive me Lady Mikoto, my n-name is Hinata Hyūga." Hinata formally greeted with a bit of a stutter. It was her first time to meet a queen of an entire kingdom before, and she had to keep the reputation of the Hyūga clan safe no matter what world she's on.
"I'm sorry to ask of this all of the sudden but..." Mikoto spoke, a sense of worry in her voice as she looked at Hinata in the eyes. "Do you have the key?" she asked cryptically. Hinata instinctively knew what the queen was referring to, her Keyblade. With hand outstretched, she summoned it as the queen observed it. "The weight of such a burden, given to a child none the less; I'm sorry you are forced to bear such a fate." Mikoto apologized as Hinata dismissed the blade. "Do you know of it?" she asked, the innocence in her voice only causing more grief for the queen. "My child, the Keyblade is a great and terrible thing..." Mikoto told her as she sat at the young girl's side. "This is a tale that predates even the First Dragons, back when all the realms were one." she began to tell of a tale that was passed down from her mother, to her mother's mother and beyond.
"Long ago, there was a great and brilliant light, one that illuminated the entire world with hope and love, making everything peaceful. There were guardians of that light, bearers of key shaped swords that was used to fight off the darkness." Hinata looked at the queen, drawn by the story of the Keyblade, of its history...and burden.
"Over time however; those bearers of the key sought the sacred light for themselves, and the darkness in their hearts caused them to turn against one another. A great war began, and everything was swallowed in darkness." A cold chill ran down her spine, no matter where she went, war was always involved in mankind's history. But this war...it devoured everything.
"But, in that same darkness, tiny lights have appeared, repairing the world by dividing it into stars. For every star out there shining brightly, another world is there, sharing the same sky." Mikoto finished as Hinata looked at her hand. She truly did bear a terrible burden; she had something that had been responsible for both the greater good, and a terrible evil. "You are still young, you can still make a difference with your own journey, your own experiences, and the path that is yours to climb." the queen reassured as she hugged the girl. "I know that if you believe in yourself, you'll save him from himself."
It caused Hinata to freeze as Mikoto looked at her gently. What was it this queen knew about Naruto or rather Turanox as he calls himself now?
Aqua shook her head, purging the influence of the Bend Will Shout Turanox used on her as she gazed upon Sakuya's rehabilitation. The ritual was a success, and it caused the girl's body to suffer a bit of a circuit fry of sorts as Sakuya was trying to adjust to her body's new improvements. She didn't change much, but her muscles, bone enforcement, and magical potential have improved drastically. But controlling her power was the hard part, and her mind can't keep up with her body. So far, she's gotten used to walking again and now they were focusing on the harder parts, controlling how much power to use when trying to hold something. So far Sakuya has destroyed fifteen glass cups in her rehabilitation, which was good as Sakuya was quickly readjusting power of her grip until it was on human levels. The smart part was having sturdier types of glass to gauge her gripping power.
Aqua pondered the thought of Turanox's whereabouts, due to her intervention in the timeline; she's altering history from its course, to a different path to a better future. Some events however, those events were set in stone and she could do nothing to stop it. Pulling the hood of her robes up, she sensed a Dark Corridor open as a member of the Organization walked in. It was Xigbar, one of the people she did not like in any shape or form. "So...this is where Boss Jr. does in his spare time. Heh, as if he could keep pulling surprises like this from us."
"Do you need something?" Aqua asked in a neutral tone as Sakuya looked at Xigbar with a strange expression. "Yup, the leader wanted to know what his little apprentice has been cooking up with Vexen, and I must say. One hell of a tree 'ya got there." Xigbar replied, admiring the growing Shinju as it towered over buildings. "The young King has been keeping many of us in the dark but we know the tree is important for something." Aqua admitted with a half-truth. "Pfft, the kid a king? As if!" Xigbar snorted as he tried his best to restrain his laughter. "If he's a king, then shouldn't he have some cute little queenie at his side or something?" he joked.
"Well, considering a princess is being offered an arranged marriage with him to unify their kingdoms, yes." she coolly replied. The reaction was a hit as Xigbar slipped and fell on his back in shock with a slack-jaw. Sakuya giggled at the sight, knowing that was the truth since the letter just came in this morning. "YOU'RE SPITTING ME!?" Xigbar exclaimed, censoring himself since Sakuya was there. Hey he may be a roguishly handsome sniper ladies dig, but even he has some manners around children.
"I have the letter and a picture of the princess, read it and weep." Aqua smiled behind the hood as she handed Xigbar the two items. He looked at it with a serious expression and chuckled. "Well what do 'ya know...he scored big." he mused. He returned the two items as he began to teleport back to The World That Never Was. "Well miss, and little lady, nice meet'n you two. Tell Turanox I said hi when you get the chance, will 'ya?" he grinned as he vanished.
"Daddy's getting married?" Sakuya asked, and Aqua can detect a hint of distaste at the thought of her 'father' getting married. "It's more of a political thing really. But it's best to know someone before making judgment afterwards. So please, give her a chance." Aqua politely asked as Sakuya pouted a little. Aqua couldn't resist as she glomped the young Uzumaki, Sakuya was begin so cute~!
Cypher Naruto erupted from the lake, his white robes slightly damp as his silver armor shone in the evening light as he turned towards a figure and he smiled softly at her. "It's been a while, Hinata." Cypher Naruto greeted with a friendly tone. Cypher Hinata activated her Byakūgan and her eyes widened at him, and deep down he knew she saw what he has become. "Naruto-kun...what happened to you?" she asked in abhorrent shock.
A/N: That's it for now, and for that last scene, it's from my other fanfic called Hinata's Journey: Future Past. It's in development and it ties in with this fic as both Naruto and Turanox are rising threats to both worlds. Question is...who will win?
