It's time to introduce the new seal! But there's a bump in the road...
Chapter 67:Muscle to muscle and toe to toe (the fear has gripped me, but here I go)
Hinata's progression into wakefulness was gentle, marked by her growing awareness of a thumb stroking a steady rhythm against the bare skin of her back. She shifted instinctively towards the source of warmth, nose brushing against skin, inhaling a familiar scent. A sigh escaped her lips.
The stroking stopped, the hand freezing where it was bunched under the fabric of her borrowed shirt.
"Did I wake you?"
Hinata shook her head sluggishly, effectively burrowing into Sasuke's chest.
The stroking resumed.
She had always been a light sleeper. Something would have prevented her from sleeping in much longer: the creeping light of dawn, the chirps of waking birds, the creaking floorboard of one of the building's other tenants. As it stood, waking to Sasuke's tender ministrations even in the middle of the night was by far the best of all possibilities.
"Have you been awake long?" she asked, mindful of Sasuke's poor sleeping habits.
"No." The quiet response was accompanied by a brush of lips against the top of her head.
Though she still felt heavy with sleep, the desire to see Sasuke's face won out. Hinata let her head fall half-off Sasuke's chest trying to meet his gaze.
Mismatched eyes looked down at her, freshly shorn bangs hanging loosely around them and doing little to shield Hinata from their intensity. As Hinata became accustomed to consciousness, she found the energy to lift her hand, combing through Sasuke's raven hair and lightly massaging his scalp on each pass. Sasuke's eyes slipped shut, a low hum vibrating through his chest and into Hinata's.
Hinata's fingers gradually traced down Sasuke's forehead, down his angular nose and then across to his cheek.
"I should get back," Hinata said though she continued to run her fingers along Sasuke's sharp cheekbones.
Sasuke hummed again, this one with a distinctly displeased pitch.
Hinata's lips tugged upwards at the almost childish behaviour. "I know the plan was to spend the night, but…I feel like I should be at home."
Pressing her lips against the uncovered skin nearest to her, Hinata then reluctantly pulled away from Sasuke.
She washed up in his bathroom and then Sasuke opened up a portal to her bedroom in the Hyuuga compound.
"Oh!" Hinata quickly muffled the gasp under her own palm. Her bed was already occupied, a crown of brown hair peaking out from the covers. Hinata softened at the sight.
Sasuke's hand found her waist, breath fanning atop her head. "Go. I'll see you tomorrow."
Stepping through the portal, Hinata waited until it faded, taking Sasuke with it. Then she made her way to her bedside with muted footsteps, crouching before it and taking in Hanabi's relaxed face squished into Hinata's pillow. Adjusting the covers around her little sister, Hinata paused.
With a niggling thought in the back of her head, Hinata silently slipped out of her bedroom, navigating the hallways of her home in the dark until she reached the kitchen. Unlike the windowless hallways, the kitchen was bathed in moonlight from the large windows that took up most of the east and north facing walls.
Neji was a straight-backed silhouette standing before the window, moonlight reflected in his silvery gaze. He didn't move an inch at Hinata's entrance, seemingly lost in his thoughts. Hinata watched him from the doorway for a minute and recalled doing the same hundreds of times over the years. Spying on his prodigious talent, the almost furious edge to his concentrated expression, afraid of that ire turning on her if she dared encroach with the displeasure of her company.
Nowadays when she observed Neji training, there was a tranquility about him. Even the tremor that would sometimes make itself known when he overdid it, an artifact of the war, only roused the slightest pinch of frustration. He was no longer the young boy driven by anger, betrayed by fate.
He was a man now. It was odd to think because Neji had always seemed so much older than her, even at twelve. Paradoxically the sight of him now, a nineteen-year-old war veteran, brought his youth to the forefront of Hinata's mind.
Afterall, tomorrow — later today, really — they would face their clansmen, many of them much older, to overturn a tradition every generation alive had been born into.
There were no living Hyuuga who remembered a time before the division of the Sōke and Bunke.
As Hinata mulled this over, her body moved on instinct, opening cupboards, boiling water, scooping out matcha, whisking until it foamed. She set one cup on the counter beside Neji and, with the other in held between her hands, stood beside him.
Taking a sip, Hinata savored the matcha coating the inside of her mouth. She felt Neji shift beside her. Rustling fabric and the soft clink of the porcelain cup being lifted off the counter informed her of his actions although she kept her gaze trained out the window.
Under the light of the moon, the world was drained of colour. Shaded in monochrome, it appeared nearly the same as through the lens of the byakugan.
Hinata shuffled a little closer to Neji, their arms brushing.
The moon still brought discomfiting memories with it, but from where Hinata was standing, warmth against her palms and in a line against her right arm, she could appreciate that it was also beautiful. She couldn't help but wonder if, without the unique experience granted by her kekkei genkai, it's beauty would feel so meaningful.
There was no way of knowing. After all, she had always been Hyuuga and always would be.
There was a frenzied energy in the air the next morning. Hinata, Neji and Hanabi had breakfast together, but, by some unspoken agreement, separated afterwards; Hinata to the courtyard, Hanabi to the dojo and Neji to beyond the gates of the Hyuuga compound.
Hinata had her suspicions of Neji's destination and though she would have liked to join him, she respected his need for solitude.
Sitting cross-legged on the engawa that overlooked the private courtyard of the Head House, Hinata closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. The spring breeze carried the scent of fresh grass, herbs and the matcha grown on the clan grounds. Ichibancha season was in full swing, their prized tea leaves being harvested for the first time that year. The sun was warm against Hinata's skin and her chakra circulated steadily throughout her body. She had almost succeeded in calming herself when the presence of another person disturbed her.
"Hinata."
Eyes snapping open, Hinata automatically folded her legs so that she was sitting seiza and bowed deferentially. "Chichiue," she greeted. And, because it was expected, she added, "Please join me."
Accepting the invitation with an aloof nod, Hiashi took a seat beside her, posture impeccable. Hinata's own spine straightened in response.
"I trust you are prepared for today," Hiashi said.
Hinata's hands flexed against her thighs. "Yes, chichiue."
It was silent for a moment and Hinata wondered if that was all that her father had to say to her. But she knew him, knew he wouldn't have approached for something so frivolous. It made her nervous, though perhaps that was something she should have outgrown by now.
"My father, your grandfather…" Hiashi started slowly. On anyone else, Hinata might have called it hesitance. "Is a complex man."
Blinking, Hinata angled her face towards her father, long midnight hair sliding over her shoulder with the movement.
"He has always been intelligent, even now his mind has not dulled at all. He would question everything from all angles. It made him a good leader. But the division in our clans is something I have never seen my father question. I believe…it is something he could not allow himself to question," Hiashi said stiffly. "What you are doing…it goes against the foundations he has built his life on. It vexes him, I am sure you can tell, but…you have impressed him, Hinata."
Staring at Hiashi's profile, Hinata absorbed his words. To hear that from her father after so many years…it didn't feel how she expected it to. Hinata realized that somewhere along the way she had given up on ever impressing him.
Or perhaps, more precisely, she had stopped caring.
"Grandfather has always been plain with his feelings," Hinata said. It was the truth. He had not hidden his vacillating emotions between disdain and intrigue. She bit her lip before remembering herself and schooling her expression. "The person whose opinion was unclear…wasn't grandfather."
Hiashi's brows rose almost imperceptibly.
"Chichiue has been…reserved in our meetings," Hinata explained. Her hands curled, fingers pressing into her palms.
Although it had been her father who had agreed to the meetings regarding the Hikō no Tsubasa no Juin, her grandfather had chosen to insert himself despite many years of retirement. Hiroto had dominated the conversations, Hiashi taking a backseat to her grandfather. Moreover, Hinata was not blind to the moves Hiroto had been making outside of those discussions. Hayate had been surreptitiously dismissed from the council and Hiroto had begun attending the council meetings again. Seeing her normally uncompromising father in this position had stirred something in Hinata.
An unidentifiable emotion flashed across Hiashi's face. "…we are fortunate to have your grandfather's years of experience."
Next to her grandfather, Hinata's father looked…smaller somehow. Less like the unshakable man whose dissatisfied gaze she had grown up under. More like…Hinata herself.
Or like the person she used to be. Was actively trying not to be anymore.
"Do you think I… changed maybe a little bit?"
A pang of compassion struck Hinata's heart.
Her grandfather's approval, her father's approval…they no longer held any sway over her actions. She wondered if her father could say the same.
"Chichiue, when I perform the seal on grandfather…will you be there?" Hinata asked.
Hiashi finally turned to meet her eyes. Sealing had always been an intensely private ceremony, typically attended only by the person performing the sealing, the person being sealed and their guardian. After a moment of consideration, he nodded.
Raising herself from the ground, Hinata bowed. Then she exited the courtyard, leaving her father behind on the engawa alone.
The second time Sasuke awoke that day, he was wrapped in clean sheets, had slept for more than an hour, his mouth was free of long strands of midnight hair and his arm was not numb from acting as a pillow.
He pushed himself out of bed, lips curled into a scowl.
It was a much less pleasant awakening.
His first stop of the day was the hospital, a route that conveniently took him past the Hyuuga compound, mismatched eyes sweeping past the gates and the buildings that peaked out from above it.
"It looks promising," Sakura said, scribbling on her clipboard. "You sure you don't want something for the pain? Your pain tolerance is something else," she added, absentmindedly.
Sasuke's mind turned to the half empty tub of Hinata's homemade balm. Aloud, he simply grunted.
Taking a roll of bandages, Sakura began to re-wrap Sasuke's amputated arm. "In a week or two we should be able to run some tests on the nerve responses and take it from there," she said, fingers moving nimbly to tie off the wrapping.
Sasuke rolled his shoulder, testing the soreness. Sakura hadn't had to re-open the wound today, but any poking and prodding could set it off since they'd started the treatments. Rolling down his sleeve, he got up to leave with a parting nod.
"Don't overdo it!" Sakura called after him. "And you still owe me for taking you off the hospital schedule!"
Sasuke waved dismissively.
His next stop was the Hokage Tower. If he passed by the Hyuuga compound again, it was only to avoid the crowds of villagers on the main streets. Naturally, Kakashi was missing in action and Shikamaru appeared more harassed than usual. In an uncharacteristic display of kindness, Sasuke refrained from making the other shinobi's day worse by interrogating him about his former sensei's whereabouts and left him to the piles of paperwork that Kakashi had been unable to hoist onto Naruto with the blond off on a diplomatic mission.
Sasuke's feet once again led him past the Hyuuga compound. Despite knowing it was too early for the announcement to have taken place, he couldn't deny that it was occupying a large part of his mind. He likely wouldn't be able to rest easy until it was over and done with and he had confirmed with his own eyes that Hinata was happy with the reception.
Letting out a discontented sigh, Sasuke found himself starting down the path towards the Konoha cemetery.
Theoretically, he had understood Hinata's relationship with her sister and cousin was close, but up until recently it had existed in a separate sphere, only overlapping with his own on limited occasions. Lately, their presence in the parts of Hinata's life that intersected with Sasuke's had grown and seeing Hinata with them pricked at Sasuke's memories.
It was only ever a subtle tug at his consciousness. Hinata's indulgence of Hanabi's bratty tendencies calling forth instances when Itachi would do much the same with him, followed by Neji sending Sasuke an exasperated look at Hinata spoiling Hanabi. Neji's patient guidance during a training session similar to how Itachi would handle Sasuke, punctuated by Hanabi leaning over to mutter a joke at her cousin's expense into Sasuke's ear. Those moments were bittersweet.
What would really knock him off his feet, however, were the moments when Sasuke's mind would supply him with a vision of Itachi, not rooted in the past but conjured from the present — his brother's probable reaction to Neji fretting over Hinata and Hanabi's sugar intake or to Hanabi's complaints of wanting to catch up to Hinata and Neji's ranks. These were more bitter than sweet. More haunting than anything else.
Still roaming along on the less frequented streets near the Hyuuga compound in the direction of the cemetery, Sasuke's rinnegan began to spin, alerting him to a spike of powerful chakra.
With a low curse, Sasuke's flipped through the signs for Bunshin no Jutsu one-handed.
Hinata's fingers fumbled with her grey obi. She was wearing a plain, cream coloured kimono, formal enough for the occasion without being ostentatious. It was nearing the time to go into the main hall, but Neji had yet to make an appearance.
Hiashi shot her a look and Hinata pasted on a strained smile. "Please go ahead, chichiue. I'll join you shortly." Feeling Hanabi shift closer, Hinata's smile lost some of its tightness.
Eyes narrowing, Hiashi ultimately nodded. "Do not keep our people waiting."
The telltale swirl of a kaiten knocked back three masked men as Sasuke approached. Without missing a beat, Sasuke's sent a handful of shuriken flying through the air, pinning one of the three men to the walled off edge of the sidewalk and slicing through the sleeve of a second. The third man whirled around robotically and charged towards Sasuke.
Deflecting a jab from his assailant, Sasuke saw Neji's kaiten dissipate out of the corner of his eyes. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" he huffed out, dodging a kick.
"I found these men heading towards the compound. They refused to identify themselves," Neji retorted, engaged in his own struggle.
Snatching his opponent's arm out of the air and using it to flip him onto the ground, Sasuke pushed his knee into the man's back. "I can take it from here. Hinata is waiting on you."
The man Sasuke had pinned to the wall managed to escape the hold of his shuriken, joining his teammate in attacking Neji. The Hyuuga's arms were a blur as he tried to subdue his attackers. "Hinata-sama can make the announcement without me."
"You're a fool if you think she'll do it without you," Sasuke said. He studied Neji's fight against the two men, analyzing where he might jump in without getting in the Hyuuga's way. The narrow alley they were in did not make for an ideal battleground and Sasuke was reluctant to draw attention from the neighbours in case they disrupted the assembly being held at the Hyuuga compound.
"Where is he?" Hanabi hissed. A worried frown creased her forehead.
Hinata could only shake her head. She had guessed that Neji would be at the cemetery visiting Hizashi's grave, but that didn't explain his tardiness. She hadn't wanted to violate his privacy by spying on him with the byakugan, but she may not have a choice.
A familiar pulse of chakra from outside the gate immediately caught Hinata's attention. "Wait here," she told Hanabi, ignoring her sister's annoyed protests.
Moving swiftly to the gated boundary, Hinata easily jumped up and over. "Sasuke," she said, instinctively reaching out for him. When he didn't reach back, Hinata froze.
"Not exactly," Sasuke said.
Hinata's eyes widened in realization. A clone. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing I can't handle," Sasuke's clone said, rather than answering. "Neji's caught up in something, but I'm sending him back."
Brows drawing together, Hinata glanced back at the compound and then at Sasuke. "…are you sure? If we need to postpone…"
"No." The response was firm, Sasuke's expression determined. "Trust me."
Sighing, Hinata felt some of the tension leave her body. "I do. Be safe."
As the clone dispersed, its final words rung through the air, smirk apparent in the tone of voice. "We have plans later. I'm not going to miss them."
"Hinata will do what is best for the clan. She does not need me for that," Neji argued, even as he leapt back to avoid a hit.
Sasuke snorted. "When I first found out she was looking into creating a new seal, I told her she was an idiot for putting herself in danger like that. Do you know what she said? She said she couldn't sit back and do nothing because there were people she needed to protect."
"Exactly, so —"
"Then, she said," Sasuke cut through Neji's interruption ruthlessly, "That if you were against it, she wouldn't do it. That's how much she trusts you. That's how much having you on her side means."
Neji's eyes widened, flashing over to Sasuke. The palm of one of his opponents began to glow gold and Neji quickly redirected it into a lamp post to his right. The golden glowing orb attack consequently tore the lamp post in two. Sasuke and Neji exchanged a look and then, rinnegan pulsing with chakra, Sasuke ripped open a portal beneath the falling lamp post, cushioning its fall in a thick bush in the forests of Konoha.
Regarding the masked men with consideration, Sasuke hauled the man trapped under his knee up to his feet and threw him into the portal as well.
Meanwhile, Neji's startled expression grew sharp. "They said her name," he ground out between his teeth, his byakugan-enhanced glare furious as he kicked another one of the masked men into the portal.
Sasuke's right eye bled red and he shot forward, yanking the back of the last masked ninja's cloak and tossing him through the portal. Now with both dōjutsu active, his powerful gaze snapped back to Neji. "Go," he ordered. "I'll take care of it."
Features twisted into an unhappy frown, Neji relented. Before leaving, he warned, "They're puppets. That means their master is close by."
"I'm not leaving!"
"I'll be right behind you," Hinata said reassuringly. "Please buy us a few more minutes."
Hanabi huffed. "Fine." Her eyes hovered over the compound gates worriedly before she turned to head into the main hall.
Without her sister to anchor her, Hinata's anxiety was unfettered. She clasped her hands together at her chest in an attempt to control their shaking. Each second that ticked by felt like an hour.
Then, finally, the gates opened to admit a slightly rumpled Neji.
"Nii-san!" His name escaped Hinata's lips as a gasp.
"Hinata-sama," Neji returned, seeming surprised to find her there. His hands were busy trying to straighten out the wrinkles in his yukata.
"Here," Hinata said, stepping forward to tame the whisps of hair that had escaped Neji's loose tie.
Halting his own attempts at fixing his appearance, Neji stood still and allowed Hinata to take over. "I apologize," he said lowly, staring down at the top of Hinata's head as she adjusted his obi. "I kept you waiting."
Hinata's expression was one borne of a relieved sort of joy. "It's fine," she murmured. "You're here now." Brushing away some dirt carefully so as not to stain the sleeve of Neji's yukata, Hinata then smoothed out the fabric. Lifting her head, she met Neji's eyes and smiled softly. "Should we go in?"
Neji's pale eyes roved over her before settling back on her lavender pair. His hand cupped her elbow, a brief but comforting touch. He nodded. "Let's go, Hinata-sama."
Closing the portal behind him, Sasuke leisurely turned to face the masked ninja, no longer concerned about causing a spectacle right outside Hinata's ancestral home. Sasuke had fought puppet masters before, but the level of chakra visible to his rinnegan was unusually high for a puppet. His eyes snagged on the symbol centered on the band around their heads.
A crescent hugging a circle. Entirely golden in colour.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. As far as he knew, there was no hidden village that bore that symbol.
Hinata swallowed heavily, eyes darting around the assembly hall that held every member of her clan, all of their attention aimed on her. She glanced to the side, where Neji and Hanabi stood, and exhaled quietly.
"Thank you everyone for coming today." She spoke slowly, enunciating each word. Her voice was quiet, but so was the crowd and so it carried throughout the hall. "I know there have been rumours for the past few weeks and today…we want to take the time to make things clear. Our clan…is one of the oldest in Konohagakure. Our history extends back to the creation of chakra. It is a great history, as great as this village that we all love. But like Konohagakure's history, it is not a perfect one." She paused, expecting some kind of reaction but was met with absolute silence. It seemed that everyone was listening with bated breath.
"Six years ago, I lost my match in my first chunin exams. My opponent was stronger than me. He had something to prove." Hinata glanced at Neji. "We both did. It was a well-deserved win for him, but I didn't take it as a loss. Because we were fighting for the same thing. We still are. Six years ago, Neji-nii-san proved his strength beyond any perceived limitations set by his birth. Nine years before that, Kumogakure proved a flaw in our two-branch system by breaking a treaty and kidnapping me. If it weren't for my father, the byakugan would have fallen into Kumogakure's hands unprotected. And when Kumogakure retaliated, demanding my father's body, if it weren't for my uncle's sacrifice, the byakugan would have fallen into their hands regardless." She took a breath, permitting the truth of her words to sink in.
"I want to honour that sacrifice by making sure that no Hyuuga ever has to make that sacrifice again. I want a future where no one dares to try to steal the secrets of our dōjutsu because all Hyuuga have equal protection." Hinata combed her bangs away from her temples in a deliberate movement, tucking them behind her ears as best she could. As the indigo marks near her eyes came into view, gasps echoed through the room. "The Hikō no Tsubasa no Juin is that equal protection. It protected me, when I was taken captive by nae-ROOT in yet another attempt on the secrets of our clan."
Tearing her eyes away from the crowd of shocked Hyuuga, Hinata turned to Neji.
Cocking his head, Sasuke remained still, allowing the three ninja puppets to surround him from a distance. "What do you want with Hyuuga Hinata?" he asked, voice hard.
The response he received wasn't said aloud, but rather seemed to be projected into Sasuke's head. "Our business is with the Byakugan no Hime alone."
"As Hinata-sama has stated, the Hikō no Tsubasa no Juin will offer protection to all Hyuuga, equally, with no exception. For those of us already sealed, it will replace the Kago no Tori no Juin. I intend to be the first person to undergo this replacement. However, as the aim of the Hikō no Tsubasa no Juin is to protect our clan, the most vulnerable will be prioritized. And that would be those who are unprotected." Neji crossed his arms, glancing over his shoulder to where Hiroto began to stand. "Earlier this morning, the first such sealing took place."
Shaking his bangs away to fully reveal his rinnegan, Sasuke aimed an apathetic look at the masked ninja. He opted for a different approach. "Who is your master?"
The three figures stood motionlessly for a minute, contemplating. It was evident now more than ever that they were indeed puppets. Finally, they spoke, once again projecting their speech directly into Sasuke's mind. "Ōtsutsuki Toneri-sama."
The rest of the assembly seemed to pass at lightening speed. Now that she had said her piece, Hinata felt like she was observing it as a third party, encased in a bubble of anxiety and anticipation. Her heart filled with pride as Neji spoke. When her grandfather stood to address the clan, Hinata scrutinized every expression in the crowd. She was met mostly with shock, but that was likely the best they could hope for. The Sōke appeared to be receptive at least, listening intently to her grandfather.
For his part, Hiroto acted as they had planned. He displayed none of the reservations he had voiced in their discussions, showcasing a pure confidence that under his previous leadership had always assuaged the Hyuuga of any fears or doubts.
When it was over, Hinata, Neji and Hanabi hung back as was expected, politely acknowledging every clan member as they left, speaking with those who lingered for conversation. The elders of the council were particularly incessant with their rhetorical questions, more interested in the sound of their own voices than any answer they might receive. Finally, after several excruciating minutes, even those stragglers left.
"Remember, this was only the first step. There is still many more ahead on this uncharted path." Hiroto's parting words were cryptic, yet in a tone that was not necessarily discouraging.
Hiashi stayed long enough to offer a, "You did well" before he, too, left.
And then it was the three of them.
Hanabi exhaled loudly, a rush of air escaping her. "I think I sweat through the back of my kimono and I wasn't even speaking." She perked up, head swiveling to Neji. "Wait! Nii-san, explain yourself! Where were you?"
"I'll explain on the way," Neji said. "We should make sure Sasuke-san is not in need of assistance."
Lounging on a conveniently placed tree trunk, Sasuke's posture was deceptively laid-back, in direct contrast to his thorough examination of the puppets that were now sprawled quite harmlessly on the ground, as if sitting.
They'd been easily mollified by the promise of speaking with Hinata and hadn't moved since.
Using both dōjutsu, Sasuke scanned their hollowed-out bodies. They certainly shared similarities to puppets that he had fought before, but there appeared to be some amount of consciousness to them, however limited. They could communicate for one, though they refused to say much beyond asking after Hinata.
Sasuke had sent another clone to the Hyuuga compound, but until the assembly wrapped up, there was little else he could do but wait. It was difficult to interrogate something without flesh and bone to injure. Besides, there was no point getting on Ōtsutsuki's bad side.
Tilting his head to the side, Sasuke's ears caught the sound of a clone dissipating within a few meters. Simultaneously a stream of new information entered Sasuke's mind as he absorbed his clone's short-lived memories.
"Sasuke-kun!"
The puppets re-animated, jerking to a stand, heads whirling around to follow Hinata's trajectory as she entered the clearing in a run.
Instinctively rising to his feet, Sasuke received Hinata's embrace with practiced ease. "I told you I'd be fine," he said, amused.
"I know," Hinata said, her voice muffled by his shirt. "But I can't help worrying…"
From his periphery, Sasuke could see Neji and Hanabi following the same path Hinata had taken, but he made no move to separate from her.
"Why aren't they restrained?" Neji demanded.
Sasuke didn't respond right away, instead nestling his chin atop Hinata's head and breathing in the scent of lavender and chamomile. Then, he said, "It seemed unnecessary when we essentially invited them."
"Oh!" Hanabi exclaimed. "That symbol on their masks…"
At this, Hinata pulled away from Sasuke, turning to inspect the puppets that she'd so far neglected. Of course, they took her acknowledgment as their cue to greet her with an eerie "Byakugan no Hime". Again, having no mouths to speak, the words were projected into their minds
"Yeah, that's still creepy," Hanabi muttered.
"Did Toneri-san send you?" Hinata asked.
The puppets twitched, raising their hands. Remembering the dangerous golden orbs they had created before, Sasuke shifted in front of Hinata. Neji had the same idea, putting himself between the puppets and Hanabi.
But though their hands began to emit the same golden glow, they shot out as six beams of light, all converging in the space in front of the puppets. A blurry form began to emerge, gradually taking the shape of a tall man with white hair. "Hinata."
Hinata stepped forward, moving around Sasuke. "Toneri," she said softly. "You're here?" Her voice lilted questioningly.
"I meant what I said when we last spoke," Toneri said. "I apologize for my trespass on Earth, but it was unavoidable. I sent my puppets with the directive of finding either yourself or Uzumaki Naruto to convey my message."
Sasuke glanced at Neji, brow quirked, and the other shinobi shook his head. Neither of them had heard the puppets mention Naruto.
"Your message?" Hinata asked.
"The pathway between the moon and the Earth which I destroyed…someone is attempting to reawaken it," Toneri explained. "I will break the connection once more, but if someone on your planet is seeking contact..."
"Um…" Hinata tucked her hair behind her ear, expression sheepish. "Actually, the one who tried to make contact…was me."
Though Toneri's eyes remained closed, Sasuke didn't need to see them to recognize the other man's piqued interest.
"I wanted to ask for your help…to learn about the tenseigan," Hinata continued.
Tilting his head to the side, Toneri said, "I see. So you have awoken it after all."
Hanabi's eyebrows jumped. "You knew?" she asked.
Toneri angled his face towards Hanabi in acknowledgment before returning his focus to Hinata. "I suspected it was a possibility. There were certain implications when Hamaru-sama gifted you his chakra."
"And you chose not to warn Hinata-sama?" Neji asked coldly.
"It was only a possibility," Toneri said, uncowed by Neji's tone. "I cannot imagine the circumstances under which it manifested were pleasant."
Hinata's gaze was downcast when she replied, "No, they weren't."
Toneri features softened. "Hinata, are you certain you want my help? After what I have done."
"It's not exactly like we have a lot of options," Hanabi bluntly pointed out.
Hinata shook her head, long midnight hair swaying with the movement. "I thought it was clear…I don't hold any grudges over what happened. I know it's a lot to ask, but I don't know who else to turn to for this."
For the first time since appearing, Toneri diverted his attention from Hinata, head turning towards the village, though Konoha was well hidden by the thick foliage of the forest. "I have much to atone for. What you are asking for is but a pittance," he murmured. Turning back to Hinata, he said, "I will do everything in my power to assist you. You have my word."
A look of relief bloomed across Hinata's face, along with a small smile "Thank you, Toneri," she said, dipping her head in a shallow bow.
"You would have to come to the moon, of course —"
"No way!" Hanabi cried.
"Hinata-sama will not go to moon again!" Neji barked.
Sasuke said nothing, instead observing Hinata's reaction. Seeing her brows draw together, Sasuke shifted closer, their arms nearly touching. As if sensing this, Hinata leaned towards him as well and their skin brushed. Neither of them broke the contact.
Sasuke was certain it did not go unmissed by Toneri even with his closed eyes.
"Is that the only way?" Hinata asked.
"I will not step foot on the Earth," Toneri said. It didn't escape Sasuke's notice that he hadn't exactly answered the question.
Hinata nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. In that case…can you give me a month? Maybe a little more than that?" While contemplating this, rather than look to Neji or Hanabi, Hinata chose to turn to Sasuke.
That small act, for whatever reason, floored Sasuke. He could only offer an affirming nod.
This seemed to be enough for Hinata. "A little more than a month," she said more surely. "There are things I need to take care of here."
"The moon is always available to you, Hinata. You may come as you please," Toneri said. "Your friends as well," he added, but it was obviously an afterthought. "My puppets must return now. We have lingered here too long. When you are ready, you can come the same way."
With those final words, Toneri vanished, the golden beams evanescing and leaving only the golden light of the sun. Shortly thereafter the puppets, too, disappeared into the forest.
"Ugh, that guy still gives me the creeps," Hanabi said.
Sasuke didn't disagree. But, as his eyes slid to Hinata, he had to concede that he was grateful for the man nonetheless for taking at least one burden off Hinata's shoulders.
And when she learned how to access the full extent of her tenseigan, it would be one more weapon in her arsenal, keeping her safe. The gratitude Sasuke felt for that was immeasurable.
Toneri showing up and causing a misunderstanding with Neji, but it got sorted out in the end!
Thank you to everyone keeping up with this fic and especially for leaving comments I do have an AO3 under the same username, I've largely moved to writing there, but I know the Naruto fandom is still fairly active here so posted on FFnet as well.
MVH