When Fate and Destiny Collide
By: maliciousfate
Chapter: Fourteen
"When Secrets are reveled"
I bit my lip harder as I tried desperately to hide myself in my scarf. How long was Neji going to persist on this?
"Come on Tsuki, no need to be shy," Neji teased some more. Right now, I really wished I had taken Yuuhi's offer to walk ahead with him.
"Neji, shut up," I growled as quietly as I could.
"As you wish, but you can't hide anything from me, especially when everything is written clearly on your face." He chuckled as he put his hands in his pockets. This mission will defiantly be one I won't soon forget.
"Little kiddies!" I heard Yuuhi call from ahead; I used this as my escape and quickly walked ahead of Neji. I could feel him smirk.
"Yuuhi is sweeppyy, so Yuuhi is gunna sweepp witee hereee!" Yuuhi said in a little kids voice making Hinata laugh. I couldn't help but laugh either, for having such a horrible past Yuuhi really didn't let it affect him. He was my living inspiration.
"Hey Hinata can you help me warm the blankets?" I asked as Yuuhi got comfortable in a bush, making sure to make loud baby noises the whole time. I could never be angry around a man like Yuuhi.
"Of course, Tsuki." Together, Hinata and I began to use basic fire jutsu to heat everyone's blankets as the sun began to fall. Neji situated himself high into a tree, most likely watching the sunset.
"Thank you, Hinata." I said as we finished, she nodded with a yawn.
"I'll see you in the morning, Tsuki." I waved as she found a comfortable spot at the base of a tree; it didn't take long for her light snores to be heard.
I stood alone with a blanket in my hands, letting the small breeze whip the loose hair around my face. I didn't feel at ease at that moment, not even comfortable. Something in the pit of my stomach, core of my bones, told me something was wrong. I let my eyes trace the forest, watching each leaf fall lightly from each tree, watched as a small patch of loose soil float into the air, as each bird let out their final calls for the night. Everything was normal; everything was as it should be. Except the feeling in my stomach that grew at each passing moment
"Tsuki?" The voice made me jump. I spun around in an instant, grasping a kunai as I did.
A hand stopped the kunai before it hit skin, and I felt my heart sink. It was just Neji.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked, still keeping a grip on my wrist.
"I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a bit jumpy for some reason." I pulled my wrist from his hand and put my kunai back in my pouch exhaling a sigh.
"Maybe you're tired?" I looked up into the darkened sky.
"Maybe" His eyes followed mine and soon the forest was silent. An eerie silence…
Somewhere deep in the forest a branch broke, leaving chills riding up my spine. I couldn't stand being on the forest floor anymore.
"I-I'm going up." Was all I could mange to say before I jumped high into one of the huge oaks. I could hear Neji following all the way to the highest branch.
"Tsuki, are you sure you're alright?" He asked as I finally settled down onto a thick branch.
I sighed, "Yeah, I think I'm just tried." I let my head rest against the tree.
"Are you sure?" He sat down next to me.
"I'm pretty sure." Even while I was off the forest floor the feeling in my stomach hadn't eased. It even seemed to get worse. I shut my eyes, hoping that if I could manage sleep these feelings would be forgotten.
I didn't know how much time had passed, or if I had actually been able to sleep, but I was taken from my thoughts by someone saying my name.
"Tsuki?" They repeated it, this time sounding almost uneasy. I peeked my eyes open to see Neji still awake and still gazing deep into the sky.
"Yes?" I turned my body a little allowing me to see him better, even if he was sitting right next to me.
He shifted a little, his brow creasing. "When I had told you this mission was to the Hidden Mist Village why did you look so devastated?"
I swallowed hard.
"I-I'm from there and I didn't particularly like it there." I hoped that would put an end to his curiosity. This was a conversation that brought up memories I had buried deep in my mind years ago and wished they would stay there.
"Why not?" He turned to study my expression; I couldn't hide the pain written in my eyes. No one could.
"Be-Because I've had some unpleasant experiences there." I gritted my teeth at the memory. I hated that place, everything about it. Every person, every mission, every house, and especially I hated my father. He was the reason my childhood was so horrible and so putrid. He was the reason for these memories.
"If you don't mind me asking, please explain?" He didn't hide the concern in his eyes as he scooted closer to me. I didn't know why he was so curious to know my past, or why he cared at all but I did know one thing; this was going to be a very heart turning explanation.
I studied his face before I spoke, "Can you promise me one thing before I say anymore?" I bit my lip before he answered.
"Anything."
"What I'm going to tell you, I've never told anyone before. No one. You will be the one and only person to know this," I took a breath, "-promise me you will tell no one for as long as you live?"
"I promise you." His reply was honest and sincere; there was no doubt in my mind he meant what he said. My breathing twisted and went uneven; I don't know how I was going to explain this to him. It was hard enough to bring the memories out of their grave, but to actually voice them aloud? I took a deep breath in; finally ready to spill my heart to the boy I'd marry.
"He blames me for her death…"
Flashback
"Zeal, we-we have some news for you sir." The terrified nurse told the man pacing the halls.
"Tell me." He demanded with wide eyes.
"T-the child, she is healthy-" The nurse stuttered, trying to get the nerve to tell the man. "-But the woman sir, your wife, the birth cause major damage to h-her internal organs and s-she is bleeding out. I don't think she will make it though the night."
The halls went to an eerie silence as the man walked silently into the room the nurse had just come from. His expression held only one emotion, heartbreak.
As he closed the door behind him he couldn't hold in the tears that had threatened to fall. The sight of the love of his life lying in white sheets stained with her blood, on the verge of death brought out pains that no one could ever comprehend.
"Z-Zeal?" The woman gasped out, lifting up her thin and fragile arm to the one and only man she ever loved.
"My darling Riyoka..." Zeal whispered, quickly going to the side of his dying wife, clasping his hand around hers. His vision blurred as he bit his lip hard.
"T-the baby?" She asked weakly trying her hardest to keep her eyes open.
"She is perfect, an amazing baby girl." He answered as his eyes started to glisten with more oncoming tears.
"A d-daughter, j-just what w-we wanted." Riyoka began coughing uncontrollably, blood leaking down the side of her lips. Zeal could do nothing but squeeze her tiny hand harder, his heart was breaking into millions of pieces as he watched his love whither away.
"Riyoka..." He wiped away the blood from her open mouth, trying his hardest not to break down.
"Zeal, m-may I name h-her?" Riyoka's eyes were closed now and her body was slowly relaxing.
"Yes darling, name her whatever you wish." Zeal inched closer to Riyoka's fading form, straining to hear her weak voice.
"I want to name her Tsuki. The name of the m-moon we first met under, the first place I found the l-love of my life. The first place I met you." She coughed again.
"Tell her I love h-her Zeal."
"Riyoka, darling, y-you can tell her yourself. When you leave the hospital." Zeal choked as his tears began to fall freely.
Riyoka opened her pale brown eyes and smiled up at her husband.
"I love you Zeal." She said no more as blood fell from her lips.
Riyoka Desutinii fell into her love's arms that night, smiling as her life diminished
Flashback Number Two
The hallway was dark and eerily quiet. I was beginning to become claustrophobic as the walls appeared to be moving in. I didn't know where my father was taking me, but i knew better then to question what he wanted.
My father stopped and turned to face me, his face held a stony gaze, "Through the door, Tsuki." Was all he said before he disappeared into the door filled with nothing but darkness.
With a deep breath in and a shaky step forward, i followed.
"F-Father?" I called into the pitch-black room, I could hear water dripping somewhere in front of me. My young eyes began to water as i desperately reached out for something, anything.
"Bow." His voice was hard, threatening almost. I did as I was told and as my knees found themselves on the cold dirt floor i felt a presence before me.
"Tsuki Desutinii, heir to the Desutinii Clan, child of Zeal Desutinii and Riyoka Desutinii now passed." It wasn't my father who spoke, but some unfamiliar man who did not sound friendly. I tried to life my head to see who this man was but something was holding me in my bowing position. I began to panic, not liking this situation at all.
"W-Who are you?" My young voice asked as i tried desperately to move my body once more. I received no reply, and got an overwhelming sense it was not just the two of us in this blackened room. Whispers from all around me pierced my eardrum as the man continued to speak.
"Binded by power, restricted by fate, concealed by blood..." Tears were cascading down my face by now as my whimpers rose in volume.
"W-what are you saying?" My voice was breaking as i tried to hold my composure, I had not clue what was going on.
I choked back tears as I felt a hand around the back of my neck,
"Calm yourself, Tsuki." It was my father and his words were laced with care, instantly my body relaxed. However, that relaxation was kept short as my fathers hands formed a strange sign on the back of my neck.
"Tsuki Desutinii obscured by the symbol of yin." And that's when my body was engulfed with revolting pain.
Flashback Number Three
"Why won't you defend yourself Tsuki? Are you going to get your daddy to come and kill me?" The older boy taunted towards the smaller and much more weaker girl. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she had tear streaks down her cheeks making lines in the dirt that had found its way caked onto her pale face.
"Stop it...I don't like this game..." She snuffled and wiped at her eyes. The boy ignored her pleads and cut her arms again with his dagger of blood.
By now the little girl was numb to the pain, and felt nothing as he slashed out at her. All the boy wanted was to make her scream, to cry out for help, to call on her father, to be normal, but she wasn't. She was always the silent one.
And so, he stuck again.
Flashback Number Four
"GET DOWN!" The man in white screamed as yet another one of his comrades fell to the ground eyes open, dead.
There was screaming for all around, lives being taken by the second. And the blood, oh god the blood- it was everywhere. Covering the walls, dripping down the hallways, splattered on the roofs, and being commanded from the Desutinii Clan.
It was an ambush.
I stood cowering behind the wall at the age of 13, with tears screaming down my face. This was too much for a thirteen year old to handle, most adults couldn't even stand the sight. But I had to stay; I had to wait until the last man in white fell to their knees begging for mercy. It was my father's demands.
"PLEASE!" A man pleaded before one of my men sliced his neck, spilling his blood; supplying their rage.
I squeezed my eyes shut and wrapped my arms, that were coated in layers of blood, around myself.
"HEIR! We have the leader!" The squad leader yelled towards me from across the hall. I opened my eyes, fear shinning brightly through them.
"HEIR! Come and finish this and we can go home with yet another victory for your father!" He yelled holding a beaten elderly man in his bloody grasp. Oh how I wished I could just turn and run, run away from all of this. But my legs moved on their own, pulling my body towards the two men.
As I walked closer to the men, the rest of my squad emerged from the devastation- all covered in the blood of their victims. I noticed their eyes; all fifteen of their eyes, all of them were glistening with blood lust and rage. They wanted me to do this; they truly wanted me to do this.
Their bright white smiles shinned through the dripping blood that covered their faces. I turned away, no longer able to bare the sight. The men were before me now, the elderly man shaking in the grip of my squad captain.
By now my vision was hazed from the river of tears I couldn't hold back. I didn't want this, I didn't ask for this, but I had no choice.
"This is for our clan, for your father." The squad leader said maliciously as he held out the elderly man. He dropped him to his knees where the man kneeled looking up towards me with pure terror in his eyes.
I didn't need to make a wound, there was enough blood surrounding me to supply me for the rest of my life.
The last thing I heard was the agonizing screams from the man whose life was taken.
I made a vow with myself that night, as the agonizing screams still lingered around me; I made a vow the night I took a leader's life.
End of Flashbacks
Nothing in the world could stop the tears that were falling freely from my eyes as I finished. My head was hanging low, not wanting to see the look in Neji's eyes. But as I felt his warm hand grasp mine, I had to look up.
He placed both his hands around my own, squeezing them sympathetically.
I couldn't stand the pain anymore, I couldn't take the memories. I let my body collide with his in a tight embrace. He let my tears soak into his shirt, he let my fingers dig into his back, and he let me cry.
He held me tight as my tears slowed and my cries lessened. He didn't need to say a thing, his arms were words enough.
"Well isn't that the damn cutest thing?" A velvety voice said from the shadows.
We pulled apart instantly. Neji had his Byakugan activated in seconds, as I held my guard strong.
A heart wrenching scream echoed through the forest, bouncing off the trees and piercing my heart. My eyes flew wide.
"Hinata!"
But before I could do anything to help- an intense explosion made my vision go black…