Disclaimer: Naruto and all Naruto related stuff is (c) Masashi Kishimoto. All OCs and original storyline/plot/imagination (c) of ME!!

WARNING: A little bit of scene shifting near then end that might seem a little confusing, but bear with it… hopefully it didn't come out too choppy. And YES… there's a CLIFFHANGER at the end… sorry… and even sorrier that it's going to be a while before my next update (got a paper to start on… lol)

THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!!

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RISING FROM THE ASHES
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"It suits you." Tenten said admiringly, as she traced her right index finger along the patterns on Neji's porcelain ANBU mask.

Across the room from her, Neji adjusted the white band on his loose fitted ponytail, as he readied himself for his very first ANBU mission.

"Hn." He shrugged disbelievingly.

It was true that the fiery phoenix was not typically the first animal that came to mind when thinking of the Hyuga prodigy; the bird was known for it's colorful appearance and fiery temperament, both of which were in complete contrast to Neji's persona. But in a weird way, it also made perfect sense. Neji may not have been the most emotionally expressive, or the most colorful of characters, but he possessed every bit the burning passion of a full-blown inferno; and no one would deny he was as elegant and graceful in his appearance, as the majestic, mythical beast itself.

A phoenix fit perfectly.

"Trust me." Tenten reassuringly smiled, before walking over toward Neji; placing the porcelain mask over his head. "Despite his playful attitude," She added; extending her hand out to help strap the gray arm guards on Neji's ANBU uniform. "Oushi-sama is very insightful. No doubt he saw the passionate fire in you that only a phoenix could capture."

"Hn." Neji smirked disbelievingly at the corniness of his wife's statement.

"ehe." Tenten smiled playfully; knowing exactly what Neji was thinking. "Well, it's true."

Helping Neji finish strapping on his other arm guard and gray vest, Tenten's attention fell upon the fresh spiral tattoo on his left shoulder. As she traced the outline of the familiar black swirl, she suddenly remembered the dream she had had the previous night.

.:..:..:..:..:.:..:..:..DREAM..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:.

'Neji?' Tenten yelled out into a dark abyss hallowing in front of her.

But her voice did not come out. The darkening surrounding seemed to moving in closer and closer. Her mind dizzy with the noxious smells surrounding her.

What was that scent?

A metallic burning.

Where was she? Where was Neji?

'Ne-' He voice caught in her throat as a sudden sharp pain at her side made the kunoichi wince in anguish.

It was getting harder and harder to breath. The smell was clouding her mind.

Where was everyone? What happened? How did she end up there?

Alone.

Just as she'd always feared.

"Neji…"

.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..END of DREAM.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..

"What's wrong?" Neji reached out to touch his wife's face.

"Huh?" Tenten lightly shook her head to clear her muddled mind of the memory of her dream. "It's nothing."

"Tell me." Neji reassuringly caressing her cheek.

"Just…" She hesitated. This was Neji's first mission as an ANBU; she didn't want to distract him from the mission by worrying him. "I'm just a bit nervous." She half-lied. "It's the first time we'll be separated; I guess I'm just feeling like the anxious wife, watching her husband go off on a dangerous mission." Tenten meekly smiled.

"…" Neji inquisitively watched his wife; slightly unconvinced by her answer. "You sure?"

"Yeah." Tenten nodded; trying to smile reassuringly.

Neji leaned down; pressing his forehead to hers. "I promise to always return to your side Tenten."

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"Ready?" Ryoku greeted the approaching Hyuga, as the ANBU met at the village main gates.

"Hai." Neji gracefully landed besides the gargantuan man.

"Let's go." Ryoku authoritatively instructed, before leaping into the air; landing a few yards away in the nearest tree, and making his way quickly through the forest, with Neji following closely behind.

The two ANBU sprinted through the trees at top speed. Their mission was to gather information on an unidentified organization, currently hiding just outside the outskirts of Wind country. Suna's Kazekage had informed Konoha that a group of twenty to thirty shinobi, of unknown origin, had been seen training in the mountain range dividing River and Rain Country, in a path leading between Wind and Fire. It was unclear as to what shinobi village the group came from; or whether they were perhaps rogue ninja. Reports indicated, however, that there appeared to be a plan in the works.

Their movements had been calculated and well orchestrated. It seemed as if they had been formulating some plan for a while now; though only recently being discovered by scouting parties. There was no information as to who they were, but if one thing was clear; it was that they were not a group of ninja that could be taken lightly.

Arriving at their destination within a day's journey, Ryoku instructed Neji to use his clan's advance bloodline limit to scan the surrounding area.

"Is there any sign of the target?" Ryoku quietly addressed the phoenix masked ninja besides him.

"No." Neji shook his head. "It appears as if the encampment has been abandoned." He informed the older man.

Trusting his younger partner's assessment, Ryoku stepped out from behind his cover to take a quick look around.

"Hn." Ryoku's brow creased as he concentrated on the surrounding area. There was no sign of the target, but something didn't seem quite right.

.:..:..:..:..:.:..:..:..FLASHBACK..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:.

"Ryoku-san." The Crane ANBU softly called out to her partner. "The place is empty."

"Hai." The Dragon ANBU confirmed; nodding his head as he scanned the surrounding area.

.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..END FLASHBACK.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..

An unmistakably eerie sensation of déjà vu surrounded the Dragon ANBU.

This scene seemed all too familiar.

.:..:..:..:..:.:..:..:..FLASHBACK..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..:.

"…" The female ANBU walked through the deserted encampment; searching for any clue of their target's whereabouts. "What's that smell?" She asked, as she sniffed the air from behind her porcelain mask.

A sizzling sound began emanated through the empty compound.

"Do you hear…" Ryoku began.

BANG!

.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..END FLASHBACK.:..:..:..:..:..:..:..

"PHOENIX!" Ryoku yelled as he ran toward the location he had last seen Neji heading in.

But it was too late.

A massive explosion shook the mountain side, setting the entire encampment blazing in the biggest fiery inferno Ryoku had never seen. Thick smoke began clouding his vision, as the giant shinobi frantically searched his immediate area for his missing companion.

"Phoenix!" Ryoku called out again; memories of long ago came flooding at the weapons master.

This scene was too familiar.

But he couldn't have this mission end the same way that the last one had. Ryoku would never forgive himself. The boy was important to his daughter. It would crush Tenten if anything ever happened to the white-eyed shinobi.

"Ne-"

"Agh." A coughing sound to Ryoku's left captured his attention.

Out of flames, Neji emerged; unharmed. "I found something." He choked out; holding a long object in his right hand.

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"Uncle Kiba…" Hitori left his brother and great-uncle Hiashi's side to walk over to the fang-faced shinobi and his large white dog.

"What's up little dude?" Kiba toothily grinned at the younger twin. "Want Akamaru to give you another ride?"

"…" The boy nodded timidly; carefully approaching the man and his dog.

"Then hop on!" Kiba pulled the little boy up on the large dog, setting Hitori directly in front of him, before instructing Akamaru to head off at top speed into the forest.

"…" Tenten smiled as she watched the man and child riding the large dog. "Kiba really seems to like kids." She commented to Hinata.

"Yeah." Hinata smiled cheerfully; watching her husband and nephew playing in front of them.

"So when are you two going to have your own?" Tenten teasingly probed.

"aha." Hinata gasped; crimson heat rising to cover her pale skin.

"Whose next?!" Kiba yelled out; bringing the giggling Hitori back front their short ride.

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"A dagger?" Ryoku looked questioningly at the Hyuga.

"The handle." Neji explained; dusting himself off from the fireworks explosion that appeared to have been set up as a diversion.

Ryoku took the dagger from Neji's hand, rubbing the soot off handle to expose the manji, whirlwind within a circle, engraved in the steel weapon.

"Impossible." Ryoku stared stunned at seeing his family crest on the weapon.

A Furi-iki weapon.

Only a few members of Leaf Village outside of the Furi-iki clan had ever owned a Furi-iki crafted weapon. And as far as Ryoku knew, they had all been set upon the monument commemorating his clan, on the day the third Hokage had given a memorial speech for the fallen clan. All the other weapons had been lost in the massacre. How was it possible to find one way out in the middle of nowhere?

What did this mean?

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

"Ready or not," Tenten uncovered her eyes; having just finished counting to a hundred in the group's game of hide-and-seek. "Here I co- aha" The kunoichi gasped as she abruptly came face to face with an unfamiliar white-haired man.

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TBC
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A/N: And it ALL begins to connect… In case you didn't get it, the kunoichi in the flashbacks was Tereya; and the white-haired man?... please tell me you know who that is… XP

oh yes, 2am again... i'll reply to reviews, PMs and updates tomorrow... night!

A note on the title… yes, it has to do with Neji (the whole phoenix thing, and his rising from the flames in that one scene), BUT it also has to do with the man at the end, which, if you don't remember… DIED (supposedly) in WIND AND DRAGON (chapter 11).