Hello guys I'm back, afew days late, but well I'm not that good with explanation chapters =P bear with me
This chapter was checked up by Hikari no Okami, you better thank her because I'm sure this one was a complicated chapter although she fixed it really fast
The Legal loophole at the end (u'll see) was also her idea ^_^
I hope you enjoy! No more to say! Charge!!!
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Rebirth
Dying, was chaotic.
"RAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"
"WHAT?!"
"HAKU!!!"
"NOOO!"
"STOP!"
"SAKURA STORM NO JUTSU!"
…Silence.
As so many other ninjas I had died in battle. I was perfectly prepared for that. I knew I would probably meet my end at the edge of a kunai or the jutsu of my enemy, and I knew I would die young too.
But I had no regrets, no loose ends, nothing that would make me roam the world as a spirit, I was prepared to move on, to let my soul go to whatever was beyond. It scared me a little but it was ok, I was feeling kinda eager to know what followed this world. I no longer felt the cold, damp concrete bridge supporting my body, I was falling slowly, as if I was sinking into a large body of water, but it was dry and warm.
Suddenly the darkness was pulling back too, in the distance I saw a bright light which was suddenly approaching to me. As it came closer the feeling was warmer and warmer. I realized the warmth came from that light.
"You did well, little one." the voice was nice and melodic, angelic even, the sound really made me calm and relax, it even made me smile.
The light suddenly took the form of a woman, a woman of long dark blue hair and lavender pupil less eyes, her figure was perfect and her face was completely flawless. In one word, she was gorgeous. She returned my smile.
My feet landed on some invisible ground and I was able to stand on them easily. I noticed both my wounds and my fatigue where no longer there.
"Where are we?" I dared to ask, I wondered if my voice would even come out, but it sounded ok.
"Have you ever heard of the light at the end of the tunnel dear Hinata?" she asked me taking a step towards me and passing a hand through my hair, now almost as long as hers. In the past I was never able to see Habataku clearly and right now here she was, completely solid; I was even capable of touching her and feeling her soft skin. It was the first time I could interact with her this way; to see her for the first time…it was…quite a surprise.
"What…are those?" I asked pointing the pair of rabbit ears poking out of her head.
"Oh my! Those, yes, they come out when I use too much chakra" she said blushing a little "they'll disappear given some time, don't worry, but I think you had a manifestation too" I didn't understood her roguish smile "anyway, don't worry"
"So…you're the light at the end of the tunnel?" I asked her curious.
"Child, no! We're in what you could call the limbo" she explained.
"So I'm not dead?" I was confused now.
"You're agonizing, and there's but one way to bring you back and you're the only one who can do it" she said a little serious.
"What do I have to do?"
"You have to desire to be there"
"But I do! Naruto-k-"
"Look inside you, is there really, a 'Naruto-kun' inside you?" my eyes widened as I realized she was speaking the truth. No longer was there the feeling that Naruto-kun caused.
"WHY!?" I demanded to know, it was as if I had just noticed that my heart had been ripped off "MY NARUTO-KUN!"
"You let him go…" explained with calm Habataku "at the moment you confessed you closed that book, you were the one that 'moved on', in order to come back to the land of the living you need a reason, something that motivates you to do so" I was devastated, I fell to my knees. No wonder I was dying, how could I live without the fire that was Naruto-kun to make me breathe? And it was my fault, for being so pessimistic, for having no regrets…
"Stand up Hinata, I can't see you like this. Come on, we need to find you a reason to live"
Habataku help me up and suddenly a large amount of enormous bubbles appeared floating in front of us. Inside the bubbles there were different images moving, like if different movies were being played inside each bubble
"What are these?" I asked with surprise
"These are your futures…at least some of them" explained Habataku referring to the more than a dozen large bubbles "each one of this shows something that you can become, a future which can be"
"All of these?" I noticed how there was a girl of dark blue hair and light lavender eyes performing different activities in each one, and the faint sound that came from each bubble created a large noise, but if one focused on a specific bubble you could perfectly distinguish the sounds from the rest. They all looked so different from one another.
One was wearing a dark leather suit and used her hair very short, by what she was doing she seemed to be a close-quarter fighting expert and an assassin; other one was wearing a beautiful yukata, and was fixing a large flower arrangement; other one on the back was shown in front of an altar, getting married to Kiba-kun… I wondered how had that come to happen, but it wasn't as surprising as seeing yet another Hinata as the wife of Uchiha Sasuke!; another one was a diplomat for the fire country, and one of the front bubbles showed me teaching young ninja at the academy, or course, not all of them were nice, there was one where I was a missing nin, running away from the ANBU hunters; and another one depressing to even look that showed me as a dark, weird woman, completely alone in a lightless room, looking to the village through a large window. It was sad to behold that; in a more neutral one I was seen as a nun in a far away temple. But one among the others called my attention the most, but not because of what I was doing, but because of who was with me
"Oka-chan!" [Mommy!]
I was walking through the main pavilion of a traditional festival and the night was illuminated by paper lamps standing over the different stands of food, games, and entertainment. Two kids were running towards me, wearing precious yukatas and stuffed animal ears: The first one was a tall boy with long dark hair. His expression was happy but serene as he approached me running, he was using a dark blue yukata and rabbit ears. The other one was a short girl, no much younger than the boy and with short blond hair. She was using a yellow and pink yukata and red fox ears, the girl looked much livelier and her smile was wide with emotion. Both of them had very expressible light lavender pupil less eyes, Byakugan eyes.
Both of them came running at me with their arms open and laughing happily.
"Oka-chan!" "Oka-san!"
As they came closer to me I crouched to hug them as they came to me. I was wearing a yukata myself, green and white, my hair was long, half of it held up with hair sticks, the other falling over my shoulder. It didn't seem like I was a ninja anymore, but it was the one in which I seemed happier, even had this glow around me, but more importantly, it was the one in which I my looks resembled more those of Habataku, those of my mother. There was no doubt I was identical to her.
"This one" I said turning around to confirm, for the woman in the bubble and the one in front of me could easily pass as twins "I want this" Habataku smiled at me, as if she knew I'd pick that one.
"Keep watching" she said warmly to me and I turned back.
"Otou-san!" said the kids running now towards a man that was approaching us. He was tall, clearly strong, he looked really important with his red and black tunic with flames design waving in the night air. His face was fair, adorned with whisker like marks on his cheeks and his blond hair complimented perfectly his large, sharp, azure eyes. In his arms there was a little blond baby boy
"IT'S NARUTO-KUN!" I cheered happily "IT'S MY NARUTO-KUN! IS HIM! LOOK AT HIM! HE'S SO HANDSOME! OH MY GOD I'M MARRIED TO NARUTO-KUN! LOOK AT HIM HABATAKU! LOOK AT HIM!" I hugged her really excited.
"So, is this the future you want? Is this the dream you want to pursue?" she asked smiling.
"Yes!" I said confidently.
"Then you'll have to work hard to make it happen, to be make sure you don't let your life take a turn you don't want, for that path is filled with hardships"
"I don't mind, as long as I reach that point" I said pointing the image of the happy family enjoying the festival inside the bubble.
"Then you better get going. Live on Hina-chan"
Slowly all the figures became blurred and the darkness extended everywhere. I blinked trying to recover my focus.
I woke up inside what seemed like Tsunami's house, the sunlight bathed the room entering through a large window. I looked around and found the amazing figure of Naruto-kun, sleeping beside my futon, sited beside me. I smiled. The feeling that for a second I thought lost had come back, multiplied several times fold.
With reluctance y reached for his cheek, I had to feel it; I had to confirm that I was here and now, that I was alive. Slowly (and enjoying every second) my fingers touched his warm skin, the contact felt really intoxicating, it was something I would never get tired of feeling. He was here, with me. He blinked, twice. Apparently my contact had woke him up
"Uh, uh…yes, more ramen please old man" he mumbled half sleep I pulled back my hand and giggled at his comment "What going…? Oh! HINATA!" he never called me 'Hinata' since we were kids… "I mean, Hina-chan" now I was 'Hina-chan' again? "You...uh...you…right! You're awake."
"Ye-yes I am, I think" I said a little confused.
"I'm going to tell Anko-sensei" and without sparing me another glance he left the room; however, neither our sensei nor Naruto-kun were the firsts to enter the room, but a person with long dark hair, wearing kimono.
"You're ok, I'm glad; you've been unconscious for hours" a nice smile draw itself on the face of that person.
"You!" I said recognizing my interloper "You're that person Naruto-kun met in the forest, that boy!"
"Actually…"
"Well hello, Brighteyes, how are you feelin'?" Anko-sensei entered the room, escorted by Naruto-kun, Tsunami-san, Tazuna-san and Inari-kun "So Haku, you wanted to check on the girl, uh? I don't blame you, she's good looking."
"I assure you that's not the case, I was just worried about her wounds. It really puts me at ease that she's awake now" the referred answered still smiling.
"WAIT! YOUR NAME IS HAKU?!" I said almost standing up in a jump pointing at Haku "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! YOU ARE THE ENEMY!"
"Brighteyes, it's no longer that way" said Anko-sensei in a calming voice, approaching slowly to check my vitals.
"What did I miss?" I asked pretty confused "what happened with Zabuza and the bridge?"
"It's all over now" explained Tazuna-san
So…I missed it all I thought with sadness
"You seem to be ok" declared Anko-sensei "you'll have almost no scars, the wounds weren't that deep; though, you did lose a lot of blood, so you'll refrain from doing strenuous efforts for a couple of days, did I made myself clear?"
"Sure, but, can someone please explain me what happened after I… after I…" I couldn't bring myself to say it.
"After you passed out" started Anko-sensei "Sunshine here pretty much went berserk"
"He defeated me in one second" said Haku with a smile on his lips but a depressed ring in his voice "he could have killed me"
"Its power came out" said Naruto-kun deliberately avoiding eye contact with me "I thought you were dead…and I, lost all control over myself"
"I'm amused how that girl Midori warned Zabuza about it, her ability to read the situations is really amazing" said surprised Tazuna-san. But…was it really her ability to read the battle field what made Midori-sempai tell all those things at the bridge?…only a ninja that knew all about Haku and the Kyuubi could had thought about the possibility, but, to actually know that it would happen…
"Zabuza was surprised and lowered his guard I took the opportunity and moved on to attack him, while Midori went to stop Sunshine from killing Haku" continued Anko-sensei.
"I wasn't going to kill him…I…recognized him, after he lost his mask" argued Naruto-kun "at least I think I wouldn't have killed him"
"Zabuza and I were already in a tight situation, and then Gatou, our employer, appeared at the brigde" added Haku
"It's true! Who would have thought the rat was willing to go do the dirty work himself!" said Tazuna-san
"But the coward appeared with a lot of his subordinates" completed Naruto-kun, remembering.
"However, before anyone could do anything, that white haired girl Midori dispatched Gatou, she seemed really pissed" said Haku.
"Pissed?" I asked curious, I had never seen Midori-sempai angry, besides that day with Sasuke-kun at the academy.
"Apparently that Gatou guy made his entrance insulting Haku and Zabuza and the ninja world, and well the words just got very fast to her head I guess" expressed Naruto-kun, but that was really suspicious, Midori-sempai was way over some simple provocations, there had to be something else besides that.
"The bandits Gatou had hired didn't like the idea of losing their paycheck and threatened with attacking the town, and then we arrived!" said Inari-kun more excited that I had ever seen him "all the people stood up, grabbed any weapon at hand and went to the bridge to push out Gatou's mercenaries"
"Yeah you looked pretty awesome there Inari!" cheered Naruto-kun messing up the young boy's hair.
"But in the end the villagers were only there to stop the bandits one second…that girl used said second to mercilessly throw jutsu at them…the few survivors fled" finished Haku making everyone silent, as if they all remembered a gruesome scene.
"That explains what happened, but why are you here Haku, how come Zabuza was subdued?" I asked them still with so many questions rampaging on my head.
"Midori-sempai did" answered Naruto-kun "with his contractor dead she forced him to yield"
"And where are Zabuza and Midori-sempai now?" they were the only people missing inside the small room.
"Outside" answered Inari-kun "she said they would exercise until you woke up, I can take you there if you want" it was the first time that boy had offered to do something for a ninja since I had met him.
"Oh no you won't" scolded him Tsunami-san "I need you to go to the town and buy some vegetables, Naruto-san can take Hinata-chan just fine, don't worry"
"Actually" said Naruto-kun a little unsure "I…think I'd better go with Inari-kun. We don't know if those ruffians are still around, don't you think?" was he avoiding me?
"Fine, just don't be late" conceded Tsunami-san handing them a small bag of coins.
"C'mon Inari, I race you to the store!" he proposed excitedly.
"You're on!" said Inari-kun "Ready, set…" he started rushing "go!"
"Hey that's cheating!" said Naruto-kun turning around just as if he would dash after him but he stood there "By the way Hinata" he said suddenly serious "I'm glad you're ok" and then he did dashed after Inari-kun. Haku smiled at me.
"Come, I'll take you to Zabuza-san" he said walking towards me and offering me his hand to help me stand up. I accepted his cordiality and we walked into the nearby woods in silence, until we reached a place where the sound of steel clashing with steel could be continuously heard.
Zabuza and Midori-sempai were attacking each other using their blades, the gigantic blade that Zabuza wielded really dwarfed the small Yakizashi my teammate was using. However even with the gigantic difference in size Zabuza didn't seem to be overwhelming Midori-sempai, even if they were both using their swords one handed.
"So you were the one who taught that boy that samurai kenjutsu uh?" questioned Zabuza
"Yeah? What if I did? He carries a sword around, it's better if he learns to do something besides swinging it around like a mad man"
"And you think a shinobi should use samurai techniques?" asked Zabuza attacking once again
"Well, that was one of the easiest weapon-based attacks I know" replied Midori-sempai pushing again Zabuza without that much effort
"So you know to use more than a sword?" asked Zabuza…was there an angry ring in his voice? Or maybe it was jealousy?
"Sword and fan are the ones I have been able to see the most" she explained "that's why I carry one of each, but I've also studied a little about spears, axes, naginatas, tonfas, nunchakus, daggers, staves, kusari-gamas…" the fight had pretty much stopped by now.
"Ehem" Haku made clear that we were there.
"Oh! Hinata!" she sheathed her sword on the scabbard on her back and put her hands together smiling at me "I'm so happy you're okay!" Zabuza also put his weapon away.
"Zabuza-san?" asked Haku.
"Let's hear what she proposes" answered the man to an untold question. Even if at the moment he wasn't our enemy his voice still gave me the creeps.
We all returned to the house where Tsunami was already waiting for us with warm delicious food on the table. My stomach growled loudly as soon as the smell reached my nostrils. It was good to be alive.
We all ate together, and even if Inari-kun, Tsunami-san, Tazuna-san, and myself felt uncomfortable with Zabuza sitting at the table (especially because his sharpened teeth were visible each time he took food to his mouth), Anko-sensei, Midori-sempai, and even Naruto-kun seemed to trust them, even making jokes and laughing together. But I still hadn't met Naruto-kun's eyes, nor did he talk to me all dinner long. I could only hear his voice when he talked to everyone else on the table.
"Well. and what are we going to do with them?" asked Naruto-kun after we had all finished, referring to Zabuza and Haku.
"That's easy, we take them to Konoha with us" replied Midori-sempai drinking a little sip of tea.
"We're wanted criminals" said Haku.
"The Mist village will never tolerate Konoha to protect two missing nin, especially since I'm in the Bingo book" added Zabuza.
"Listen" called Midori-sempai "I have an idea"
All the people at the table looked at her.
"As you may know, recently Mist appointed a new Mizukage, due to 'internal affairs'" a short silence followed. By the look on their faces, only Anko-sensei knew what she was talking about, but seemed more interested on Midori-sempai's case, who now talked with a kind of defensive-lawyer serious tone "Not many know about it, but the previous Mizukage was being controlled by a 'mercenaries' organization whose members are missing ninjas from the different villages, thus making them declared enemies not only of the Hidden Leaf Village, but of the Hidden Mist Village as well. Seeing as this information has just recently seen the light, is easy to assume that during Zabuza's deflection he was bound to be seen as a criminal with murderous intents, instead of the patriot he was trying to be. Actually he was trying to free his village from said organization, but seeing the higher branches of power were being controlled, it was remarkably difficult to trust anyone. This is why only his apprentice was able to know the truth when he supported this 'seize of power', which actually was an attack to a common enemy of the ninja world. This means the crime Zabuza is accused of committing, was not a crime, but a desperate and solitary act to defend his village's autonomy. And since this organization is also Konoha's enemy, the village finds in him a potential ally which they support in order to obtain information and cooperation. Of course this situation is applied as well to Haku-kun, with the sole exception that first of all, he cannot be judged as a missing ninja, since he never took part of the official ranks of the Mist. He might be a criminal, but does not enter into the missing-nin category. Under these new circumstances, negotiations are in order. Their names must be cleared of any unfair accusations."
"What about the after-crimes? They haven't precisely had a peaceful life" asked Anko-sensei.
"Self defense and survival. What were they supposed to do with the enemies wanting to get their heads and their need to protect the truth of the conspirator behind their Kage? Besides, knowing nothing but ninja life what were they supposed to do for a living besides that which they did the best? They took the path they could" replied Midori-sempai.
Naruto-kun seemed really confused, and apparently so were our non-shinobi companions.
"But we know it's all lies" I added breaking the silence that was created.
"But the Hidden Mist doesn't" replied Midori-sempai.
"The professor won't believe it" said Anko-sensei.
"Profesor?" asked Tsunami-san.
"That's the title of the Hokage of the Leaf Village" explained Tazuna-san.
"Let me explain the situation to the Sandaime, I'm sure we'll come to an arrangement" finished Midori-sempai "Well, what do you say Zabuza?"
"Mmmm, what do you say Haku? You deserve a good life" said Zabuza to his young companion.
"My life is standing at your side Zubaza-san" answered the boy.
"Fine…We're going to try and be tree-huggers for a while then" said the ex-demon of the mist.
I wondered if Hokage-sama would like the result of this mission.
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And that it! Finally that Midori girl is starting to show her true colors! What will happen next?! With the new chapter we'll also begin a new arc! Aren't you existed?! I sure am! =D
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Editor's note: I begin to think these notes are getting permanent. Sigh. Thanks to Hina the Half Heart. I can't believe I missed that one! I think I was too concentrated in different kinda mistakes. Thanks for the observation, I gotta be more careful. Thanks!
By the way, this chapter was specially messed (dunno if the author was out of it or what…) I might have missed more thing than usual. Hope not. Ja ne.