1000 Years
Oct. 20th, 2010 05:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
catriana_fictionSeries: Naruto
Pairing: NejiHina, others if I feel like it
Rating: Er...I dunno yet
Chapters: 1/??
Summary: "Neji, if I died and was reborn as someone else, would you remember me?"
"Hinata-sama, if you were to die, I'd never forgive myself for not protecting the one I love the most...but, if you were to, and you were reincarnated, I'd search for you endlessly. Even if took me a thousand years, I'd never stop until I found you." Inspired by this beautiful picture. I edited the quote in the description but it was so beautiful and inspiring that an idea popped into my head. AU.
Notes: I need to sleep. I haven't slept a consecutive 8 hours in the past 3 days and fuck I need sleep but you have fic. If it's riddled with horrible errors at the end I am so sorry. Let me know and I'll fix em. I hate insomnia.
Warnings: None
1
xxxxx
"Neji, if I died and was reborn as someone else, would you remember me?"
"Hinata-sama, if you were to die, I'd never forgive myself for not protecting the one I love the most...but, if you were to, and you were reincarnated, I'd search for you endlessly. Even if took me a thousand years, I'd never stop until I found you."
- Hyuuga Hinata and Hyuuga Neji, 1000 years ago
Present.
“Father?” Hyuuga Neji looked at his father in slight confusion. “You want me to go where?”
The old shrine located underground at the mountain was, last time he had recalled, sealed. Genjutsu was cast on it to keep civilians away for it held shinobi information which was outlawed in this day and age. From what he knew, there was actually very little in the shrine. What could his father possibly want him to go down there for?
“Neji,” his father’s voice and face was stern and the younger male knew that look. Now he was beginning to feel apprehensive; apparently something down there was of some importance for Hyuuga Hizashi to look at him like that. “You will go down to the shrine; I have removed the seal for now. There you will see at the very far back of the room a small black box. There is a blood seal on it; you must activate it for it to open. From there, take the scroll inside and do as it instructs you to. Return to me when you’ve accomplished this.”
Still feeling nervous, he nonetheless nodded, casting his father a wary glance as he walked out of his house to begin the five mile hike to the nearby mountain.
He was careful not to call too much attention to himself as he grabbed a small backpack and began to walk down the street. It was night but that meant little to the reservation patrols for one reason and one reason only; he was a Hyuuga.
Centuries ago, the world had been one of shinobi, samurai, daimyo, and other individuals. There were constant battles and constant wars. People that developed special abilities were used and even coveted. The world was in a constant state of chaos and many lives were lost needlessly.
It was said that the shinobi that emerged fought for peace, but the history books tell a different story. What eventually ended up happening was that there was a war that ended all wars and true peace was achieved. To do this, the shinobi system and its villages were disbanded. Anything and everything concerning being a shinobi was locked away or destroyed.
This was spearheaded by the Universal Peace Alliance, which still existed today. This force had held extraordinary individuals that came in and crushed all opposition and rebellion. Anyone caught doing shinobi-like activity such as casting jutsus or using kekkei genkai were severely punished if not killed. The UPA was the only force allowed to use these techniques and only for the sake of preserving the peace. Any UPA personnel who violated the strict laws governing this were killed.
Powerful clans were forced to spread out; any clan that held kekkei genkai were to have their abilities sealed at the age of five, preventing them from ever using it. Anyone caught violating the law...well it just sucked all around.
The result was supposed to be universal peace; but in reality it was a totalitarian government and peace was an illusion. For the average civilian sure, the world was peaceful. There was little to no crime, no one went without and if one had the right amount of bureaucratic documents and licenses they could do various things like own small businesses, get married, and have children. Annoying, but not oppressive.
Underneath, however, was an entirely different world. A world filled with shadows, sabotage, assassinations and vies for power. In this world, shinobi did exist and with the UPA’s knowledge; mostly because they were normally the ones hiring them to do their dirty work.
As the centuries went on the UPA became weak, power hungry within its ranks through the many factions. They sought out, and found, underground shinobi movements and a...peace treaty was established. The shinobi were hired out as mercenaries to do their dirty work and in return they turned a blind eye to anything they did secretly. As long as they weren’t caught by the local authorities, shinobi were allowed to do as they wished concerning the old ways.
Neji came from one of these families and was a shinobi, albeit a young one. At twenty-one he was considered a genius and was listed in the top twenty deadly assassins list. Very few individuals achieved this at his age. He also had full access to his kekkei genkai, the Byakugan. The seal on his and other select Hyuuga’s foreheads were fake.
Regardless, he still had a role to play and unfortunately, individuals with kekkei genkai were still highly discriminated against in society. Normal civilians feared what they didn’t understand and holding extraordinary powers definitely qualified even if they were supposedly sealed. Society tended to be paranoid.
Normally, it was difficult for people like him to find even government employment and instead were supported on reservations. This also made individuals resent them, as the perception was that they were getting a free ride. As a working shinobi, however, he had an undercover civilian job which meant that he could also apply for a license to live outside of the reservation if he so chose. Although many shinobi did this, those with kekkei genkai were rare due to discrimination.
There were thousands of undercover shinobi agencies although many fell under one major conglomerate or another. There were five major ones, each named after one of the old major shinobi countries. All of them were led by a ‘kage’ who also worked for the UPA. As far as he was concerned, it was all one huge clusterfuck and were it not for the fact that he loved being a shinobi he’d be disgusted by all the backdoor politics and schemes.
Being raised on a reservation had its advantages. For one, because of the UPA turning a blind eye to certain shinobi families he was fully trained and a master of his clan’s specialty, Juuken. The academy on the reservation was actually a shinobi academy and he heard civilian schools were incredibly boring. He had a small niche of friends and he didn’t get accosted quite as much as he would be out in town.
Neji could not imagine his life as anything other than a shinobi; being a civilian would have bored him to tears.
Buzzing in his pocket pulled him from idle thoughts as he pulled out his cell phone. When he looked at the name he shook his head, smirking. He flipped it open. “Yes, Lee?”
“Ah, Neji!” his friend and fellow shinobi greeted him rather loudly. “I am so glad I was able to reach you!”
“Inside voice, Lee.” Came the subtle reminder and his friend made a small noise.
“Oh, right. My apologies. Anyway, I have good news, we have been assigned a long distance mission!”
That was news to him. “We have?” because of his skills and rank he did many solo missions but he had an official team he was under; every registered shinobi did. “That is...interesting.” none of them had been assigned long distance missions before; it was normally not done since there was always someone in the area to take it. “Where?”
“New Konoha. Is that not exciting? We are going to the shinobi capital of your clan’s birth! I am sure you are very excited.”
Not really. New Konoha was an underground city that held the headquarters of one of the major shinobi conglomerates. Due to the sheer amount of shinobi staying there it was also full of crime from constant battles and disputes. Arena battles, areas where shinobi could fight and place bets, were all the rage there and he really had no desire to be around loudmouths or filth.
He didn’t even want to imagine how any of the Hyuuga behaved there. The ones that were forced to spread out had kept to old traditions as much as they could and they had been a high bred, elite clan. Neji sincerely doubted any of them kept to the old ways.
“What sort of mission is it?” a quick activation of his Byakugan confirmed him to be alone and cell phones shinobi had was as secure as a land line.
“We are to escort and protect several key members of the UPA Diamond Field faction to the underground village of New Suna. It is suspected that UPA factions Emerald Vision and Amethyst Heart will send high ranking shinobi in an assassination attempt.”
The Hyuuga resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Politics. “I am assuming then that since it is several that we will not be the only team sent.”
Lee confirmed his suspicions “Oh no, we will be accompanied by two other teams, although information on them was lacking. We are to leave in two days and I was informed that we would receive an encrypted e-mail with more information.”
“Very well.” It wasn’t as if they had a choice. Team missions were accepted only by the team leader, the jounin trainer that they had been working with since graduating the academy. “Is that all?”
“Ah! Tenten was wondering if you would like to accompany us to the club tomorrow night?”
A wry smile emerged and he shook his head. She was a good friend, but he also knew it wasn’t just friendship she sought from him. Not that she was unattractive it was just...well he couldn’t rightly explain it. Neji didn’t think he was gay but the desire to be with women had never been strong with him. It wasn’t a matter of not finding them sexually attractive, it was something deeper, probably subconscious.
For as long as he could remember, Neji had felt as if he were searching for someone or something. Whenever he was approached by an attractive woman – which was quite often despite his kekkei genkai status – something about her just didn’t feel...’right’. He had long since stopped trying to figure it out and just considered himself asexual, because he certainly wasn’t interested in men. Not that he knew anyway.
“Tell her that while I am happy for the offer –“
“Perhaps some other time.” The two finished at the same time and Neji chuckled lightly.
“Besides,” he continued “Tenten knows I dislike going off the reservation unless absolutely necessary. I’ve been accosted one too many times as it is. You would think that being an undercover civilian she would understand someone of my position. Regardless of if I am at fault or not, if a fight breaks out and I’m even in the vicinity I run the risk of being arrested, that’s just how it is.”
“I believe it is mostly a matter of her wishing to spend more time with you outside of work, Neji.” Lee offered softly. His friend did try, gods bless him. He was a good friend; loyal to a fault.
“I know.” He looked up and saw the shrine area. “Listen, I have to go, my father has absolutely insisted that I do some sort of family ritual or whatever and I am here. Tell her if we have some down time during the mission I’ll do whatever she wants in New Konoha or New Suna, depending.”
“That sounds like an excellent idea! I am sure Tenten will be glad to hear it.”
“Yeah.” He resisted the urge to sigh. “Later, Lee.”
Another quick scan with his Byakugan to ensure the coast was clear; as he neared the shrine he walked through the rock wall that the genjutsu was giving off. Byakugan activated, he was able to navigate the pitch black area with ease – it was designed that way.
As suspected, there really wasn’t much down here besides old scrolls and books. It smelled like mold and mildew mingled in with musty old book stench and Neji really wanted to gag. He hated musty old book stench.
The chamber was actually not very large, so he was easily able to find the black box his father had described. There was the scroll inside and he could feel where the seal was engraved in the wood. How odd, there seemed to be a subtle power emanating from the scroll. Maybe this was a unique jutsu that only select Hyuuga learned, similar to how he had been selected to become a shinobi due to his natural genius even at five. Although the tattoo he had ended up having to be placed on his forehead had hurt like hell, it was much better than his kekkei genkai being genuinely sealed like his all of his other relatives.
“Well, here goes nothing.” Biting his thumb, he raked it across the seal. It popped open and he coughed as a cloud of dust spat up in his face. Fanning the dust away, Neji noticed that when he had activated the seal a small light had clicked on, illuminating the table. His clan was so corny sometimes; he could have just used a flashlight like normal people but it was forbidden to bring any sort of light down without permission from the high elder.
Another rake of blood along the scroll’s seal and he opened it, sharp eyes taking in the contents. He scanned the elaborate and neat script, then looked at the elaborate seal that came after. It was a seal he had never seen before and he scanned over the script again so he could properly follow directions.
Five seconds passed and he let out a frustrated noise. “It’s written in the old language!” he wanted to throw the damn thing. It had been years since he had last taken a class on ancient languages because really, who ever used it besides historians?
Taking a calming breath, he closed his eyes and tried very hard to dredge up his lessons from practically ten years ago. His father could have told him to brush up on it before coming down here but that was moot at this juncture. After a moment he opened his eyes and tried to read.
“Only he...who is me...can...something, something, find a something or another...make sure you...something...fuck! I can’t understand this at all.” A small irritated sound came from him. “Father, next time please prepare me for something like this before I walk five miles only to find myself feeling like a complete retard because I can’t figure out how to read a damn scroll.” He was quite the disgruntled Hyuuga right now.
Taking another breath, he tried again. His cell phone wouldn’t work down here and he refused to leave this chamber until he figured this out. He was a genius; he should be able to do this. As he continued to scan the contents he began to pick up key words.
“Seal release...” digging in his backpack, he pulled out pencil and paper and began to write down the hand seals. Thankfully, the script for that had yet to change over the centuries. “So it is a seal within a seal?” he shook his head; whoever set this up wanted to make absolutely sure no one tampered with it unless they were supposed to.
Natural curiosity began to emerge. His father had stressed the importance of this scroll and it did seem to have something important within. Why was he the one chosen? Well, there was only one way to find out.
Seals memorized, Neji’s hands moved swiftly, for it was quite long. “Release!” came the command once finished. The elaborate seal shifted to something a bit more familiar but still highly complicated.
“What is this?” he bit his thumb, trailing blood along another seal. It was never ending, it seemed. His hands shifted again. “Release!”
Light filled his vision and he began to feel as if he were being sucked into some sort of white void. Images and voices surrounded him.
“Once a failure, always a failure. You can’t change that.”
It was him and yet it wasn’t him. He could feel the images burning into his mind, the voices growing louder.
"You're wrong, Neji-nii-san. Because I can see...that you are suffering more than me. You are the one who is confused and suffering inside the fate of the head and branch families."
The girl that filled his head was so familiar and yet he knew he had never met her before in his life. There was something about her that seemed to call to him and he found himself absolutely entranced.
“Hinata-sama,” he hesitated, hands clenched at his sides. There were...so many things unsaid and so many things that needed to be said. “About the chunnin exams...”
“Oh, Neji-niisan!” she turned to him, her smile warm. “Welcome back.” She greeted and his eyes widened, for there was no hatred, bitterness, or anger within those pearl-colored eyes. Eyes that said ‘It’s okay, there’s nothing to forgive; I’m just glad to have ‘niisan’ back’.
He didn’t deserve her kindness or understanding and yet she gave it to him freely and genuinely. “It’s good to be back.” Came the response. When he took her hand in his as they walked towards the main house he realized that things were going to change significantly between them...and he was fine with that. Change was good. ‘From here on out, Hinata-sama’ he promised silently. ‘I will protect you, as I should have.’
Too many voices, too many memories. His head was beginning to pound as years upon years of events settled in along with the past twenty-one years of his life.
He looked away from her, a small frown on his face. “Hinata-sama...” when her head tilted quizzically he closed his eyes, knowing what was going to happen and yet he was going to do it anyway. “I know that...you love him,” he began and he heard her sharp intake of breath. “But for a few years now I’ve...harbored feelings for you.”
Turning to her he knelt, unable to meet her gaze. “If you feel the need to have someone take my place as your guardian because of this I will...”
His eyes widened as gentle, cool hands framed his face, tilting his head up to face her. Twin pearls were shining with tears but she was smiling.
“Neji I...” she blinked and the tears spilled down her cheeks “I love you too.” Never had he felt so at peace as when their lips met for the first time.
He screamed and dropped to his knees, his hands gripping handfuls of long brown hair. It felt as if his brain was expanding beyond its limit and so consequently was starting to crack and fracture like glass. The young Hyuuga gasped, finding breathing difficult and feeling very nauseated.
“Hinata...” she arches her back against him and he actually moans, their fingers tightly interwoven as he continued to move inside of her. Beautiful. She was so beautiful and she was finally his. He kisses her neck as she wraps her legs around his waist. “My love, my wife.”
The images kept coming, shifting, moving. Many were out of order and how he knew that he had no idea, but key ones pushed to the front of his mind.
He was pacing since they refused to allow him inside the room while she gave birth. His uncle was giving him a wry look that he pointedly ignored. This would be their first child, he was going to be a father. He wanted to be there, to be by her side when their son was born.
Nausea somewhat fading, he curled up on the ground, still clutching his head. This was another life, another time but yet these were his memories and his experiences. He began to feel conflicted, as if there was another person moving into his mind and merging with him; changing him.
Chuckling, he put an arm around his wife’s shoulders as their daughter danced with her new husband. “It’s going to be just the two of us now that they’re all out of the house and married.” Neji looked over to his son who was bouncing a little girl on his knee who he was trying to keep from clapping loudly.
“We all still live at the estate even if she’s moving out, mother.” Their son said and chuckled. “You act as if she’s moving to Suna or something; she just married the Hokage’s son. She’s not going anywhere.”
Hinata gave both of them an indignant sniff. “She’s my baby,” she protested stubbornly. “I get to cry at giving her away if I want.”
Her husband kissed her cheek and pulled her close, smiling warmly as he turned back to his first born. “Don’t worry, your mother will quickly have new ‘babies’ to spoil once your sister has her first child, don’t let her tears fool you.”
“Neji!” she swatted his arm playfully and this time was kissed on the lips in response.
“Stop...” it was said weakly, for although he wanted nothing more than to black out and surrender himself to oblivion like his body wanted him to he couldn’t. The pain was unending, for other lives, not just the one he was experiencing the most were filling him. Several lifetimes of images, scenes, memories; all of it was sinking into his mind. He continued to scream at the intensity.
“Father...”
Neji’s hand rose to cut his son off before he turned and smiled thinly. “It’s alright. Just...give me a few more moments with her.” Wizened hands brushed over her cool forehead, a sad smile on his lips.
“It seems you left this world before I did after all.” He murmured, fingers brushing along her cheek. Bending down, he pressed his lips against her forehead for the last time. “We will be together again, my Hinata, my soul mate. If one can truly be reincarnated I will search for you. I’ll search until the end of time, if I must. Wait for me; I love you.”
The images stopped pouring in but he remained curled up on the ground. There were no words to describe what he was currently feeling. Memories, personalities, feelings, emotions, all of them were integrating and there was too much information, too many lifetimes to process all at once. Nothing and everything made sense and his head was still pounding.
What...just happened to me?
He kept trying to sort everything out so that it was more than just a jumbled mess of nonsense but to no avail. All his stressed brain could figure out was that he was just introduced to several different lives that were all him spiritually with the man who was married at the start of it all.
I’ve been...searching. For...Hinata.
Who was Hinata? That woman? No, he knew her she was...everything to him. Searching, searching, but never finding. So many centuries, so many lives and yet he still hadn’t found her. Why? The question kept emerging but there were no answers. He had made a promise, a vow, and he would fulfill it; if for nothing else than to see her small smile once more.
Who...am I?
‘You’re me. I am you. Surely it cannot be that difficult?’
Now he was being mocked by this personality. The memories and what made him a person enabled him to know and think what the other would have thought...because those thoughts were his. It made no sense and made perfect sense. He was that Neji and this Neji, along with the others that had followed.
You couldn’t have set this up without me feeling like I want to die? Truly he was losing it, he was having a mental conversation with himself. At the moment all of the personalities felt like separate entities, but as the headache went from a loud echoing roar to a more tolerable shout, he could sense that it wouldn’t be long before it all blended in.
‘Sorry.’ Of course this was him, so he wasn’t at all sorry. ‘And you really should have paid attention to your ancient languages course. You would have known what you were getting into then.’
Yes, thank you for pointing out the obvious; it is good to know that even in my past I was somewhat of an ass. And a genius. Some things truly do not change.
It took him a while before he could stand and even then he had to lean on the table for balance. He let out a few calming breaths and tried to center himself. Having a few hundred years of full lives being crammed into one’s brain was a difficult adjustment.
Hinata. For centuries he had been pouring his memories into the scroll although how he had been discovered time and time again was a little muffled in his mind. However, his father obviously knew, because he had sent him down here and had expressed its importance. Just how much did he know? Neji needed to know.
“Alright.” Head still throbbing, he carefully put everything where he had found them and began his five mile hike back to his house.
Hinata...will she...will I find her this time?
Gods he hoped so; almost a millennia had passed with no results. He didn’t think his brain would be able to take on too many more centuries of passing the memories down. Humans had their limits.
Until he could sort this all out in his head, he needed answers. Hopefully his father would come clean and tell him everything.
Next
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-10-19 10:37 pm (UTC)**SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE**
Carry on.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-19 10:53 pm (UTC)M-R again
Date: 2010-10-20 12:00 am (UTC)Personally, I think that this is a fantastic couple.
I like this. I'm hoping it turns out to be a big project. That would be fantastic.
Keep up the good work!
M-R
Re: M-R again
Date: 2010-10-20 06:56 am (UTC)WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
Date: 2010-10-20 12:35 am (UTC)Re: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
Date: 2010-10-20 06:57 am (UTC)Please please...? Pretty please?
Date: 2010-10-28 03:26 am (UTC)It's a different kind of plot, one I haven't had a chance of reading yet but it really looks good. Just the first chapter and I'm already wishing for the next and the next...and so on. Hopefully, there'll be an update soon. Hee hee.
Keep up the good work~
xoxo
Re: Please please...? Pretty please?
Date: 2010-10-28 03:37 am (UTC)I do plan on continuing, but for a little while I'm going to be focusing on my original stuff, especially since NaNoWriMo is coming up in a few days.
I love NejiHina, I really want to write more on them but for now this'll do. ♥
Awesome!
Date: 2010-11-20 10:04 am (UTC)Re: Awesome!
Date: 2010-11-20 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 08:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-25 03:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-29 10:08 pm (UTC)WOWZA
Date: 2010-11-27 06:37 pm (UTC)This is frickin adorable. U gotta update soon!!!!! U r too awesome. Did u know that?
Re: WOWZA
Date: 2010-11-27 08:33 pm (UTC)