InuYasha Fan Fiction / Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Fortune Foretold ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
Fortune Foretold
By: Gothic Lust
InuYasha/Naruto Crossover
Kagome/Neji Hyuuga
Romance/Drama
Rated M
Summary: [Kagome/Neji] [Nar/Inu Xover] Neji will soon learn that not everything has a destiny, a set future, or is foretold by the heavens. Not everything is set in stone. Things change, and he'll be glad that his fortune did.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto or Inuyasha Characters.
Author's Note: Summary and Title of this story may change. If you have any suggestions feel free to message me or send them in your review.
Songs that kept me going: Sixx A.M. -Life is Beautiful and Sixx A.M. -Accidents can Happen.
Snacks that kept me going: A can of Sprite soda and Pretzel Flips White Fudge.
XxxxxxX
The forest had long since passed as his group traversed the Shinobi Islands to the country of their destination. The coverage and shade the forest provided from the heat and enemy's left behind as desert dunes rolled before them. Sand swept up as the wind carried it into their eyes and nose. Neji pulled his arm across his eyes to protect them, it did little to help. The sand burned as it scraped his skin raw, his hair pulled harsh to the side and the ribbon that held his hair bound low was pulled free, allowing the deep brown tresses to weave and tangle together. He removed his arm from his eyes to pull back his wild hair.
Just as he planned to braid it, pulling the strands apart roughly, a hair tie was held before his nose, glittery, purple in color, and rather thick. The hand that held the rather girly hair tie was none other than his female team mate, Tenten. She smiled at him through her cloth mask, her hand pulling the hood of her tan coat closer to her face to protect the exposed flesh of her skin from the harsh grains of sand that dared to polish her face clean off. He accepted the tie, rather reluctantly due to the color, and began to pull up his hair. He would rather tie his hair back and not have to wrestle with it later to free it of its tangles than worry about the tasteless color choice with added glitter.
They had been walking for such a long time, Lee and Gai-sensei taking the lead as Neji followed with Tenten bringing up the rear. Neji lagged behind, making sure that his female team mate didn't get lost in the sand storm or loose her footing in the rather questionable ground they were treading. The soft sand left little support for their ankles as their feet planted themselves on the dunes, displacing the grains of sand that lay below. Several times Neji had lost his balance, leaning to one side heavily on the dune that threatened to toss him on his bum. Tenten had straightened him at one point, rebuking the fact that his lagging behind was unnecessary, that she was doing fine and he was not, at least at that moment.
Neji shot his hand out, catching his team mate by the small of her back as she fell backwards, her leg and arms flailing for a moment to catch her balance and the large bag that was the cause of her tumble. She blushed, though it was rather hard to see due to the tan wind that blew between them and the cloth that protected her nose and mouth from the sand. He heard her muttered thanks as she re-shouldered her bag and brushed past him to catch up with their green spandex wearing companions. Neji could only chuckle lightly at her actions, knowing that she would be thinking about it for the rest of the trip to the Village hidden in the Sand, and fell into step behind his comrades, listening and watching for any dangers lurking in the sand storms wrath.
XxxxxxX
“Neji, what do you see in the distance North West of twelve o'clock?”
Neji turned to where he was asked to scout, seeing the shapes of dark brown figures retreating into the distance. He activated his Byakugan silently and observed the actions of those running. He noticed that many of them were women and children, their hands linked in a desperate attempt to navigate the storm. They weren't faring well, many of them it seemed were falling too frequently, some of them carried what seemed to be gourds of water on their backs, their feet straining to keep them upright. Many of them also had baskets in their hands, one hand dedicated to keeping it shut as the other held tight to a child or a rope tied to a mule that held more supplies. None of them wore a headband of loyalty to any ninja village.
“They're civilians lost in the storm.” Neji turned to face his leader. Gai's bowl cut hair was tussled by the wind and he had goggles fitted over the large eyes and thick brows. “They're not faring well. They need help.” Neji added.
“We should help them then.” Tenten offered. “We're not braving the storm any differently than they, and our own water supplies are depleting desperately. If we help them, then they'll help us in return. We can't be too far from Sunagakure?”
“They're women and children, many of them falling against the winds and dunes of sand.” Neji supported. “They won't make it very long.”
They looked to Lee for his opinion in the matter, but he was long gone, sand kicked up in his rush towards the group. Gai, Neji and Tenten immediately rushed after the youthful boy surfing his way over the dune's crest. Neji caught up to him quick enough, Gai-sensei helping their female companion as her foot was caught in a sand booby trap.
“Lee, wait.” Neji tried to call to him over the gale winds of the storm. Lee didn't hear him and continued to his race towards the group that just now noticed his speedy arrival.
Some of the women turned, handing their things and the children to others as they fled faster. Some of them pulled out short swords or shuriken. It appeared that there were some men in the small rag-tag group as well, and they too carried weapons—those of a larger sort. Their swords were broad and thick, the edge gleaming in its sharpness. Some even began to light small hand grenades, tossing them across the dunes in the direction that Lee and Neji were running to them from.
Neji dodged one that landed close to his feet, the sand dispersing as it blew apart and the shrapnel flying in every which direction. He had to catch his balance once again when he landed on the sand and once he was upright, raced after Lee who was a few good paces in front of him.
One of the women ran forward, catching Lee off-guard with a well rounded kick to the abdomen. Lee flew back a few yards, landing in the deep valley between two large dunes. Neji followed to help his friend and comrade up from the ground, dodging another attempt at a kick by the woman with Lee in his arms.
“Lee, this is no time to get careless.” Lee just nodded, his eyes though covered by the goggles, narrowed in determination. Lee jumped from Neji and kicked away a grenade that was flying towards them.
Neji blocked a kick from the woman, throwing her off balance. She spun and aimed again with a blue chakra to enhance her attack. Neji grabbed her ankle and using his gentle fist style, he blocked the chakra that flowed through her leg, dissipating the attack she had formed on her shin.
She fell rather hard to the ground, she spun yet again and kicked his feet from under him. Neji fell hard on his back, sliding slowly as the sand shifted dangerously beneath his back. She was then on top of him straddling his hips as she hit a series of pressure points. He felt his chakra decrease as she did so. She hit his chakra point accurately and with deadly precision so that he couldn't summon the chakra needed for his attacks.
He pushed her off, her hood falling back as he did so. Raven hair fanned behind her, surrounding her heart shaped face. Large sapphire eyes glared back at him, hidden beneath large worn goggles with a crack running straight through the right lens.
She was beautiful, there was no doubt in his mind about that. And she was young, just a year under himself or less. He admired her for a bit more as she continued to struggle beneath his weight.
“Get off me damn it!” She cried, pounding her small fists onto his back, chest and arms.
“We are not your enemy. We only wish to help you.” Neji said as he caught her arms and trapped them to her chest, blushing a bit as his fist brushed against her cleavage from where he pinned her wrist in the valley between them.
“We do not need your assistance,” She cried out, still struggling, more so with her free feet. “You will slaughter us in our sleep, eat our food and drink our water until there is nothing left but dust.”
“I can assure you, we will do no such things.” Neji dodged a kicked aimed at his head from one of her travel companions, rolling with the girl down the dune of sand.
His assailant followed, pulling free a sword from his belt, swinging it so that it could cleave him in two.
Neji dodged again, careful of where he spun so he did not drag the girl into the path of the blade. His caution however was far more taxing that need be as more assailants joined in, blades swinging towards him and the girl from all sides.
“Do you not care for her life?” Neji shouted as he jumped high in the air, a sword catching the cloth of his pants, tearing a large gash into the fabric at his thigh. “Stop this senseless battle, we only wish to talk to you.”
Neji received no answer other than the swing of several blades towards his person. He flipped backwards while still in the air, the girl he held captive shrieked at the sudden sensation of vertigo.
“Release her and we shall let you go.” One of the cloaked assailants demanded, raising his broad sword high.
“I don't believe you are in any position to make demands of me.” Neji glared as he spoke to them. “If I am not mistaken, I hold her captive.”
“She has revealed herself to a man not of our tribe, she has no place here among our people.” Another cloaked voice said, he placed his and on the back edge of the first man's sword, lowering the weapon a bit. “Take her and leave, or we shall cut you both down.”
Neji could not find any words to respond to this. He glanced at the woman in his arms that now ceased to struggle to free herself. Her eyes were downcast solemnly staring at her leather bound feet.
“Neji, release the girl and lets go,” from his far right, Neji saw his female teammate waving over to him, Gai-sensei and Lee standing on either side of her. “They want nothing to do with us, its best if we leave now.”
Neji nodded, seeing no use in arguing with the people who so desired them to be gone. He released the girl from his clutches and mock bowed. “We are sorry for causing such misfortune upon you. We only wished to aid you though the storm.”
“Before you leave, take that girl with you.” The first man to speak to him continued. “She is no longer part of our tribe, and we do not wish to kill her, for that is her fate if she should stay.”
“But…” The girl next to Neji took a step forward, and as she did so, several shuriken flew past her. Lines of blood slow to form upon her cheeks from where they grazed her.
They did not answer her, or even acknowledge her existence, but rather many turned from her and continued to follow the rest of their group to where they hid.
“Take her stranger, and never seek us out again.” The man whipped around, his cloak still in place as he ran to catch up with the rest of his group.
The girl beside him fell to her knees her face buried in her hands as she wept. The rest of his team surrounded her, shielding her from the storm as she cried out her sorrow.
“I'm sorry,” Lee whispered solemnly, his hand twisting around each other nervously. “I'm very sorry for what I've caused you with my reckless and un-youthful ways.”
She did not acknowledge him, but continued to weep.
Neji looked upon her small broken form and too felt sorry for her. He stared at her hood that now rested flat upon her shoulders. “I'm sorry.” He whispered to her, but gained no reply other than a sharp glare.
“I hate you,” She spoke low, her word nearly inaudible against the raging storm. “I hate all of you.”
Gai shook off her teary expression and somber mood with a shake of his head and gripped her upper arm lifting her to her feet. He pushed her to Neji gently and turned to lead them in the direction of Sunagakure.
“She's your responsibility now Neji,” Gai said with her back turned. “It is your fight that landed her in this situation so her life is now in your hands.”
Neji nodded, gripped the girl by her right hand began to pull her in the direction of Suna. He never looked back to glance at her for the rest of the trip.
XxxxxxX
Well, I hope you enjoyed that quick introduction, the next chapter they will make it to Suna. Anyway, I can't really say when I'll be updating, but I'll try my hardest to finish this story within the next two chapters.
So, until next time…
PS. Any edits will be taken care of eventually. If you happen to spot any, please message me or put it into your review, thank you very much :)
--Gothic Lust