Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Mokushita Hyuuga ❯ Chapter 2
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Moghedian 
Disclaimer: Naruto and all related characters belong to Kishimoto, not me.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 10.05.2006 | Updated On: 02.11.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: Naruto and all related characters belong to Kishimoto, not me.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 10.05.2006 | Updated On: 02.11.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following month after the ANBU incident passed fairly quickly. Hinata started to pick up the pace on Kouden's training. She started to teach him the basics and principles of kaiten. She smiled at how fast he picked it up. She had him read scrolls that she had collected over the years. Kouden only complained once.
"Kaa-san... Why am I training so much?" he said, during a spar with Hinata one day.
"You will see, and you will thank me one day. Now, watch your guard." She said, as she struck out at one of his tenketsus. Kouden nodded and eagerly dodged her oncoming attack.
Hinata picked up her tea cup and brought it to her mouth. The tea smelled of mint. Her favorite. She closed her eyes in contentment, and took a sip. It was a little on the hot side, but nothing Hinata couldnt enjoy.
Hinata was getting anxious. She was supposed to meet Shikamaru and Neji-ni-san tomorrow. Kouden still didn't know why she was getting so anxious, but just watched her. Observed her, like his Hyuuga blood instinct told him too.
Kouden picked up on anything Hinata taught him fairly quickly, so it was no surprise when he mastered partial henge in an afternoon. Partial henge is unlike normal henge, although it sounds easy, it's alot harder. It only covers a small part of the body, instead of the entire thing. It requires very good chakra control, and concentration. Both of which Kouden was more than capable of.
The first thing that Hinata had taugh Kouden was to make the henge cover his eyes.
Green she said. They needed to be green. White was obviously a Hyuuga trait. Blue...Blue reminded her too much of Naruto. Brown, well, she thought of green first anyway. Maybe he could pass off as a distant cousin of Sakura-san's?
Hinata sighed. She needed to stop thinking about it. Finishing her tea, Hinata rinsed the cup out and watched the tea leaves collect around the drain. She used to be able to tell fortunes from tea leaves. It was a party trick, but it was always fun. Her friends would line up in the room just to hear her tell fortunes.
"Me next! Me next!" Ino shouted, eagerly handing her now empty tea cup to Hinata. Hinata glanced in her tea cup, and used a stir rod to poke a small bunch of leaves.
"I see...ano...I see a paint brush? Maybe it means a future with a close friend, who can paint?" Hinata said. Ino's face was hard to read. Ever since she started training with Ibiki-san, she could control her emotions as if they were never there. But Hinata had always been observant. She saw a slight spark of glee. Smiling ever so softly, Hinata peered behind Ino to see who was next.
It was the birthday boy himself. Hinata blushed as Naruto came with his recently emptied tea cup, and held her hands out so that he could place the cup in them. His hand had brushed hers ever so slightly. Both Naruto and Hinata jumped at the contact. Hinata's face turned lobster red and Naruto's was dusted with rose.
"An..ano...L-let's see h-here....Ano..I-I see, I see, a c-cross.." Trailing off, Naruto's famous grin slipped. Only slightly. It was hard for him not to grin. This was his first birthday party ever. He had just come back from his mission to find Sasuke, and wasn't expecting it.
Crosses, from what she had read, were never good. It had always meant a death in the future, and since Naruto had already read the tea leaf book she had bought him as a gift, he knew what it meant too.
"A-ano...D-dont worry...I-it's just a s-silly book. Anyway...H-happy 16th, N-naruto-kun." Hinata said, trying, and failing to say it without stuttering.
Hinata sighed. She seemed to be doing alot of that these days. Nearly everything she did reminded her of Naruto. It was painful.
Hinata's train of thought was interrupted by Kouden.
"Kaa-san! I finished the scroll!" Kouden said, his voice starting to sound like a mini-Naruto. Sigh.
"That's great! Now that you have finished, I deem you worthy." Hinata said, smirking.
"What? Worthy of what?" Kouden said, curiousity always got the better of him.
"Being a Konoha shinobi! Why do you think I trained you so hard this past month!"
Kouden's mouth was agape. Hinata let out a laugh, despite her mood.
"For true? This isn't a joke?" He said, his voice rising louder and louder with each word.
Hinata smiled and put her hands firmly on her son's shoulders.
"No, it's not a joke, and I want you to be on your best behavoir. Tomorrow, my cousin is going to take you into custody." Hinata wondered how neji-ni-san was doing, but she could ask tomorrow.
"Cousin? You have a cousin? I thought you said you had no family?" Kouden asked, Hinata winced at the slight hurt in her son's voice.
"Yes, I also have a little sister. And a father, but your grandmother died shortly after your Aunt was born. We actually have lots of family, but I dont consider them family. They are the reason I left Konoha. I dont advise seeking them out. We dont exist. Remember?" Kouden's face was one of awe. So much family in one day.
"Demo...Kaa-san, does your cousin, the one that i'm going to stay with know we exist? What's his name? What is he like? Is he nice?" Kouden asked, and Hinata blinked.
"Woah...slow down there." Hinata said, gather the answers in her mind. "Umm, Yes, he knows that I exist, but not about you. Well, he does now, I sent him a letter. For his name? Neji. But you will have to ask his what he wants to be called." Taking a breath, Kouden used that break to bombard her with questions again.
"Kouden! Stop! I'll tell you on the way. But for as what he is like? It's been nine years since I have seen him. I dont remember any more. I'm sorry." Hinata said, and Kouden stopped.
"Now, please go pack, we are leaving for the village in a an hour. You can say good bye to Sasami-chan and then we have to meet up with Neji-ni-san." And before she could blink Kouden was up the stairs to the loft that his room occupied. Hinata could hear him dropping things in the rush to pack.
Hinata herself went to her small room, overlooking her garden. She deactivated the inverted genjutsu on the corner of her room and the air shimmered for an instant before disolving to reveal a wooden carton. The carton was stuffed full of scrolls.
Hinata ran her fingers over a few before plucking one out of the bunch. It was yellowed from age, and one of the ends had a few tears. It had a dusty blue ribbon tied around it, and a bell tied to one of the ribbon ends. Hinata smiled at it. She took the scroll and a few ryo from her safe (hidden by genjutsu, of course) and put them carefully in her sling-on sack. Pulling the curtains on her window closed, she locked her window, and made her bed.
Hinata looked up at the ceiling. Kouden had stopped moving around. Heading towards the stairs that lead to his loft, she heard the moving start again.
Poking her head up into Kouden's room, she sighed. It was a mess. She was sure THAT particular trait had come from Naruto. Hinata herself was always very neat.
"Kouden, are you packed? We are leaving in 10 minutes." A bag flew out of his extensive closet, and Hinata had to duck to avoid it.
"Hai, Kaa-san! I'll be down in a minute!" His shouting sounded muffled. He was probably lost in that jungle of a closet. Hinata rolled her eyes and walked back down the stairs. Opening her small fridge she pulled out a small dinner. Left overs. Cold turkey. Hinata smiled, although cold turkey wasnt as good as dango, it would do.
"Kaa-san! We can leave now...Is that turkey?" Kouden said, stumbling down the stairs, three bags in tow."Mmm, A little much?" Hinata said, gesturing at Kouden's bags. Kouden blushed and said,
"Well, I'm not gonna be back for a while, right? Better to bring too much, than too little." Kouden said, licking his lips at Hinata's plate of cold turkey. Hinata sighed.
"Kou-chan, you probably aren't going to come back." Kouden looked at his mother's eyes. His observing eyes trying to gaze into Hinata's soul.
"What do you mean 'not come back'?" Hinata set her plate of cold turkey on the counter. Avoiding his eyes, she said,
"Well, you will probably like it too much, Konoha is beautiful. Besides, shinobi really only ever leave the village unless they are on a mission." Kouden narrowed his white eyes.
"What about you." he said, pointedly.
"Kou-chan. You know very well that I refuse to tell you. Maybe when you are older. But dont worry, I will come and visit you, every so often." Hinata winced. That meant she had to go to the village, and she didn't know if she was ready for that. Kouden was satisfied. He grabbed a handfull of Hinata's turkey and shoved it in his mouth. Hinata smiled. She rinsed the plate off, set it out to dry and hiked her bag bag on to her back.
"Are we ready? It's night, so we can travel by trees, untill we see the village."
"Yes! Demo...Kaa-san...do you think you could carry one of my bags?" he said, sounding embarrassed.
Hinata smirked. Taking his smallest bag, she opened the door for him.
Going by trees, it took Hinata and Kouden less than 3 hours to get to the small village. They stopped tree jumping as soon as they saw the first lights of the village. Walking towards the village gates, Hinata looked down at her son. She knew that would hardly ever see him any more. he reached her hand out and pulled him close. Kouden snuggled in. He was feeling homesick already.
"Kou-chan, do you remember the story you have to give?" Kouden looked up at Hinata, his pearly white eyes seemed to glow in the sunset.
"Hai, Kaa-san. I was an orphan, raised by villagers, untill Neji-sama saw me on a mission, and saw my potential as a shinobi, and decided to have me trained in Konoha." Kouden said in monotone. He did not want to hide his parentage.
"Kaa-san, was Otou-sama famous?" He said after a break in conversation. Hinata looked at the moon and smiled.
"You could say that. If you ask any one in Konoha, they would all know him." Kouden smiled.
"But if you are going to ask, be discreet. Please, Kou-chan. It's very important no one knows that I still live." Hinata's brow furrowed slightly at this, but when she looked at the curiousity on Kouden's face, she smiled again. She was so proud of him, she nearly burst sometimes.
"Halt! You there, state your buisness for coming here this late!" A stern voice interrupted Hinata's thoughts.
"Ne, Takashi-san? Is that you?" Hinata said, squinting in the failing light. The man put his hand over his eyes, and said,
"Minako-san? Kouden-chan? Why didn't you say so! Come on in!" He said in a jolly voice, waving them in. Kouden, here, go buy a parting present for Sasami-chan." Hinata said, giving Kouden a few ryo.
"Go now, before the shops close." Kouden noded eagerly and took the ryo from his mother's hand.
Hinata grabbed his forgotten bags, and headed towards the inn that she frequented on her visits here.
"Ahh, Minako-chan!" The old innkeeper said when he spotted Hinata. "Right on time. How has your past month been?" Hinata smiled and paid for a room.
"I'm sending Kouden to Konohagakure to be trained as a shinobi. I hope he has enough potential to rise in the ranks quickly." Hinata said. The old man laughed and said,
"Oho, about time. We had one of the youngsters around here take off to Konoha to get trained. With her father, of course. He supports her every action. Spoiled child that one." He left off with smile that creased his already creased face more.
Gathering her bags, Hinata tromped up the stairs and down to the far hall. She awkwardly keyed the lock open and dumped the bags in a corner. Unrolling the pallets, she straightened the sheets and fluffed the pillows.
Looking out the window at the now dark village, she absentmindedly wondered what was taking Kouden so long, but that thought didnt last long. She heard the tell tale thumps. Kouden might be really gracefull when it came to Jyuuken...but other than that, he was really, very clumsy.
She didn't know how Neji-ni-san was going to put up with him.
Laying down on her pallet, she stared at the ceiling untill Kouden came bursting in the door.
"Kaa-san! Sasami-chan wasn't home!" Kouden said, fingering at the trinket he had bought her.
"She and Ditama-san are probably out on a fishing trip, it's not unusual at this time of year." Hinata said.
"Ahh, you're right. Oh well, I'll ask the innkeeper if he can give it to her when she gets back." Kouden nodded and took his jacket off. Groping around his sack, he pulled out a cap that he had bought a few years ago. The store keeper said that it was a penguin head, and that they lived very far south, at the bottom of the world. Hinata thought it nonsense, but Kouden bought every word, and never sleeps without it.
Getting comfortable in their palets, Hinata heard her son's breath even out after a few minutes. Hinata's eyes, nearly glowing in the moonlight, slowly closed, and she slipped into the world of dreams, where she could once again be in Naruto's arms.
Hinata was getting anxious. Very anxious. Neji-ni-san and Shikamaru were late. She activated her byakugan and scouted. Kouden did the same, but only because Hinata activated hers.
"Kaa-san! Is that them?" Kouden pointed. Hinata spotted them a split second before Kouden, but he had a faster mouth.
"Hai, Kou-chan. That's them." Hinata stood up and dusted her pants off. Not long after, the two ANBU landed on the dirt in front of Hinata and Kouden rising a small cloud of dust. The ANBU with the deer mask took it off and grinned. A lazy grin, but a grin nonethless. The second ANBU took his off as well. Kouden gasped. This was his first time seeing a byakugan other than his mother's or his own. Neji's looked so much more powerful than Hinata's had ever been. Kouden moved slightly behind his mother.
"Hinata-sama...I see you are well." he peered down at Kouden. A slight smile worked his way onto his face. Hinata inwardly gasped. Neji-ni-san smile?
"So, Neji-ni-san, how are you? How is everyone?" Hinata said, trying to calm Kouden with her stray hand.
"You missed alot. Tenten and I got married...the year you left actually. We have a daughter. Aiko. She's 7 years old. Tsunade-sama petitioned to have the curse seal forbidden, and won, so I am the last to have it." Hinata gasped, imagining Neji's daughter, she must be cute.
"Is..is she nice?" Kouden said, slowly coming out from behind Hinata. Neji smiled.
"She is very nice, and I'm sure she would love a play mate. How old are you now...what was your name?"
"Kouden...and Im almost 9, N-neji-sama." Neji chuckled and ruffled his hand through Kouden's hair. Kouden giggled inspite of himself.
"He looks so much like Naruto...Kami..." Neji said trailing off. Kouden perked hearing his father's name.
"You knew of Otou-sama?" Neji laughed. So did Shikamaru.
"Did I know him? Of course I did. Kid, your father's famous. Way back when we were kids, we had were in a fight for a tournament, and he kicked my ass."
"Neji-ni-san! Watch your mouth! I will NOT have my son talking like a crook. If you don't mind." Hinata said. Neji laughed louder. This was definatly not the Neji Hinata knew. She looked over at Shikamaru.
"So, how is Konoha holding up? How are the rookie nine doing? I heard about Sasuke-kun and Sakura-san. I'm happy for them." Shikamaru grinned.
"Well, Hinata, everyone misses you. You know you really should come back." Hinata glared at him. Shikamaru raised his hands. "Well, it's your descision. But any ways, I guess, to make it short, Ino and Sai hooked up, like you said they would. Ino's son is insane. Slim like her, Sai's hair, and is starting to show interest in mind workings. And he's only 6. A true genius of the Yamanaka clan. Kiba went to the sand on a year long mission and came back with a kid, but no mother, not quite so sure what happened there. Umm...Shino is dating a normal citizen, she likes bugs too, she's strange. Lee is still single, and I think he still lives with Gai-sensei. You know about Sakura-san and Sasuke. Uhh..." Shikamaru paused, thinking of what to say next.
"What about you? You didn't say anything about you." Hinata said. Shikamaru sighed.
"Me and Temari were dating before you left. We aren't married, but she's expecting our first. Due in a few weeks. The whole living in different villages thing is getting to us. I might join Sand permanently."
As the topic died, the group gave it a moment of silence, before Kouden broke it.
"Kaa-san. Come with us. Please?" He was on the verge of tears, making his bright white eyes sparkle.
"I agree with my little cousin here. Come back. You were never on the missing-nin list. Tsunade-sama made sure." Kouden gasped, and Hinata shot Neji a glare.
"Missing-nin? Kaa-san?" Kouden said, looking back and forth at Neji and Hinata.
"Neji-ni-san!" Hinata half shouted, making Neji step back. "Never mind, Kouden. I'll tell you when you are older. It's a very bad memory." Hinata looked at Neji, and then back at Kouden.
"So what does his grave look like? I dont suppose my father would let his name be put on the memorial."
"No, you're right. What he did, he paid for. He was removed from his position and punished accordinly. Hanabi took over as clan head, but I was regeant untill she turned 17. As for his grave...I dont think Kouden should be here for this..." Neji trailed off, looking at his little cousin. Shikamaru nodded and said,
"Hey, Kouden-chan, lets go find shells! Im sure there are a bunch of cool ones. We dont have any beaches in Konoha." Kouden nodded and ran ahead of Shikamaru. Hinata turned her attention back to Neji.
"He..well...After the incident, Hiashi ordered his body dumped. Apparently, before anyone knew it, some one took his body out into the woods some where and dumped it. No one ever found it. The Inuzuka clan said they smelled alot of blood and wild animals. He was probably eaten by animals." His brow had furrowed.
Hinata stared at him in shock. She blinked and the next thing she knew, Kouden, Shikamaru, and Neji were all leaning over her face.
"Kaa-san!" Kouden had been crying.
"Hinata-sama! You're awake! You fainted, are you all right?" Neji said. Hinata looked at them all, and then the reason she had fainted hit her. Hard. She grabbed Kouden and dragged him to the ground. Hugging him tightly she started to cry. Long heart-breaking sobs.
Kouden was puzzled. His mother never cried. He didnt know what to do so he just held onto her tighter.
"Hinata...it's getting late. We need to go. We have lots of travelling to do. Are you sure you dont want to come with us?" Shikamaru said, trying one last time to convince her. Hinata smiled through her receding tears. "Just go. Kou-chan, I'll send you a letter when I come to visit." He nodded.
"Visit? As in actually come into the village?" Hinata glared at Neji.
"You wont recognize me. I didn't spend the last 9 years doing nothing." Neji tightened his lips and helped Hinata up. She dusted her pants off and sighed.
"Bye! Kaa-san! I'll buy you something!" Kouden said, making Hinata smile. She hugged him one last time before Neji said,
"Ok, let's go." Shikamaru and Kouden jumped into a tree. When Hinata could barely make them out on the horizen, Neji said to her,
"Please, Hinata-sama, we all miss you. So very much. It breaks my heart to hear everyone talk about you as if you were dead. Please, think about it." He grabbed Hinata's shoulders and kissed her forehead, leaving Hinata red in the face, and confused in the mind as Neji jumped into a tree.
So much had changed.
Chapter 2 end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters. But all of the OC's are mine.
I've decided that I am going to upload chapters every Monday and Thursday, or try to at least. :D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following month after the ANBU incident passed fairly quickly. Hinata started to pick up the pace on Kouden's training. She started to teach him the basics and principles of kaiten. She smiled at how fast he picked it up. She had him read scrolls that she had collected over the years. Kouden only complained once.
"Kaa-san... Why am I training so much?" he said, during a spar with Hinata one day.
"You will see, and you will thank me one day. Now, watch your guard." She said, as she struck out at one of his tenketsus. Kouden nodded and eagerly dodged her oncoming attack.
Hinata picked up her tea cup and brought it to her mouth. The tea smelled of mint. Her favorite. She closed her eyes in contentment, and took a sip. It was a little on the hot side, but nothing Hinata couldnt enjoy.
Hinata was getting anxious. She was supposed to meet Shikamaru and Neji-ni-san tomorrow. Kouden still didn't know why she was getting so anxious, but just watched her. Observed her, like his Hyuuga blood instinct told him too.
Kouden picked up on anything Hinata taught him fairly quickly, so it was no surprise when he mastered partial henge in an afternoon. Partial henge is unlike normal henge, although it sounds easy, it's alot harder. It only covers a small part of the body, instead of the entire thing. It requires very good chakra control, and concentration. Both of which Kouden was more than capable of.
The first thing that Hinata had taugh Kouden was to make the henge cover his eyes.
Green she said. They needed to be green. White was obviously a Hyuuga trait. Blue...Blue reminded her too much of Naruto. Brown, well, she thought of green first anyway. Maybe he could pass off as a distant cousin of Sakura-san's?
Hinata sighed. She needed to stop thinking about it. Finishing her tea, Hinata rinsed the cup out and watched the tea leaves collect around the drain. She used to be able to tell fortunes from tea leaves. It was a party trick, but it was always fun. Her friends would line up in the room just to hear her tell fortunes.
"Me next! Me next!" Ino shouted, eagerly handing her now empty tea cup to Hinata. Hinata glanced in her tea cup, and used a stir rod to poke a small bunch of leaves.
"I see...ano...I see a paint brush? Maybe it means a future with a close friend, who can paint?" Hinata said. Ino's face was hard to read. Ever since she started training with Ibiki-san, she could control her emotions as if they were never there. But Hinata had always been observant. She saw a slight spark of glee. Smiling ever so softly, Hinata peered behind Ino to see who was next.
It was the birthday boy himself. Hinata blushed as Naruto came with his recently emptied tea cup, and held her hands out so that he could place the cup in them. His hand had brushed hers ever so slightly. Both Naruto and Hinata jumped at the contact. Hinata's face turned lobster red and Naruto's was dusted with rose.
"An..ano...L-let's see h-here....Ano..I-I see, I see, a c-cross.." Trailing off, Naruto's famous grin slipped. Only slightly. It was hard for him not to grin. This was his first birthday party ever. He had just come back from his mission to find Sasuke, and wasn't expecting it.
Crosses, from what she had read, were never good. It had always meant a death in the future, and since Naruto had already read the tea leaf book she had bought him as a gift, he knew what it meant too.
"A-ano...D-dont worry...I-it's just a s-silly book. Anyway...H-happy 16th, N-naruto-kun." Hinata said, trying, and failing to say it without stuttering.
Hinata sighed. She seemed to be doing alot of that these days. Nearly everything she did reminded her of Naruto. It was painful.
Hinata's train of thought was interrupted by Kouden.
"Kaa-san! I finished the scroll!" Kouden said, his voice starting to sound like a mini-Naruto. Sigh.
"That's great! Now that you have finished, I deem you worthy." Hinata said, smirking.
"What? Worthy of what?" Kouden said, curiousity always got the better of him.
"Being a Konoha shinobi! Why do you think I trained you so hard this past month!"
Kouden's mouth was agape. Hinata let out a laugh, despite her mood.
"For true? This isn't a joke?" He said, his voice rising louder and louder with each word.
Hinata smiled and put her hands firmly on her son's shoulders.
"No, it's not a joke, and I want you to be on your best behavoir. Tomorrow, my cousin is going to take you into custody." Hinata wondered how neji-ni-san was doing, but she could ask tomorrow.
"Cousin? You have a cousin? I thought you said you had no family?" Kouden asked, Hinata winced at the slight hurt in her son's voice.
"Yes, I also have a little sister. And a father, but your grandmother died shortly after your Aunt was born. We actually have lots of family, but I dont consider them family. They are the reason I left Konoha. I dont advise seeking them out. We dont exist. Remember?" Kouden's face was one of awe. So much family in one day.
"Demo...Kaa-san, does your cousin, the one that i'm going to stay with know we exist? What's his name? What is he like? Is he nice?" Kouden asked, and Hinata blinked.
"Woah...slow down there." Hinata said, gather the answers in her mind. "Umm, Yes, he knows that I exist, but not about you. Well, he does now, I sent him a letter. For his name? Neji. But you will have to ask his what he wants to be called." Taking a breath, Kouden used that break to bombard her with questions again.
"Kouden! Stop! I'll tell you on the way. But for as what he is like? It's been nine years since I have seen him. I dont remember any more. I'm sorry." Hinata said, and Kouden stopped.
"Now, please go pack, we are leaving for the village in a an hour. You can say good bye to Sasami-chan and then we have to meet up with Neji-ni-san." And before she could blink Kouden was up the stairs to the loft that his room occupied. Hinata could hear him dropping things in the rush to pack.
Hinata herself went to her small room, overlooking her garden. She deactivated the inverted genjutsu on the corner of her room and the air shimmered for an instant before disolving to reveal a wooden carton. The carton was stuffed full of scrolls.
Hinata ran her fingers over a few before plucking one out of the bunch. It was yellowed from age, and one of the ends had a few tears. It had a dusty blue ribbon tied around it, and a bell tied to one of the ribbon ends. Hinata smiled at it. She took the scroll and a few ryo from her safe (hidden by genjutsu, of course) and put them carefully in her sling-on sack. Pulling the curtains on her window closed, she locked her window, and made her bed.
Hinata looked up at the ceiling. Kouden had stopped moving around. Heading towards the stairs that lead to his loft, she heard the moving start again.
Poking her head up into Kouden's room, she sighed. It was a mess. She was sure THAT particular trait had come from Naruto. Hinata herself was always very neat.
"Kouden, are you packed? We are leaving in 10 minutes." A bag flew out of his extensive closet, and Hinata had to duck to avoid it.
"Hai, Kaa-san! I'll be down in a minute!" His shouting sounded muffled. He was probably lost in that jungle of a closet. Hinata rolled her eyes and walked back down the stairs. Opening her small fridge she pulled out a small dinner. Left overs. Cold turkey. Hinata smiled, although cold turkey wasnt as good as dango, it would do.
"Kaa-san! We can leave now...Is that turkey?" Kouden said, stumbling down the stairs, three bags in tow."Mmm, A little much?" Hinata said, gesturing at Kouden's bags. Kouden blushed and said,
"Well, I'm not gonna be back for a while, right? Better to bring too much, than too little." Kouden said, licking his lips at Hinata's plate of cold turkey. Hinata sighed.
"Kou-chan, you probably aren't going to come back." Kouden looked at his mother's eyes. His observing eyes trying to gaze into Hinata's soul.
"What do you mean 'not come back'?" Hinata set her plate of cold turkey on the counter. Avoiding his eyes, she said,
"Well, you will probably like it too much, Konoha is beautiful. Besides, shinobi really only ever leave the village unless they are on a mission." Kouden narrowed his white eyes.
"What about you." he said, pointedly.
"Kou-chan. You know very well that I refuse to tell you. Maybe when you are older. But dont worry, I will come and visit you, every so often." Hinata winced. That meant she had to go to the village, and she didn't know if she was ready for that. Kouden was satisfied. He grabbed a handfull of Hinata's turkey and shoved it in his mouth. Hinata smiled. She rinsed the plate off, set it out to dry and hiked her bag bag on to her back.
"Are we ready? It's night, so we can travel by trees, untill we see the village."
"Yes! Demo...Kaa-san...do you think you could carry one of my bags?" he said, sounding embarrassed.
Hinata smirked. Taking his smallest bag, she opened the door for him.
Going by trees, it took Hinata and Kouden less than 3 hours to get to the small village. They stopped tree jumping as soon as they saw the first lights of the village. Walking towards the village gates, Hinata looked down at her son. She knew that would hardly ever see him any more. he reached her hand out and pulled him close. Kouden snuggled in. He was feeling homesick already.
"Kou-chan, do you remember the story you have to give?" Kouden looked up at Hinata, his pearly white eyes seemed to glow in the sunset.
"Hai, Kaa-san. I was an orphan, raised by villagers, untill Neji-sama saw me on a mission, and saw my potential as a shinobi, and decided to have me trained in Konoha." Kouden said in monotone. He did not want to hide his parentage.
"Kaa-san, was Otou-sama famous?" He said after a break in conversation. Hinata looked at the moon and smiled.
"You could say that. If you ask any one in Konoha, they would all know him." Kouden smiled.
"But if you are going to ask, be discreet. Please, Kou-chan. It's very important no one knows that I still live." Hinata's brow furrowed slightly at this, but when she looked at the curiousity on Kouden's face, she smiled again. She was so proud of him, she nearly burst sometimes.
"Halt! You there, state your buisness for coming here this late!" A stern voice interrupted Hinata's thoughts.
"Ne, Takashi-san? Is that you?" Hinata said, squinting in the failing light. The man put his hand over his eyes, and said,
"Minako-san? Kouden-chan? Why didn't you say so! Come on in!" He said in a jolly voice, waving them in. Kouden, here, go buy a parting present for Sasami-chan." Hinata said, giving Kouden a few ryo.
"Go now, before the shops close." Kouden noded eagerly and took the ryo from his mother's hand.
Hinata grabbed his forgotten bags, and headed towards the inn that she frequented on her visits here.
"Ahh, Minako-chan!" The old innkeeper said when he spotted Hinata. "Right on time. How has your past month been?" Hinata smiled and paid for a room.
"I'm sending Kouden to Konohagakure to be trained as a shinobi. I hope he has enough potential to rise in the ranks quickly." Hinata said. The old man laughed and said,
"Oho, about time. We had one of the youngsters around here take off to Konoha to get trained. With her father, of course. He supports her every action. Spoiled child that one." He left off with smile that creased his already creased face more.
Gathering her bags, Hinata tromped up the stairs and down to the far hall. She awkwardly keyed the lock open and dumped the bags in a corner. Unrolling the pallets, she straightened the sheets and fluffed the pillows.
Looking out the window at the now dark village, she absentmindedly wondered what was taking Kouden so long, but that thought didnt last long. She heard the tell tale thumps. Kouden might be really gracefull when it came to Jyuuken...but other than that, he was really, very clumsy.
She didn't know how Neji-ni-san was going to put up with him.
Laying down on her pallet, she stared at the ceiling untill Kouden came bursting in the door.
"Kaa-san! Sasami-chan wasn't home!" Kouden said, fingering at the trinket he had bought her.
"She and Ditama-san are probably out on a fishing trip, it's not unusual at this time of year." Hinata said.
"Ahh, you're right. Oh well, I'll ask the innkeeper if he can give it to her when she gets back." Kouden nodded and took his jacket off. Groping around his sack, he pulled out a cap that he had bought a few years ago. The store keeper said that it was a penguin head, and that they lived very far south, at the bottom of the world. Hinata thought it nonsense, but Kouden bought every word, and never sleeps without it.
Getting comfortable in their palets, Hinata heard her son's breath even out after a few minutes. Hinata's eyes, nearly glowing in the moonlight, slowly closed, and she slipped into the world of dreams, where she could once again be in Naruto's arms.
Hinata was getting anxious. Very anxious. Neji-ni-san and Shikamaru were late. She activated her byakugan and scouted. Kouden did the same, but only because Hinata activated hers.
"Kaa-san! Is that them?" Kouden pointed. Hinata spotted them a split second before Kouden, but he had a faster mouth.
"Hai, Kou-chan. That's them." Hinata stood up and dusted her pants off. Not long after, the two ANBU landed on the dirt in front of Hinata and Kouden rising a small cloud of dust. The ANBU with the deer mask took it off and grinned. A lazy grin, but a grin nonethless. The second ANBU took his off as well. Kouden gasped. This was his first time seeing a byakugan other than his mother's or his own. Neji's looked so much more powerful than Hinata's had ever been. Kouden moved slightly behind his mother.
"Hinata-sama...I see you are well." he peered down at Kouden. A slight smile worked his way onto his face. Hinata inwardly gasped. Neji-ni-san smile?
"So, Neji-ni-san, how are you? How is everyone?" Hinata said, trying to calm Kouden with her stray hand.
"You missed alot. Tenten and I got married...the year you left actually. We have a daughter. Aiko. She's 7 years old. Tsunade-sama petitioned to have the curse seal forbidden, and won, so I am the last to have it." Hinata gasped, imagining Neji's daughter, she must be cute.
"Is..is she nice?" Kouden said, slowly coming out from behind Hinata. Neji smiled.
"She is very nice, and I'm sure she would love a play mate. How old are you now...what was your name?"
"Kouden...and Im almost 9, N-neji-sama." Neji chuckled and ruffled his hand through Kouden's hair. Kouden giggled inspite of himself.
"He looks so much like Naruto...Kami..." Neji said trailing off. Kouden perked hearing his father's name.
"You knew of Otou-sama?" Neji laughed. So did Shikamaru.
"Did I know him? Of course I did. Kid, your father's famous. Way back when we were kids, we had were in a fight for a tournament, and he kicked my ass."
"Neji-ni-san! Watch your mouth! I will NOT have my son talking like a crook. If you don't mind." Hinata said. Neji laughed louder. This was definatly not the Neji Hinata knew. She looked over at Shikamaru.
"So, how is Konoha holding up? How are the rookie nine doing? I heard about Sasuke-kun and Sakura-san. I'm happy for them." Shikamaru grinned.
"Well, Hinata, everyone misses you. You know you really should come back." Hinata glared at him. Shikamaru raised his hands. "Well, it's your descision. But any ways, I guess, to make it short, Ino and Sai hooked up, like you said they would. Ino's son is insane. Slim like her, Sai's hair, and is starting to show interest in mind workings. And he's only 6. A true genius of the Yamanaka clan. Kiba went to the sand on a year long mission and came back with a kid, but no mother, not quite so sure what happened there. Umm...Shino is dating a normal citizen, she likes bugs too, she's strange. Lee is still single, and I think he still lives with Gai-sensei. You know about Sakura-san and Sasuke. Uhh..." Shikamaru paused, thinking of what to say next.
"What about you? You didn't say anything about you." Hinata said. Shikamaru sighed.
"Me and Temari were dating before you left. We aren't married, but she's expecting our first. Due in a few weeks. The whole living in different villages thing is getting to us. I might join Sand permanently."
As the topic died, the group gave it a moment of silence, before Kouden broke it.
"Kaa-san. Come with us. Please?" He was on the verge of tears, making his bright white eyes sparkle.
"I agree with my little cousin here. Come back. You were never on the missing-nin list. Tsunade-sama made sure." Kouden gasped, and Hinata shot Neji a glare.
"Missing-nin? Kaa-san?" Kouden said, looking back and forth at Neji and Hinata.
"Neji-ni-san!" Hinata half shouted, making Neji step back. "Never mind, Kouden. I'll tell you when you are older. It's a very bad memory." Hinata looked at Neji, and then back at Kouden.
"So what does his grave look like? I dont suppose my father would let his name be put on the memorial."
"No, you're right. What he did, he paid for. He was removed from his position and punished accordinly. Hanabi took over as clan head, but I was regeant untill she turned 17. As for his grave...I dont think Kouden should be here for this..." Neji trailed off, looking at his little cousin. Shikamaru nodded and said,
"Hey, Kouden-chan, lets go find shells! Im sure there are a bunch of cool ones. We dont have any beaches in Konoha." Kouden nodded and ran ahead of Shikamaru. Hinata turned her attention back to Neji.
"He..well...After the incident, Hiashi ordered his body dumped. Apparently, before anyone knew it, some one took his body out into the woods some where and dumped it. No one ever found it. The Inuzuka clan said they smelled alot of blood and wild animals. He was probably eaten by animals." His brow had furrowed.
Hinata stared at him in shock. She blinked and the next thing she knew, Kouden, Shikamaru, and Neji were all leaning over her face.
"Kaa-san!" Kouden had been crying.
"Hinata-sama! You're awake! You fainted, are you all right?" Neji said. Hinata looked at them all, and then the reason she had fainted hit her. Hard. She grabbed Kouden and dragged him to the ground. Hugging him tightly she started to cry. Long heart-breaking sobs.
Kouden was puzzled. His mother never cried. He didnt know what to do so he just held onto her tighter.
"Hinata...it's getting late. We need to go. We have lots of travelling to do. Are you sure you dont want to come with us?" Shikamaru said, trying one last time to convince her. Hinata smiled through her receding tears. "Just go. Kou-chan, I'll send you a letter when I come to visit." He nodded.
"Visit? As in actually come into the village?" Hinata glared at Neji.
"You wont recognize me. I didn't spend the last 9 years doing nothing." Neji tightened his lips and helped Hinata up. She dusted her pants off and sighed.
"Bye! Kaa-san! I'll buy you something!" Kouden said, making Hinata smile. She hugged him one last time before Neji said,
"Ok, let's go." Shikamaru and Kouden jumped into a tree. When Hinata could barely make them out on the horizen, Neji said to her,
"Please, Hinata-sama, we all miss you. So very much. It breaks my heart to hear everyone talk about you as if you were dead. Please, think about it." He grabbed Hinata's shoulders and kissed her forehead, leaving Hinata red in the face, and confused in the mind as Neji jumped into a tree.
So much had changed.
Chapter 2 end.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters. But all of the OC's are mine.
I've decided that I am going to upload chapters every Monday and Thursday, or try to at least. :D