The man's dark brown hair flowed behind his back as he finished up the paperwork, and ensured the documents were neatly tucked into a folder. He then stood up and began filing them in accordance with his squad's system. He'd usually patrol with some of the lower ranking members of his squad but right now he was focused on catching up on his paperwork. He'd berated himself for falling behind. His self perceived failure was something his Captain wasn't shy at voicing her displeasure over either. Once the paper work was filed, he closed up the filing cabinet and turned to find the very woman who had just hours ago chastised him until he felt as tall as a mouse.
He gave a nod of his head in greeting, "Captain."
The petite woman of 4'11, with short black hair and grey eyes steadily approached him as she inquired, "did you finish your duties?"
"Indeed," he confirmed. A small smile crept across the woman's face as she acknowledged, "Alright. Sit down. I should fill you in on what occurred during the Captain's meeting."
The man obediently sat down with her while she regaled him with the information that had been shared with herself, The Grand Kido Chief, and ten of the other Captains during the meeting. When he inquired which Captain wasn't present, he was met with a cold glare that seemed to be contemplating if he was an idiot or just naïve. "All the Captains were present, however it wasn't the head Captain that was informing all of us. Kyoraku was already aware due to his position as Captain-Commander, but even his daughter was stunned to hear some of it although she figured some of it made sense given her experience in this world."
At this the man's featureless white eyes widened as he interjected, "wait—her experience in—you mean this is occurring in that world?"
"In the world you came to us from, yes," Sui-Feng confirmed. Neji Hyuga felt as if someone were squeezing his chest tightly. Naruto, Shikamaru, Lee, Tenten, Hinata, Hanabi, and any children they'd had, they were all at risk of something they'd have little hope fighting against on their own.
Sui-Feng looked him over before posing to him, "it's already been arranged for Lieutenant Ise to watch your children. You're to leave in three hours."
At this Neji's eyes met hers as he inquired, "Leave? I'm being sent off world, to my former world?"
She nodded as she laid out the rules, "It's very plain, Neji—while you're there you absolutely cannot harm any humans who are not linked to the mission. We're well aware of your former life there, but harming humans without orders is strictly prohibited. Fail to abide by this and you will be punished to the fullest extent possible. Being the Captain-Commander's son-in-law won't save you."
"Understood," He acknowledged. Another rare smile spread across the woman's lips as she replied, "very well Lieutenant Hyuga. You'll be joining 6th squad Captain Kuchiki, 10th Squad Captain Hitsugaya, 5th Squad Lieutenant Hinamori, 4th squad co-third seat Hanataro Yamada, and your wife."
Neji blinked at the mission roster as he processed it before commenting, "we're sending many high ranked officers on this mission, these artifacts that were stolen over a century ago are truly that important?"
"It's not the artifacts themselves, it's what they're capable of that makes them dangerous. The scrolls can grant someone a form of immortality at the cost of their mortal soul, and their victims are rarely accepting of their passing," Sui-Feng hinted.
"Thus they become hollows," Neji followed her thought pattern. Sui-Feng nodded then added, "But there's another danger. While these scrolls do typically grant immortality there is one way someone with this immortality could still die: starvation. If one of them was to die this way, the hollow that would emerge from their passing would be unlike any ordinary hollow, or menos. They would be soul binding hollows, which means that instead of devouring souls—they become like a parasite to that soul until it leeches all of the host soul and with each full possession of that soul it would grow stronger."
'If that's true—then—,' Neji's eyes widened as he ran from the second squad office. He didn't bother to pack any supplies, instead sending a butterfly off to his wife asking her to pack for him. He had to hurry and head back to Konoha, if what Captain Sui-Feng had just told him was true then he knew one place where such a hollow might emerge—and he wasn't about to let that creature harm anyone in that clan. He ran straight to the Senkaimon where three members of the kido corps were activating the gateway between worlds for departure.
"Sir, Grand Kido Chief Kyoraku ordered that we let you depart early," one of the kido corps members greeted Neji as he barreled past them and into the senkaimon. He continued to flash step through the daigon precipice world, knowing he'd soon be back in Konoha, but things would be very different. This man had wanted to marry a girl who was pretty, but not beautiful. Then he wanted to have two children, a daughter first, and then a son. Had he managed to do those things? If so there was one thing left that he knew he wanted to do, retire after his daughter was married and his son was established as a Shinobi. A simple life, a life that anyone should be able to have, the kind of life that he'd sacrificed his human life to preserve. He'd given his life for his friends, and family alike, so that they could live the lives they wanted to live. Now one of them was at greater risk than the others, and likely didn't know, and despite the disaster that befell Konoha when Pain had used Planetary Devistation on the village, obliterating it—some either couldn't see spirits, or pretended they couldn't. He wasn't sure which category this man fell under but he'd defend him with everything he had. Seeing the other side of the gateway between worlds he leapt through the other side and headed straight for the estate.
In Konoha Shikamaru sat playing shogi with a younger version of himself, except for the boy's eyes. The boy had teal coloured eyes, much like his blonde mother who had just entered the room to announce that dinner was ready. She scowled when the two males ignored her and continued their game. After a moment she left to pick up her giant fan. As she did a horned creature appeared behind her, looking almost like a cross between a man and a stag. It moved to thrust its arm through her, but at that moment a hand reached out and grabbed the creature's wrist, the other person delivered a wind mill kick to the creature's head as the flipped over the creature, their attack causing it to fall off to the side away from Temari. Shikamaru blinked and glanced over, his eyes growing wide while his mouth gaped at the sight in front of him. He recognized the hairstyle immediately but the attire was much like that Shinigami Captain who had defended them from Seinosuke during their mission to Sunagakure. What was different about this man's attire was that he didn't have anything discerning about his outfit aside from wearing a badge on his arm that read 'second squad Lieutenant'.
Finding his voice Shikamaru managed to choke out, "Neji."