Chapter 3 Return

It has been 8 years now maybe, or is it 17, possibly 3? Crap, I don't know but I've managed to find my way into the ninja countries a few weeks or months ago. It seems like a lifetime has gone by since… uh… that day. I've caught myself talking to my weapons again; comforting, but disturbing. Some days I seem to loose track of my humanity, but other days I seem as though I forgot something important.

I haven't talked to a soul since the crazy sword guy and I clearly have no sense of time anymore, but I still try to keep clean shaven using a small blade I found. What is really crazy, besides my mind, is the fact that every town I enter I added weight to my training weights, wait, how many weights did I wait on? Crap, get it under control. Alright anyways I have a lot of weight on me now and…. ah hell I can't remember what I was saying. Oh hey I think I've been here before, wait why am I telling you this. Uh… who are you again?

The village hidden in the leaves, Konoha, was bustling this day because everyone was invited to the marriage of the newly announced clan leader Hyuuga Hinata to Hyuuga Hanori a distant cousin in the branch family. Although the village was still on edge, since they still haven't found an appropriate Hokage, they still felt secure knowing another generation of the Hyuuga Clan, strongest clan in Konoha, will be all but cemented today.

"Hinata-sama, you are getting married this day, it should be a joyous occasion why can't you just smile once?" was asked, to a depressed heiress, by the older Hyuuga male.

"Neji-nii-san, it's just that… I don't love him. I've always imagined my marriage being the happiest day of my life, but this day has come and the one I dreamed to be waiting for me isn't the one who will be." She replied downcast.

"Hinata-sama, most clan marriages are formed for the sake of the clan and not for love. We each are allowed to find love and if we don't have it by a certain age it is better to arrange a marriage and attempt to turn it into love than to fail trying, ending the next generation. As the new Clan Head, it is your duty to the clan to have a predecessor" He informed.

"But how can I uh… you know… consummate the marriage when I feel nothing for him?" asked Hinata

"It is easy for either party. You just need to lay there undressed and he'll gladly take care of the rest." Came the simple reply, with a slight smirk.

"Neji!" she hollered disgusted

"Well you did ask, I just answered, it's not like you haven't had sex before." The statement alone generated a blush on her that hasn't been seen in years.

"Um, I uh, well… haven't" came her answer.

"Huh? Your 22 years old. I thought for sure some one like Kiba-san would have gotten you by now."

"I really don't like talking about this topic, but he did try once. He offered to help take away my pain. He told me that by making love to him, it would lessen the loss I felt."

"He was probably correct Hinata-sama, so why didn't you take him up on his offer? I know you really care for him, he has been your teammate for so long."

"If anyone could have taken away my pain it would have been him, but I didn't want to lose my pain, it is the last bit I have of him. He isn't even listed in any records here, so I only had the pain of missing him. No memorial, nothing to show he was even here or existed" She sighs and then continues. "I owe it to him to keep the pain and never forget his sacrifices he made for the village. It disgusts me that they did that to him… I wanted to kill each and every one of them for what they did." Slowly letting her anger subside, she continued on her previous topic. "I am glad I didn't do that with Kiba-kun though, he has since been known to cheat on his serious girlfriends. If anyone did that to me they would surely die" explained the pale eyed woman.

"Well I guess you did choose correctly then. But what do you plan to do?" he asked

"I guess I will just pray for a reason to call it off" she stated trying to bring up a smile but failed.

"You will need one hell of an excuse to put off your wedding"

"Then I'll just have to pray harder then wont I" stated the now forcibly smiling bride, when the door opened

"Hinata, it's time. Your groom awaits" smiled her sister.

"I'm coming Hanabi-chan" answered Hinata. 'Please if there is anyone out there, don't let me get married outside of love' she thought out to the heavens.

A figure was seen approaching the gates of Konoha wearing a dark cloak cascading down past his black tattered pants (conveinent him coming at this particular time, huh?). The cloak was opened slightly showing of his well trained bare chest as its hood was drawn, hiding his face.

"Hey Ryo check out that guy's zanbatou… It's huge!" observed a guard.

"Yeah no kidding Kento, this guy has to be dangerous if he can even sling that sword" replied the other.

"Maybe he's just trying to compensate for… you know… down there" came the third ninja's comment

"You sir, halt; state your name and business" demanded Kento, one of the guards.

"H-Hin-Hinata" stammered the man with great difficulty.

"That's a funny name for a guy. Now why are you here?" ordered Ryo

"Need... see Hinata" he said still trying to shake his head into forming cohesive sentences.

"Great we got a moron here, lets take care of him quickly; we can't let him screw up Hinata-sama's wedding," was the response coming from the last guard.

Each guard whips out a kunai and charges the stranger. The unknown visitor drags out his zanbatou, single handedly, striking the Ryo with the flat edge of the sword sending him smashing into the wall knocking him out instantly. Bringing the sword back around in a smooth arc the warrior stopped it inches away from the other guard halting is attack after drawing, firing, and holstering the chakra pistol with lightning speed and precision, knocking Kento unconscious as well.

"I h-haven't s-spoken in years…. S-So I won't ask again….Where's…Hinata?" demanded the sword bearer in a threatening tone.

"She's uh… getting married right now; y-you won't get out alive though. The e-elite of the village are all there and the Hyuuga are a powerful clan." Answered the conscious guard shaking at the speed the huge sword was swung and how he took out the other with out even seeing the attack.

"Where?" demanded the stranger

"In the park, by the Hyuuga Manor in the far East."

"Thank you." He flung the massive sword onto his back and continued through the gates walking towards the Hyuuga manor and the guard lay on the ground helpless from his fear.

"Do you, Hyuuga Hanori take Hyuuga Hinata to be your wife until death separates you?"

"I will"

"And do you Hyuuga Hinata take Hyuuga Hanori to be your husband until death separates you?"

"Um…well..." lets out a disappointed sigh "I …g-guess so"

"Then if there is any reason these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace" complete silence…

"Then by the power invested in me…."

"STOP!" The large crowd turns towards the intruder eyeing him evilly.

"You will not interfere with a Hyuuga wedding, especially from an outsider" demanded a Hyuuga member as all attending ninja stood at the ready.

"I will not leave until Hinata truthfully answers my one question… do you love him?"

...Later