Author's Notes: An evil plot that wouldn't leave me alone. (I am still working on "Sakura Finds Out", so don't worry about that one being abandoned.) The premise is based very loosely (as this progresses, you'll see just how loosely) upon the premise of a somewhat popular show here in the Philippines, Sugo. (Well, I've really just taken a few plot threads from the show, more are original.) While this may be AU because of the premise, it will still be in the shinobi world, and the characters will pretty much remain themselves.
Summary: The Balance between Light and Darkness depends upon the power struggle between two tribes, the Hikarujin (led by the Hyuuga Clan) and the Yamijin (led by the Uchiha Clan). Both are based in the powerful shinobi village of Konohagakure and despite the Sandaime's efforts to maintain peace, underneath the calm surface the battle between to two tribes rages. In an effort to tip the Balance to their favor, the Yamijin seek to resurrect their ancient leader, Orochimaru, by sacrificing to him the Gift, a person born in his line whose lifeblood will enable him to rise from the dead.
Very much NejiTen, SasuSaku, Neji, Sasuke, Hinata, Sakura and Tenten centric. NaruHina and ShikaIno will be supporting pairs. Will have bits of NejiHina and SasuHina (as plot devices only). Might have small hints of KakashiKurenai, IrukaAnko, and other pairs that won't hurt the plot, like HakuWhoever (Kin, maybe?) or KimimaroWhoever (Tayuya?).
Disclaimer: Naruto and all those related stuff don't belong to me.
Between Light and Darkness
Prologue: All At Once
"But I don't want to go to the Main House!" Neji sniveled, one hand swiping across his eyes, the other hand held by his mother in a vise-like grip. He was digging his heels into the dirt road that led to the high-walled palace compound of the Hyuuga.
"Do not say that," his mother scolded. She stopped walking and took out a silk handkerchief, which she used to wipe the moisture leaking from his eyes and nose. "Good big boys don't cry, Neji."
"But I want to stay with Chichiue!" The six year-old howled louder.
"It will not make the least difference!" His mother cried. "Even if you stay beside the grave all day… it will not do anything…" In a very quiet voice, she breathed, "He is not even there, only Kami-sama knows what they did to his body…"
"But, but…" Neji sniffled.
"Neji…" His mother kneeled in front of him, disregarding how the dirt path could damage the delicate fabric of her kimono. Their eyes were at level with each other. Unlike the pearly white eyes he inherited from his father, his mother's eyes were dark. They were examining his clothes, a black gi and pants with white trim on them. His mother flicked away minute specks of dust from the pristine embroidery.
"Your Chichiue is gone now… You are now the head of the Secondary House of the Hyuuga. You are going to have to fulfill his responsibilities in his place." She took his hands in hers and squeezed them. "It is a lot to ask, for you are just a child… But you are the only one the Secondary House can depend on… Will you be the proper Hyuuga man, Neji?"
Neji thought that at that moment, her eyes looked like freshly-baked chocolate truffles; brown, moist and warm. His lower lip trembled—he wasn't used to seeing a hint of a plea in his mother's countenance.
He sniffed, loudly, but he nodded in assent. "Yes, Hahaue. I will look out for the family like Chichiue did."
"That is good." She let go of his hands and stood up, brushing the dust off her kimono. The plea had disappeared from her features; she now looked at the wide metal gate of the Hyuuga palace compound with cloudy dark eyes. With her stiffly formal posture, she started walking towards the gate. She didn't have to tell him to follow her, he knew instinctively that it was expected of him. Neji walked quickly, trying not to break into a run.
"Who's there?" The watchman at the tower called in a gruff voice after his mother pulled the bell rope.
"Look up at him, Neji." His mother said quietly.
Neji did as he was told. He didn't like the tone the watchman had used with his mother, so he glared. As he did, he willed his chakra into his eyes like his father had taught him. He felt his veins pop from the effort.
The watchman flinched, his own white eyes watching Neji warily. "How old is he?"
"He's the Head of the Secondary House," his mother said, in manner of reply.
"I see, you are Hizashi-sama's son then. My condolences." The watchman made a signal and then Neji heard the grinding sound of gears turning. Slowly, the gate swung open.
"Come, Neji." His mother started walking again, but at a much slower pace this time. She held herself very straight, and moved as if she had all the time in the world. Neji fell in step beside her, comfortably keeping pace.
They walked down the long wood-paneled walkway that led to the central palace, the Main House of the Hyuuga. The servants bowed as the two of them passed by, and even some of the Hyuugas nodded in deference. All of them looked at his clothes. Neji wondered if his clothes were important. They certainly felt important and these people looked at them as if they were important. He decided they must be important then.
"You're here for an audience with Hiashi-sama?" One of the doormen asked, looking at Neji, not his mother.
"Huh?" Neji looked from the doorman to his mother.
"Answer him, Neji," his mother said.
"Yes, Hahaue." Neji nodded. "Yes, we're here to visit Hiashi-sama."
"Your name?"
"Neji…" he looked sideways at his mother, who had a cautioning look in her eyes. "My name is Hyuuga Neji—I'm the Head of the Secondary House."
The doorman nodded at his partner, and they each opened one side of the double-door. He then announced: "Hyuuga Neji, Head of the Secondary House of the Hyuuga, requesting an audience with Hyuuga Hiashi-sama, Head of the Main House of the Hyuuga and the whole of the Hyuuga clan."
"Do you remember what your Chichiue taught you about behavior in the Main House?" His mother asked, even though, for a week before the visit, she had tutored him, reminding him of everything that Hizashi had taught him before.
"Yes, Hahaue," Neji replied dutifully.
"Do not forget anything." His mother pushed him inside the palace, remaining outside.
I won't… Neji ignored the people sitting on either side of the strip of bare wood leading to the seat of the Head of the Hyuuga Clan. He kept his eyes firmly locked with Hiashi-sama's own white eyes.
Neji walked a steady pace towards Hiashi-sama, stopping when he was ten paces away. He then got down on his knees, laid his palms flat on the floor before him and bowed low.
He felt Hiashi-sama nod at him, and he stood up again. "He is Hyuuga Neji," Hiashi-sama said once Neji turned around to face the other people in the room. "He is the son of Hyuuga Hizashi, Head of the Secondary House of the Hyuuga."
As one, everyone else in the room touched their fingertips to the floor and bowed shallow. In response, Neji placed his hands firmly at his sides and bowed at the same angle.
Neji didn't know everyone in the room. Some were the Heads of the Houses in the Hyuuga annex compound, men his father worked with. Yet the others were strangers, Heads of the Houses that stayed in the palace compound, in Konohagakure. Since he grew up in the annex compound some hundred kilometers west of the village, Neji had met them only a few times before, and didn't remember one of them.
It was only when he looked around that Neji noticed that some of the people in the room didn't have white eyes. He frowned.
As if noticing his puzzlement, Hiashi-sama gestured to the people in the room. "These are the Heads of the Branch Houses of the Hyuuga, and the Heads of the families of the Hikarujin." Neji started in recognition. "Hizashi has told you about the Hikarujin, surely?"
"Yes, Hiashi-sama," Neji replied. "The Hikarujin is the Tribe of Light, and they are led by the Hyuuga Clan. It is the responsibility of every Hyuuga to protect his family and to fight for the ideals of the Hikarujin."
The people in the room nodded their approval. Hiashi did as well. "Hizashi has taught you well. You may wear the suit of the Head of the Secondary House with pride." Neji looked down his clothes and realized what they were—they were a copy of the suit his father wore when he was summoned to the Main House. "From this day forward, you are a part of the Tribal Council, as the Head of the Secondary House of the Hyuuga."
"Yes, Hiashi-sama." Neji bowed shallow. When he looked up, he noticed a pair of wide, pearly eyes peeking from behind Hiashi-sama's shoulder. He looked at them, and they ducked out of view.
Hiashi-sama looked over his shoulder sternly. "Hinata, do not be disrespectful. Greet your cousin Neji properly."
A small girl, about a year younger than Neji, shuffled beside Hiashi-sama. Her short dark hair shone blue in the light, and the sleeve of her yellow kimono partly obscured her face from view. "Hello… Neji-niisan."
"Hinata-sama." Neji had seen her before, two years ago, on her birthday. She wore a yellow kimono back then as well. She still looked as cute as she did back then. He smiled at her.
Hinata clutched her father's sleeve and hid behind him. Then she peeked out again. She gave Neji a small, tentative smile.
"Hinata is the Heir of the Hyuuga. She will be the Head of the Main House someday." Hiashi-sama said. He turned to Neji, a serious look in his eyes. "Neji, I ask of you to protect her, just as my brother—your father, Hizashi, did. Protect Hinata, the Main House, the Hyuuga Clan and the future of the Hikarujin."
"Yes, Hiashi-sama!" Neji promised. "I will protect Hinata-sama." He smiled brightly at Hinata, who smiled back shyly.
I will protect you, always.
The ground looked so much farther away when he is riding on his brother's back, instead of standing on his own. He snickered at the thought.
"What are you laughing about, Sasuke?" Itachi looked back at him, slightly frowning. "The next time you sprain your ankle, I'm not going to carry you all the way back home."
He stuck out his lower lip and lifted his chin haughtily. "Hmph! I'm not going to sprain my ankle ever again! And I don't want to be carried anyways, I didn't ask you to do it."
Itachi's eyes were dancing with amusement. "You are such a proud little brat."
"Niisan, I'm not a kid," Sasuke cried. "Don't treat me like I'm a kid!"
"I got it… kid." Itachi smirked. Sasuke pouted again.
Itachi stopped. Sasuke peeked over his shoulder to see what the matter was. They were standing at the bottom of the flight of one hundred steps that led to the Uchiha Main House.
"Why are you stopping, Niisan?" Sasuke grinned mischievously. "Are you tired?"
"Don't make me laugh," Itachi retorted good-naturedly. "It's impossible to get tired carrying a kid as puny as you."
"I'm not a kid," Sasuke protested as Itachi rushed up the steps. "And I'm not puny!"
They skidded to a stop at the top of the stairs, then Itachi walked normally again, up the stone path to the Uchiha Main House.
A few meters away from the building, Itachi stopped again. Sasuke peered over his shoulder to see what he was looking at. Garbed in a red kimono was a little girl, with hair of the same shade of pink as the floral pattern on her clothing.
"Cherry blossoms?" Sasuke murmured.
Itachi looked over his shoulder to smile at Sasuke. "Her hair, you mean?"
"Uhn," Sasuke nodded, then quickly added: "Although I wasn't looking!"
His brother chuckled. "You weren't?" Itachi's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "Do you find her cute, Sasuke-chan?"
"No way!" Sasuke cried. "Girls are disgusting. And I'm not Sasuke-chan."
The girl's companions, probably her attendants, were holding a parasol above her head and were fixing the ornaments stuck to her pink hair. They bowed when the Head of the Uchiha Clan and his wife stepped out of the house. The couple nodded at the attendants then bowed to the girl.
"Why are Tousan and Kaasan bowing to that little girl?" Sasuke demanded, a little miffed. Everybody in the clan and in the village bowed to their parents—why were they bowing to this child, who was probably of his age, and a girl at that?
"I don't know," Itachi replied, watching as the girl bowed back in a carefully practiced manner.
Their mother caught sight of them and touched their father's arm. "Itachi and Sasuke are here."
"Come here, Itachi—both of you." Their father said.
"Okay, Tousan," Sasuke called.
Itachi nodded. He was about to walk towards them when Sasuke squeezed his shoulder. "What is it, Sasuke?"
"Niisan, put me down."
"What?"
"Put me down. I'm going to walk by myself."
"You can't do that, you've sprained your ankle."
"Niisan!"
"What are you two doing?" Their father's tone was impatient. "Hurry and come here."
Itachi looked at Sasuke's determined frown, then to the little girl, who was looking over her shoulder at them as their mother led her inside the house. Itachi looked back at Sasuke again. He smiled. "Alright, I understand." He set down Sasuke on the ground.
Sasuke winced from the pain, but walked beside his brother anyway. Their father waited for them outside the door, then followed their mother inside the house. The doorman slid the door shut when Sasuke had stepped inside.
"Why are we going to the family sitting room?" Sasuke whispered to Itachi. That room was reserved only for conferences between the members of the Head Family, which was him, his brother and their parents. That girl was certainly not a part of the Head Family…
"I don't know," Itachi muttered back.
Sasuke frowned. He didn't like it when even Itachi didn't know things.
The attendants of the girl fell back when they reached deeper in the house, the area that only family members can come to. Servants could come only if they were invited, and their father didn't even glance at these servants.
They continued walking to the sitting room, which had two rows of cushions, one along each side of the room. Sasuke and Itachi sat on one side, facing their parents and the little girl who was sitting between their parents. The room was much too wide for four or five people, and the space between the two rows of cushions was wide. They had to speak loudly to be heard. But Itachi's clear, deep voice carried perfectly across the room.
"Chichiue, Hahaue…" Itachi bowed. Sasuke imitated his bow.
Itachi turned to the little girl. "Oujo-chan…" He bowed. Sasuke hesitated, before bowing quickly, practically just nodding, to the pink-haired girl.
"Itachi, Sasuke," their father said. He gestured to the girl. "Her name is Haruno Sakura. From this day on, she will live in the guest apartment in the Main House. You will both treat her with courtesy, as gentlemen to a lady."
Sasuke looked the girl up and down. She was just a little girl. She can't be strong at all. He was stronger than she was, for sure. Why was their father treating her as if she was important?
He startled when he realized he was looking into the greenest eyes he had ever seen. She was staring back at him. He quickly looked away.
"I am Itachi," his brother bowed to the girl again. "And this is my brother, Sasuke." Sasuke felt Itachi tapping his back, forcing him to bow.
She flattened loose strands of hair against her forehead and bowed at them. "H-Haruno Sakura!" She brought up the sleeves of her kimono to cover her mouth. She continued in a much quieter voice: "Nice to meet you… Itachi-san, Sasuke-sa—"
"Hm?" Itachi leaned towards her. "My, those are the greenest eyes that I have ever seen," he remarked. "How old are you?"
"I'm… five years old…" She replied in a quiet voice.
"The same age as my little brother then," Itachi said. "If it's alright with you, I'd prefer if you call me Itachi-niisan."
Their mother beamed at Itachi. "That should be good." She turned to Sakura. "Sakura-chan, since you're the same age at Sasuke, you can call him Sasuke-kun."
"Itachi-nii… niisan," Sakura said. She looked at Sasuke. "S-Sasuke-kun."
Sasuke frowned. He had never been called Sasuke-kun before. He wasn't sure if he should be annoyed about it.
"Sakura is very important to us," their father said. "She has a mission to do for the Yamijin, a mission only she can do. The Hikarujin will try to harm her, to stop her from doing this mission. Because we, the Uchiha, lead the Yamijin, we must do everything we can to protect Sakura … Itachi!"
"Chichiue."
"As the Heir of the Uchiha and its future Head, I am giving you the mission of protecting Sakura."
"Why me?" Itachi asked. When their father frowned, he continued: "What I mean is, as the Heir of the Uchiha, I already have so many responsibilities that occupy my time and attention. I might not be able to properly accomplish the task of looking out for Sakura-hime's well-being."
"Then who is going to keep her safe?" Their father demanded. "Are we Uchihas just going to ignore our duty as leaders of the Yamijin?"
"Of course not," Itachi said. "What I am saying is that we should designate a different protector for Sakura-hime. Somebody who could do the job just as well as I can." He smiled at Sasuke.
"Huh?" Sasuke's eyes widened.
"You mean Sasuke?" Their mother asked.
"Sasuke?" Their father echoed incredulously.
"He is the second son of the Main House," Itachi pointed out. "He too would be held responsible for leading the Uchiha Clan and the Yamijin."
"Well, yes," their mother agreed. "That is true. But…" Worry crossed her features when she gazed at Sasuke. "He's just five years old."
"Sasuke is too young," their father said.
"He won't remain that way for long," Itachi said. "I was five years old five years ago—" an almost wry half-smile was on his face "—and I was already given the responsibilities of the Heir. Sasuke can do this task. He's already studying at the Ninja Academy and he's at the top of his class. And because he doesn't have the commitments that I have, he should be able to focus upon protecting Sakura-hime."
Their mother touched their father's arm in a silent word. Their father sighed. "You have a point. Alright. The task of protecting Sakura is given to you, Sasuke. Be a good Uchiha like your brother, perform your duty well."
Sasuke nodded automatically. "Yes, Tousan…"
"Sakura-chan must be tired from the trip," their mother remarked. "How about if I fix us some tea?"
Their father nodded. "But instead of tea, make mine a cup of coffee."
Sasuke's face lit up. "Coffee! Kaasan, I want coffee!"
"I don't think so, Sasuke." She smiled wryly at him. Sasuke pouted.
His eyes wandered to the little girl, Sakura. She was looking at him, and when their eyes made contact, she started and hid behind the sleeve of her kimono.
Itachi leaned towards him to say something, but Sasuke beat him to it. "I don't like her."
Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Yes."
"Not even a little bit?"
"No."
"The tiniest bit?"
"Not even."
"But why?"
"Well…" Sasuke scowled at her direction. She was looking at him again. "Her hair looks like bubblegum."
"You don't think it's cute?"
"I think it's stupid. And, and…" Sasuke looked at her again. She flinched and nervously flattened her hair against her forehead. "I think her forehead's too big."
"But then that means she's smart," Itachi waved a finger at him. "Didn't anybody ever tell you that?"
"Hn, I don't believe it. Girls can never be smart." His eyes wandered towards her again. She was still sneaking glances at him. He glared at her, causing her to open her mouth in a silent cry and hide behind her hair. "And she keeps looking at me like that."
"And that annoys you?"
"Yes. Besides—"
"Besides?" Itachi prompted.
"She has very strange eyes." Sasuke said matter-of-factly. "She keeps looking at me though she has those strange eyes."
"Oh, but they're just green eyes."
"That's what I'm saying. Why does she have green eyes? Why doesn't she have black eyes or brown eyes?"
"Not everyone has brown eyes or black eyes."
"So? Everyone in the Uchiha does."
"You do mean nearly everyone right? Because those who marry into the Clan sometimes have different eyes… and we have cousins who have different eyes."
"True Uchihas have black eyes or brown eyes."
"Okay…" Itachi rolled his own black eyes. "There are stranger eyes in the world. The Hyuuga have white eyes."
"See!" Sasuke exclaimed. "The enemy has white eyes. And she has green eyes."
Itachi cocked an eyebrow. "White eyes and green eyes are nothing alike."
"Yes they are! They're not black or brown!"
"Sasuke…" Itachi shook his head. "She's not the enemy."
"She could be."
"Come here," Itachi beckoned him to come closer. Sasuke leaned forward, then saw Itachi's two fingers moving to his forehead. He tried to avoid it, but Itachi tapped his forehead—hard.
"Ouch!"
"She can't be the enemy, Sasuke. You know what I think?"
"What?" Sasuke spat, nursing his sore forehead.
"I think she's the Gift."
"The Gift?"
"The Gift to Orochimaru-sama," Itachi said. "You remember the story, don't you?"
"Ah…" Sasuke frowned. "I'm sure I do…"
Itachi sighed. "A thousand years ago, the great leader of the Yamijin, Orochimaru-sama, fought the slug-like leader of the Hikarujin, Tsunade-sama. Tsunade-sama died by his sword and Orochimaru-sama died by her fists. Before he died, Orochimaru-sama said that a Gift will be born from his line, a Gift, when offered to him, will enable him to rise from the dead and rule the Yamijin once more."
"I know that story!" Sasuke cried. "You didn't have to tell me again…"
"Alright," Itachi held up a hand in an appeasing manner. "My point is, Sakura-hime is the Gift born from Orochimaru-sama's line. Therefore, she is a Princess of the Yamijin. You will be her Knight, Sasuke, you will protect her."
"I don't want to be a Knight!" Sasuke cried. "I'm going to be a Ninja!"
"Then you will be the Ninja who protects the Princess."
"What are you two whispering about?" Their father asked gruffly, not able to ignore their conspiratorial manner any longer.
"Nothing much, Chichiue," Itachi said. "I was just telling Sasuke how important it is for him to protect Sakura-hime." He smiled at Sakura who looked away at first, then looked back to smile shyly at him.
"Hn," Sasuke grumbled. I don't like her at all.
Their mother came with the tea. Sakura had sugar three tablespoons too many and had extra milk in her tea. Sasuke shook his head.
Not at all…
A drop of thick red liquid fell against her cheek. Slowly, she looked up—at the big ninja shielding her, blood coming out of his mouth with each cough.
"Zabusa-san…" she whispered.
"Zabusa-san!" The boy beside her cried.
"Oujo-san…" Zabusa's words were slurred, his speech hindered by his injury. "Run…"
"Zabusa-san!" Both boy and girl cried this time.
"Haku…" Zabusa said, his words coming out in short gasps. "Yamijin hired us… to—to guard Oujo-san… Do your… duty…"
"Zabusa-san!" She cried again as Zabusa fell to the ground. "Zabusa-san!"
The white-eyed ninja who had attacked Zabusa sneered. She cowered—the man only had jabbed Zabusa-san's chest, over his heart, with a hand, yet it was a fatal blow. And Zabusa-san had said that these ninjas with white eyes could stop their chakra flow. Are they human? She took a step backward when the white-eyed ninja stepped forward. "Well, little princess, looks like you have nowhere else to run." His companions, about a dozen more ninjas, at least half of them with the same weird eyes, advanced menacingly.
The boy stepped in front of her, a blade of ice forming in his hand.
"Haku!" She cried. "What are you—"
"Tenten-hime," he spoke, his voice carefully controlled. "Zabusa-san told me to protect you. Please, run now."
"Haku—"
"Run, while I hold them off."
One of the white-eyed enemies laughed. "You must be joking. What can a little kid like you do? Get them!"
Half of the ninjas ran towards Haku while the other half pounced on her. She unfurled a scroll and jumped. Twirling in the air, she touched each symbol in the scroll, a throwing weapon materializing with every contact. She threw them down at the enemies, who easily dodged them.
"Tenten-hime!" Haku cried as he saw her falling down, to the group of enemies that waited for her on the ground. He formed several hand seals and cried: "Makyou Houshou (1)!"
Slabs of ice formed a circle around them. The enemies stopped in surprise. One of the white-eyed ninjas recovered immediately. "Never mind the boy! Get the girl!"
Whoosh!
Faster than the eye can follow, a streak traveled out of the mirror and spirited Tenten away from the enemies then went into another mirror again. At what seemed to be the same time, another streak attacked the enemies.
"Haku?" Tenten murmured, bewildered by the speed.
Every time an enemy would try to reach for her, she was taken away in one streaking movement from the mirrors and more streaks would attack the enemies.
For about three minutes, the strange battle continued. Two of the enemies were down, but more still remained and Tenten noticed that Haku's mirrors were starting to melt.
"Tenten-hime," he whispered as he carried her around, dodging the enemies.
"Haku."
"Don't be scared, Tenten-hime. I'll protect you." For a moment it seemed that Haku's face stood out from the blurry figure that was carrying her and he smiled at her.
Tears welled in her brown eyes. "Haku…"
"Don't cry. Listen. The mirrors use up too much chakra. They will melt soon. When that happens, I want you to run. Just run. I'll use the chakra I have left to form ice on the ground and make it slippery so they can't chase you."
"What about you?" Tenten cried.
"Don't worry about me."
"But Haku—"
"We have to do it! We have duties… I have my duty to you, and you have your duty... Please, Tenten-hime…"
"Haku…" Their fast movement caused her tears to scatter and form little ice crystals in the air. She nodded.
Haku stopped jumping around and set her on her feet. The mirrors of ice shattered.
"There they are! Get the girl!"
"NOW!" Haku yelled.
Tenten ran, looking over her shoulder at Haku, stumbling, nearly falling, but she ran on. In her blurring vision, she saw Haku place his hands on the ground, ice forming and spreading out from where he touched it.
"Ack!" She bounced back when she collided with something and fell on her bottom. She looked up and screamed.
"Don't underestimate us…" the white-eyed ninja hissed as he extended his hand towards her. "You're coming—gyaaaaaah!"
"Huh?" Her eyes widened when she a white blade tear through the ninja from behind. The white-eyed ninja flopped harmlessly on his side.
A boy in a loose purple shirt extracted the blade from the ninja. He shook off the blood and—Tenten nearly screamed again—the blade retracted into his hand. The plaits at the sides of his shoulder-length white hair swayed as he turned to her.
"Are you alright?"
Tenten nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
"Oh." The boy muttered. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Let's go."
"No!" She cried, clutching the sleeve of his shirt, pulling one side of the garment off him. "Haku! You have to help Haku! They'll kill him!" Tenten let go of him and her balled fists fell to her sides.
The boy shrugged his shirt back into place. "No they won't." The boy gestured behind her. Tenten turned around. She saw ninjas in dark-colored clothing, many of them having the symbol of a red and white paper fan on their backs. The enemies were lying on the ground. She spotted a familiar face in the crowd.
"Kabuto-san!"
The silver-haired pre-teener turned to the sound of her voice. He waved cheerfully when he saw her. "Tenten-hime!"
"Haku, where's Haku?"
"He's here, Tenten-hime," Kabuto called. He pulled up the boy who smiled weakly at her. "A little beaten up, but he'll be okay. I'll take care of him."
"Thank goodness." Tenten sank to her knees, tears of relief dropping to the ground.
Kabuto approached her, supporting Haku. "Sorry we're late, Tenten-hime. There was some problem with getting the approval from the Head of the Uchiha to dispatch the troops." He snorted. "The Uchihas are all squawking around, saying they've secured the Gift."
Tenten started. She could feel Haku's concerned gaze on her. Kabuto didn't seem to notice her apprehension.
"By the way, Tenten-hime," Kabuto pointed to the purple-clad boy. "I would like to introduce him to you." He cleared his throat.
"There's no need to be so formal, Kabuto-sensei," the boy said.
"Oh but there is," Kabuto said, making a grand sweeping gesture with his free arm, the one that wasn't supporting Haku. "You are both such important people to the Yamijin, born under bright stars that determine your fate. This introduction should be made in the great hall of a Yamijin palace, but I guess it can't be helped."
He cleared his throat again, then held out a hand towards the boy, presenting him to Tenten. "This is Kimimaro-kun. He was born under the Star of the Earthbound Rotation. Meaning he's—"
"The reincarnation of Orochimaru-sama's most loyal servant…" Tenten looked up at him. He was staring down at her impassively, with cold emerald-green eyes.
"Yes, the servant who was also named Kimimaro," Kabuto continued. "That's why when he was born, they named him Kimimaro. He was born to the Kaguya Clan, allied with the Yamijin." He coughed. "Unfortunately, because the Kaguya Clan was destroyed, he is the last of them. He's just eight years old, like Haku-kun, but he's also very strong. He can freely control his bones—" Kimimaro extended his hand and the white blade, a blade of bone, protruded from his palm "—as you have surely seen by now."
Kabuto helped Tenten stand up. "Kimimaro-kun, this is Tenten-hime. She was born under the Star of Earthbound Emptiness, the reincarnation of the Astrologer Princess of the Yamijin."
"The one who ran away with a Prince of the Hikarujin?" Kimimaro muttered.
Tenten flinched. Haku stepped away from Kabuto's supporting hold and in front of Tenten. Kabuto's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. "Now, now, Kimimaro-kun, don't tease Tenten-hime. Let past lives be past lives." He smiled at Tenten. "The Hikarujin are trying to kill Tenten-hime, no doubt because they are scared that she will be such a beauty, their princes will want to steal her away and would forget all about fighting us." He winked at Tenten and she smiled faintly. "They are scared that history will repeat itself. But we Yamijin are loyal, we will protect our princesses."
"That's why Kimimaro-kun, Haku-kun—you are both to escort Tenten-hime to the ancient Yamijin fortress in Kaze no Kuni, three days of travel east, a few degrees south, of Konoha. The Village Hidden in Leaves isn't safe anymore. Even with the Sandaime trying to keep the peace, underneath the veil of calm, the battle rages on. The Hikarujin want to harm Tenten-hime and those freaky white eyes of the Hyuuga are just making it too easy. She must be taken away from Hi no Kuni. She will be safer in the fortress. It is in the territory of Sunagakure and Leaf nins wouldn't dare make trouble in foreign domain."
"Roger," Haku saluted, shaking from the effort of remaining standing up. Tenten stood beside him to support him.
"Got it." Kimimaro said.
"Haku-kun should be fully recovered in two days," Kabuto said. "At which time Tenten-hime, accompanied by the two of you and a platoon of Yami-nins, including two Sharingan-bearers, will make the journey to the fortress."
Kabuto held Tenten by the shoulders. "You will be careful, Tenten-hime."
"Yes."
"You are a Princess of the Yamijin," Kabuto said. "Even if in a past life, you have abandoned your duty as a princess. We will do whatever it takes to protect you, because we remain loyal to you. I hope you will remember that."
"Yes," Tenten nodded, not quite able to meet his eyes as she did.
I don't want to make any promises…
(1) Demonic Mirror Ice Crystals
Author's Notes again : I didn't plan to include scenes when they were younger, except as flashbacks. My original prologue featured only Tenten (grown up, ready to go back to Konoha), but I thought showing all of them might be better. To non-Filipino readers who would have never heard of "Sugo", you can look here: www (dot) igma (dot) tv (slash) show (dot) php ? showid (equals) 125 just so you have an idea of what sparked this fanfic.
Regarding Reviews: I have finally decided to accept anonymous reviews. Just as long as you really write something, okay, not the kind that just flames. Signed flames though, while displeasing because of the content, deserve a clap for sheer guts. :grins: