SPECIAL – THE MANY HINATAS
Many Years Ago, the Imperial Palace
Akashi knew that he had been naïve. He ran into the Imperial Palace clutching at his side. He hadn't had a wound like this in years and it slowed his every movement, weakening him each second it remained. He refused to heal himself, knowing that as he made his way through the corridors every last scrap of divine energy was sacred. Every last scrap of energy he could muster later on could have meant the difference between life and death for all of Homeworld.
Even in a weakened state, Akashi was not a man to be messed with. The Imperial Palace staff loyal to him were fighting their own battle at this point, fighting against those who sided with Furst. The empire was changing by the second, the largest coup ever was taking place right in front of him. A few of Furst's co-conspirators tried to get in his way but he didn't even consider them. Each step he took carried him the length of another of the huge corridors.
The first stop Akashi took was to his study. There were projects and studies he had worked on here that he hoped to tell Jonas about one day. That was before his worst nightmares became reality. That was before Jonas turned on him. Following the betrayal, he was in a rush to conceal the nature of his projects, knowing they may one day hold great importance. He gathered the most important of them, stuffing them into the pockets of his golden, blue, and red robe. The remnants he destroyed.
The second stop Akashi made was the only other one that mattered. He moved quickly into the residential area of the palace, moving to the room belonging to his daughter. She had sensibly barricaded the enormous doors to her chamber. That would have kept most people out, it was smart thinking seeing that she was likely the target of this uproar. The barred door was no obstacle to Akashi though, he pawed it down with an effortless swing of his arm, blasting away all obstacles.
"Father!"
This was the hiding place of the most important young woman in Homeworld, Princess Endou Hinata.
"Come with me," Akashi said.
Akashi grabbed Hinata by the arm and begin to dart back in the direction he came. He moved quickly through the corridors, slowed only by his own thoughts to protect his daughter. In a matter of moments the two of them escaped the Imperial Palace. They then travelled a short way, stopping only when the emperor thought it was safe to do so.
"Jonas has staged a rebellion," Akashi told his daughter, "He has found a divine ability that lets him rise two levels in battle class. I found one as well, and I believe you are the best candidate to absorb it."
Akashi produced the divine ability from his robe pocket.
"Father, surely there is someone better."
"There is nobody more qualified for this than you, Hinata. These are best absorbed when you are unconscious, so I am going to knock you out, OK?"
"Father… OK, do it."
Akashi delivered a sharp blow to the rear of Hinata's head, knocking her out as gently as he could have done. He then pressed the divine ability into her back, starting her on the path to absorbing the power it contains.
"Well, what have we here?" came a voice familiar to Akashi.
A woman who helped him in the land of Seblix emerges. Her bright clothes, contrasting with her hair and eyes, her pen, and her notebook which she scribbles in constantly, the jewellery on her head. There was no doubting her identity, many who had never met her would have been able to tell straight away. This was Hirsch Nadia, the champion of Seblix. She was discovered some years ago and everyone in the imperial household believed that she was the greatest strategist in all of Homeworld.
"I should have known that you had helped him to organise this," Akashi said, "You're the only person whose mind rivals his. You must have seen Jonas' plan coming and were given a decision. Help him or stop him. I feel ashamed that you decided to side against me."
"It is pointless to side against him," Nadia said confidently, "It doesn't take someone of my genius to realise that. He cannot be beaten, not by the people of Homeworld, not anymore. You were are chosen champion Endou, you were the one who saved this world. If you can't stand up to him, there is no way that my planning would have made a difference."
"You work for Jonas now?"
"Emperor Furst."
Akashi smiled. It was always his vision that only the people could bless someone with the crown. He had always hoped that whoever ruled Homeworld would have been selected by the people, not won a victory over them. It seemed to him that bad things will always happen, no matter who tries to stop them. It had happened to others before him and he was sure it would happen to others after him.
"What will you do now?"
"The emperor is a lot less sentimental than you two were. My orders aren't to arrest you. My orders are to kill you."
"Very presumptuous of you Nadia. I am still the man who saved Homeworld, do you really think you can beat me."
"I am not a fool, I can see the wound, I know that you have refused to heal it until now. In this state, I know I can beat you."
Nadia ran at Akashi, watching his every move. As she predicted, his first move was to position himself between her and his daughter. He is a sentimental and emotional man, qualities that make him easy to predict. As she reached the two of them, she dips her hand into her pocket, when it emerges it is clad in a black liquid substance. She chopped her palm down towards Akashi's head, throwing the liquid over both the emperor and his daughter. Having succeeded in this attack, Nadia immediately jumped away, retreating.
"I have always had a certain interest in poisons," Nadia told him. "I have worked with masters of the element, and of the craft. I developed an immunity to that one some time ago, but without help I doubt even you will survive. It will consume you slowly as time goes on, but I won't need to wait that long."
Akashi could sense it; he could feel the intense burning throughout his body as the poison seeped in through his pores. Nadia clearly knew plenty about poison. It was all he could do not to cry out in pain, desperate at that point not to show any weakness to his opponent. Especially given Nadia's previous comment, it was obvious to him that the master strategist was going to attack again, and that she would probably kill him.
Akashi needed a plan quick, so he took the only countermeasure one can possibly take against Nadia. He came up with a stupid plan.
Nadia chopped down towards Akashi again. This time the emperor did nothing, letting her palm strike him squarely in the shoulder. He actually did less than nothing, momentarily decreasing his energy output to maximise the damage Nadia dealt. He waited until he felt her hand go past the bone, waited until the moment of maximum pain before he put his plan into action.
Akashi maximised his power output once again, instantly healing his broken shoulder, forming the bone of a class 9 warrior around Nadia's hand. In an instant he trapped her.
Nadia smirked. The only countermeasure against her, to do something stupid.
Akashi gathered as much golden 'life' energy as he could onto his fist and struck Nadia forcefully. Despite the poison running around his veins, despite the gaping wound at his side, despite him protecting his daughter and trying to conserve energy, Akashi could strike harder than any other class 9. The blow immediately broke several of Nadia's bones, dealing her injuries that she would feel for a long time to come.
Akashi had no time to celebrate his victory. He could not waste energy on helping himself, but he didn't hesitate to use it to help his daughter. He picked up the unconscious Hinata, applying 'life' energy through the points of contact between them. He leapt to the West, continuing in the same direction the two of them were travelling before.
Akashi travelled with Hinata until they reached one of the few safe places left in Homeworld. If Furst was busy attacking him and Nadia was busy planning the coup, he was confident in the abilities of one person, his brother-in-law. With them out of the picture there would be nobody in the world who could have defeated Muto Sora, there was no way the Academy would fall.
The prediction proved correct. When Akashi arrived at the Academy, he found his wife and brother-in-law waiting for him.
"She's been poisoned," Akashi told them.
"Shall I go and get one of the 'poison' experts," Sora asked.
"No, Hirsch Nadia prepared this poison. None of our experts are ever going to be able to cure it alone. 'Life' energy is all that can keep Hinata alive for now."
"Akashi, you're hurt too," his wife said.
"I'm fine."
She pulled back part of his robe to reveal a gaping wound in the side of his abdomen. The discolouration symptomatic of him being poisoned. From this one wound, the two experienced Muto family members immediately worked out what had happened. After Akashi fought Jonas, Nadia poisoned both him and Hinata.
"Good lord Akashi, why don't you heal yourself. If you don't then you will—"
"I'll be fine," Akashi insisted, "I need to preserve energy for now. If I put a foot wrong, then Homeworld will be lost forever."
"Akashi, she's not healing," Sora noted. "You're just preserving her at the moment. You are the world's greatest healer, and if 'life' energy isn't saving her then I fear Hinata—"
"Thank you, Sora, I know the situation. I'm going to take her to one of Jonas' pocket-worlds. The locals in those worlds have strange techniques, I've seen them do all kinds of things. Maybe one of the fruit users will be able to set her soul on a cycle of reincarnation, I've seen it done before."
"That's a big gamble to take with your daughter's life. Even if there is a local who can reincarnate her soul, there is no guarantee that she will ever awaken her Homeworld memories again. Even if she does, she will become the sole user of divine energy in that world. There will be nobody to help retake Homeworld."
"There will be the other pocket-worlders."
"Pocket-worlders can't use divine energy," Sora reminded Akashi, "Even if Hinata returns, her battle class cannot possibly reach a high enough level to threaten Jonas. Akashi this plan is doomed to fail."
"Trust me, I will make it work."
"How?"
"There are a few things I can do to boost the world's odds of awakening divine energy," Akashi revealed. "Later the two of you can pay a visit to that world, use your elements to bless it with good fortune. You are better suited to that than I."
"What do you mean later?"
"In the years to come, during Jonas rule."
"You think you're going to die, don't you," his wife asked him.
"Yes. I think I am."
"And you're expecting the two of us to let you do it; to let you give yourself in this fight against him. You expect my brother and I to sit here and wait and run away while Homeworld suffers under his rule."
"I am. That is my request, as the Emperor of Homeworld."
"I don't think I can do that as your wife."
"But you can as the Empress, and Sora can as the Headmaster of the Academy. The two of you can slip away into the darkness. You can keep out of sight and wait for her to return. You can be here, waiting for a group of pocket-worlders to arrive and save everyone."
"Sora," the empress sniffled, "Could you give the two of us—"
"I will leave you. My emperor, brother-in-law, my best friend, Akashi, it has been an honour to work with you."
"The honour has been all mine, old friend."
Sora, struggling to hold back his own tears, walked away. He left his sister and his best friend to say their final farewell. As he walked away, he considered what form Hinata may return in, whether she will even remember this world. It was a sad thought, a thought of waiting hundreds of years for something that may never happen. All the while he will have to endure the rule of the tyrannical traitor Furst, knowing that he has killed Akashi.
"You should ask to be put on a cycle of reincarnation yourself," the empress said, "If you were to return to this world with their power, you could really—"
"I can't leave Homeworld," Akashi said, "I am the true emperor of this brilliant realm. The people look to me to stand up for them, even when the situation is hopeless. I must fight him again, even if I am certain to lose."
The empress kissed their daughters head and then kissed her husband. She was never good at holding back emotion. She resolved to start from that moment but proved unsuccessful, the tears streaming from her eyes doing nothing to wash away the pain written all over her face.
"Goodbye Akashi. I'll make sure it was worth it. I'll make sure that when the time comes Hinata sits atop the throne."
"Goodbye. I love you."
"I love you."
A Pocket-World
Akashi slipped into the pocket-world through the Military Headquarters. Although many of the military had switched allegiance and had started to side with Furst, they did not get in Akashi's way. He didn't enter a portal until he was certain he had escaped their view.
The majority of the military appreciated the situation. Furst Jonas was unstoppable, having recently acquired a power that puts him a level higher than anybody else, that puts him on a level it is impossible for others to reach. The new emperor's ascension may have been enough to change their allegiance, but it was not enough to blind them to Akashi's identity. He was still the man who defeated the Dark Dimension and by their reckoning still the second most powerful living being.
Upon arriving in the pocket-world Akashi encountered one of the pocket-worlders. He knew that he was on dangerous ground now, messing with a world like this, early in it's development. He had little choice though, the situation demanded Hinata's soul be transferred, and only these people had the power to do that.
The pocket-worlders were scared of Akashi at first, ignoring his request to be taken to the world's most powerful warrior, taking it as a joke. However, more and more warriors from the nearby settlement came to tackle Akashi and within an hour they came to realise how strong he was. They agreed to his demands and took him to the most powerful warrior in this world.
Akashi was brought before a man of advanced years with a strangely pale complexion. He didn't question this though for it was not the time.
"I am told you are a powerful warrior," the pocket-worlder asked.
"Yes, more than you can know," Akashi answered.
"Would a demonstration be out of the question."
Akashi had no inclination to use his 'life' energy when he could hope to preserve it. Relying on the innate strength of his body alone he flicked his finger into the floor, creating local tremors. A sign of power far beyond what could be found in this pocket-world. The pocket-worlder knew that he could perform similar feats but was aware of how easy it was for Akashi. He had the feeling straight away that he was looking at a warrior he could never catch up with, someone far beyond his comprehension.
Akashi requested the pocket-worlder travel back to the portal with him. The pocket-worlder agreed and together with the unconscious princess they travelled back to the portal.
"What is this, a portal?" the pocket-worlder asked.
"Yes, the other side is where my daughter and I come from."
"Why have you brought me here?"
"I need you to set my daughter's soul on a cycle of reincarnation," Akashi said, "I assume you or when of your relatives consumed the fruit, the one that grants you the strange powers."
"My mother."
"I was hoping to meet with someone who consumed it rather than a descendent, but I can't afford to be picky. Please tell me that you will be able to do that, to rescue my daughter's soul."
The pocket-worlder scratched his chin. "I believe such a thing is possible. But ethically and practically I can only do so much. I will not displace souls from the bodies of new-borns. The best I can do is offer to modify your daughter's soul to share bodies."
"Share bodies?"
"I've long had theories about the reincarnation of will, a power that travels through time and finds itself in our descendants. But inherited will can never replace that of the inheritor, simply bolster it, a second will that helps during important moments. Your daughter's soul would be the same, appearing for the inheritor at important moments. She may never control a body again."
"Divine energy," Akashi mutters.
"Divine energy?" the pocket-worlder asks.
Akashi holds his hand up, summoning some 'life' energy to show the local.
"My world's power, we call it divine energy. I had an advisor who studied it and I tried to learn a bit myself. Divine energy strengthens a soul greatly. Imprints of my daughter's appearance and personality will probably resonate through the generations of her soul's inheritors. If one of them understands divine energy, then I believe a bridge will form between the twin souls. I believe when that happens my daughter will regain some control."
"I'm afraid I don't understand," the pocket-worlder admits.
Akashi laughs heartily, "Don't worry, my world is much larger than your own and very few people understand these concepts back there. I believe that my wife and her brother will come to understand in time, it will be vital for what is to come."
"And what is to come?"
"Another war. Please, begin your work, my daughter has been poisoned and doesn't have long left."
The pocket-worlder looked nervous as he began his work. He used his chakra to begin working on Hinata's soul, sending chakra into the most delicate parts of her consciousness. It was dangerous work, work that he had never attempted before and would never attempt again. If he made a tiny mistake, he would kill her on the spot, but the man who visited made a strong impression. He could tell that Akashi was a man who could be trusted. He could tell that Akashi's work was something more important than he could imagine.
The pocket-worlder reached a moment of pause in his work and saw Akashi making some strange movements. A ball of bright divine energy had appeared in front of him, a globe building from within his curved hands. Akashi pushed the globe of energy into the frame of the portal. The pocket-worlder asked Akashi what he was doing.
"I am modifying the divine energy of this portal."
At this inconvenient moment, Akashi felt the poison spread to a new part of his body. If he were to continue to allow it to spread through his arm he would have died shortly. He was a man of incomparably strong will, a man who refused to waste energy even for this purpose. He removed his own arm, barely flinching as he did so. After this he continued to work as if nothing had changed.
Akashi, while attempting to make another globe tutted. Shaking his head he made some comment about having messed up and threw the globe into he distance. On his second attempt he made this new type of globe correctly. He grinned at his achievement, believing it a unique accomplishment that not even Furst had done. He pushed this second globe of energy into the frame of the portal.
"Hopefully this can help them when they come. I'm sure they will come to your aid Hinata. The people of this world. I am sure that there are people here who will help you more than you could ever believe. I am sure that one day you will realise, as I have done, that we have underestimated the pocket-worlders."
The pocket-worlder reached a critical moment in the manipulation of Hinata's soul. The princess' eyes snapped open and she gasped for air. Her muscles all began to contract, and she resisted letting out a cry of pain, the poison having moved most of the way through her body.
"Father! What's happening!"
"We're in a pocket-world, Hinata," Akashi told her. "You are going to be set on a cycle of reincarnation. You have to learn this world's power if you are going to one day defeat Furst. Eventually one of your reincarnations will learn divine energy, when that happens you will regain control. Your powers from Homeworld will return to you."
"No," Hinata slowly shook her head, "I don't want to go. I don't want this."
"You've been poisoned, even I can't save you, this is the only way you're going to survive. Trust me you will find friends here, people that one day you won't be able to live without. I truly believe that."
"I won't regain control," Hinata sniffled, "Pocket-worlders can't use divine energy."
"We're doing everything we can to change that."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't have time to explain."
"Then how much time do we have?"
Akashi looked to the pocket-worlder, a man that Hinata does not know and that he has only known for the past few moments. The pocket-worlder made a few quick calculations in his head and told Akashi that the two of them have less than a minute left before Hinata's soul needed to be reincarnated.
"We have time to say goodbye," Akashi said.
"Goodbye? You'll see me again when I return."
"I'm sorry Hinata, but when you wake back up, I'll be dead."
"That's not fair, all you have to do is hide and I'll come back."
"I can't hide Hinata. Those people chose me as their emperor, I have to defend them. Please don't hold it against me."
Hinata nodded reluctantly. She drew on her training to one day be empress, to try and remain dignified in her appearance, but she could do nothing to hold back her tears. This was the last time she would ever see her father.
"I love you dad," she said.
"I love you too."
The pocket-worlder declared they were out of time. He slapped his hands together and activated his improvised technique. There was a flash of light and Hinata's soul left her body. In one of the nearby settlements a child was born in the next few minutes, a child with two souls. Invisible forces were at work, helping with this birth. For some reason the parents changed their original choice of name, they each had a new name in mind. Fate was acting on them and they agreed on a new name for their child.
This child was called Hinata.
This child would be the first of many Hinatas.
Akashi nodded to himself and informed the pocket-worlder that he had to go. There was of course an important matter to attend to. He had to stand for his home one last time. Even though he knew he was going to lose, he had to try. He had to return to Homeworld for one last battle with Furst Jonas.
"Where are you going though?" the pocket-worlder asked, I have many questions.
"I am going back to my world, I have to fight a traitor, even if it means giving my own life."
"I am a warrior as well; I could come with you."
Akashi and the pocket-worlder exchanged a wordless glance. After a pause they both smiled. They knew that there was a gap between their powers, a gap that could never be covered. One was the emperor of a realm filled with countless warriors who could single-handedly wipe out the pocket-world. While the pocket-worlder didn't appreciate this, he appreciated how much Akashi had achieved despite his wounded state, and that if he needed to return to fight a traitor, he must have been a man of high status.
"I have one final favour to ask," Akashi said, "Forget that I was ever here. You must never mention this encounter again. If word were to reach the wrong person your entire world would be destroyed."
"I will investigate a method to remove the encounter from my memory," the pocket-worlder offered.
"Thank you."
"Before you go, what is your name."
Akashi laughed, "Won't you forget my name?"
"Indeed, but I would hear it all the same, as a mark of respect."
The emperor turned and bowed to the pocket-worlder who saved his daughter's life.
"My name is Endou Akashi, I am the Emperor of Homeworld."
The pocket-worlder bowed in return.
"My name is Otsutsuki Hagoromo, I am the Sage of Six Paths. Endou Akashi, I wish you the best of luck."
Akashi waved to Hagoromo as he returned through the portal. He ventured into Homeworld once again, ready to give his life in his final battle. He returned, heading back towards the Imperial Palace to fight Furst Jonas.
That was the day the empire changed.
The day of Endou Hinata's reincarnation.
The day of Endou Akashi's final battle.
Author Note
Hi All,
I won't be releasing any more chapters this week as I am taking a break.
This chapter was fun to write, even if it took a bit longer than I hoped for.
I apologise if there are any plot holes, at this point there is so much of my own stuff to avoid contradicting, even without considering the source material.
I hope that this chapter helps to explain where Hinata's power comes from.
Thanks,
Me
In Response to Demon90340's Question
About potential return of Asura/Indra's chakra
As for how the Otsutsuki are related to Homeworld I can't say without giving away a potential spoiler.
It would be a relatively minor part of the story but I may choose to address it in future.
I'm afraid I can't answer about Asura/Indra either.
Sorry for not being very helpful.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to Engineer's Questions
About various subjects
It would be unlike them to kill Zahra, so they won't do that.
Having failed to capture Naruto she probably won't be working with the Imperial Guard in future anyway so won't be a threat.
Weiss Max will probably find out in the next few days.
Sakura's divine energy for the 'healing' element heals in the same way as chakra.
It is marginally slower than Naruto's healing but not by much because she is an expert healer.
Sakura's healing is also more efficient.
I can't say how the Sacred Sword works without giving away spoilers.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to S's Questions
About the rinnegan and divine cloaks
The rinnegan is probably slightly stronger than when Sasuke was in the pocket-world.
I wouldn't like to be drawn on an answer because I will probably contradict it later.
When a warrior such as Naruto stops using his divine cloak he reverts from a class 7 to class 6.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to Hyokage's Questions
About Zahra and Sasuke's potential
Zahra will be, as you say, left to Rana.
Now that she's lost she can't really go back to where she was before.
Sasuke's potential is less than Naruto's.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to jenuzumaki's Question
About Hinata's memory and Sasuke/Kakashi's powers
Hinata is recalling some of her memories as a pocket-worlder.
Sasuke or Kakashi couldn't send a Homeworlder to a pocket-world.
The distance is too far, a portal would be needed to do that.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to m'j doom's Questions
About various topics
You're right about the classes.
Generals - Class 8
Royals - Class 9
Furst - Class 10
It's a minor spoiler but the rebellion will spread to other countries.
I can't say without giving away spoilers when the shinobi will finally meet.
There are biological differences between pocket-worlders and homeworlders but you wouldn't be able to see them.
They are in the brain.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to chris75599's Question
About Sasuke and Sakura
They broke through and understood their elements before part 9.
This was not written about but implied.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to ShadowMonarch's Comments
About foreshadowing and character opinions
I'm always delighted when foreshadowing is recognised.
It makes me feel like my plan is actually worthwhile.
The characters you are picturing are interesting choices.
They are very close to what I have in images.
Thanks for reading.