Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

When I'm Gone	By : tragic.violinist Category: Naruto AU/AR > Het - Male/Female Views: 2134 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: NARUTO and its respective characters were created and are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter 5: Secrets
A/N: Lyrics from Secrets from OneRepublic
They arrived at Shikamaru's place shortly after six, he opened the door and looked momentarily surprised at Hikari's black eye, “Come on in,” he turned to Hikari, “You know I saw someone else today sporting a black eye, you wouldn't know anything about that would you?”
Hikari snickered, “I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“So you weren't the one who gave Sasuke the black eye?” he joked. Hikari burst out laughing, “I bet that was very satisfying, I'd give you an award but it's too troublesome. So Neji ready to lose?”
“You wish Nara.”
Shikamaru led them to his room where he already had the board set up. “I'm sure he just forgot to mention that I have never lost a match to him, isn't that right Hyuuga?”
“Just shut up and make your move.”
She observed them playing for awhile, she quickly saw why Shikamaru was so sure of himself, he was a genius at this game. Unfortunately for him she also noticed he had a weakness, she doubted he even realized it himself. Hikari watched silently, waiting for the perfect opportunity.
“I hope we're not boring you,” Shikamaru said. “Shogi isn't for everyone.”
“Oh I don't mind, I am actually finding this very entertaining.”
“You play?” He asked and she nodded, “you want to go a round after this?”
Neji was busy contemplating his next move. “Sure,” she told him and reached in front of Neji, “do you mind?”
Neji leaned back, “Not at all.”
Hikari moved a piece, “Check.”
Both boys looked at her in surprise, “How did I miss that?” Shikamaru asked shocked.
“You were too busy analyzing, his game play to think about what someone else might do. It's as much a matter of knowing your opponent as it is knowing the dynamics of the game.” she explained to them both. Shikamaru moved another piece knowing there was no saving himself now, Hikari made the last move to end the game, “Check mate, my turn.”
Shikamaru reset the board, “So Hikari tell me, what kind of strategy do you favor?”
“Oh Shikamaru, if I told you that it would make it too easy for you,” she smirked. She started the game off quickly, moving pieces seemingly at random, halfway through the game she changed up her game, carefully thinking through each move before making it. Before long she had him cornered once again. “Check mate.”
“I don't get it, I never lose,” he was exasperated. “How did you do it?”
“I told you, you over analyze everything, it was easy, start out by making small insignificant moves randomly, not thinking too much about it, but still making sure the repercussions wouldn't be too devastating, then when you thought you had my game play figured out I changed it up and threw you off your game,” she explained with a smile.
“You better watch out Hyuuga, I may just try and steal her away from you,” Shikamaru joked.
“Keep dreaming Nara, I got her first,” Neji smirked and put an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him.
“So the rumors were true, but you're right, all that work to get her, troublesome.”
“Hello, I'm right here.”
Shikamaru laughed, “I'll have to play you again sometime, next time I'll get you for sure.”
“Oh I don't doubt you'll beat me eventually, but it won't be next time, I have a whole head full of different types of strategies to mix and match before you figure them all out.”
“We should get going, it's getting late,” Neji pointed out.
“Well this was fun though I can't wait to do it again.”
“Have a good night you two.”
“Good night Nara.”
“'Night Shikamaru, see you around.”
Hikari settled back into her old routine for the next couple of weeks. One morning she woke up to find Neji knocking at the door. “Hey come on in, did you forget something?” she asked him, it wasn't like him to come over before she had to leave for training.
“No I can't stay long, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be away for a couple of weeks, Tsunade-sama has a mission for me.”
“Oh okay, I guess I'll see you in a couple weeks then.” she said a little disappointed but she knew it had to happen eventually.
Neji wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, long and deep. “Promise me that if something happens while I'm gone, you won't shut yourself off from everyone again. Talk to someone, I don't care who, just promise me,” he held her tightly, almost afraid to let go.
“I promise,” she whispered. “Hey at least I can lose myself in training this time right,” she said trying to stop him from worrying.
Neji shook his head sadly, “Kakashi's on this mission too,” he explained.
“Neji relax, I'll be okay really, if I need help I'll get it, I promise.” She kissed him trying to reassure him.
“I'll come see you as soon as I get back,” he told her.
“You better,” she joked. “Have a good trip,” she kissed him once more and watched him go.
Everything was fine for the first few days, she sought out Shikamaru and they played Shogi, sparred with Naruto and Sasuke, hung around with Hinata who got her interested in Tai-chi, but the nights were hell. She would wake up multiple times from nightmares and reach out for him only to find the bed empty. The lack of sleep was starting to get to her and she knew that she had to do something about it, she wouldn't go back on her word to him. It was that that brought her to Aunt Tsunade.
“I need to get away for awhile,” she told her aunt, praying that she would understand. “Please just let me go see him,” she begged.
Tsunade sighed, “Hikari, I'm not sure that's such a good idea, your a leaf shinobi now, and as Hokage I really shouldn't allow this, not until we can find someway to settle things.”
“Forget about being Hokage for a minute then, do this for me because we're family, and whether you like it or not he's as good as family to me too. If anyone asks tell them I went to visit Mother, or you sent me on a mission, I don't care what you need to tell them just please say I can go. I won't go if you tell me not to, but I need to do this, I need to.”
“Alright, no more than two weeks or I'll send the Uchiha to drag you back.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she hugged her aunt tightly, “and I'll be back before the two weeks are up I promise.”
“You better,” she said sternly, but her voice lacked the conviction. “go on get out of my sight, if anyone asks I'll tell them you went to see your mother.”
Hikari gave her one more hug and hurried home to pack her bag. It didn't take her long to get ready, the last thing she grabbed was Amaya and then Hikari took off into the forest. Much the same as when she traveled from her childhood home to Konoha, she didn't stop to sleep, she just pushed right on through determined to get there before noon the following day.
She was lucky enough that she didn't encounter any people or dangerous animals on the way there.
Before she knew it she was there, she would get to see her uncle soon, she just needed to pass through the gates to the sound village. Hikari looked around, and saw no one in the guard tower, humph bunch of slackers, where is everyone? She wondered and crossed the brink.
She headed straight for the residence of the Otokage, but her luck ran out before she got far.
“Who do we have here?” a voice said from her left.
“A lost little girl from the leaf,” another joined in from behind,
Hikari noticed two more silhouettes one to her right and one in front of her. “You really don't want to do this,” she warned them.
“Oh little baby is trying to be brave,” the one in front of her said.
Hikari took on a fighting stance, “Suit yourselves.” she waited and but no one came forward, she glanced around her to see three of the four drop like flies.
“Hikari-kun, how nice to see you again, what brings you here?”
“Kabuto,” she ran to see him and threw her arms around him, “I've missed you.”
He laughed, “It's good to see you too.”
“Where's Uncle Orochi?” she asked.
“Come along I'll take you to him.”
“What about them?” she pointed towards the three fallen sound-nin.
“Don't worry about them, they'll wake up soon.” he led her into Orochimaru's house and to his study. Kabuto knocked on the door, “Orochimaru-sama someone is here to see you.”
“Not now Kabuto, I'm busy,” he replied through the door.
“But Uncle Orochi, I came all this way to see you,” she yelled through the door. “I guess I'll just head back to Konoha then.”
Orochimaru threw open the door, “you will do no such thing,” he said with a smile and open arms. Hikari embraced him. “Come inside you must tell us all about how your fairing in Konoha.”
“Now Uncle Orochi, you wouldn't be trying to trick me into divulging top secret information now would you?” she teased.
“Of course not Hikari,” he reassured her anyway. “You should know by now that wherever you call home will always be safe from me.”
“I know Uncle Orochi.” Hikari launched into an explanation of all the high points that had taken place since she got to Konoha. He let out a hearty laugh when she told him about the sparring match with Sasuke where she gave him a black eye. She told him of her relationship with Neji and he smiled fondly at her.
“I'm glad you have found someone that you can be happy with, but tell me, if everything is going so well, what made you want to come for a visit?” Hikari broke eye contact with him and stared down at her hands. “Hikari,” she gently prodded.
“The nightmares are back,” she whispered.
“Oh Hikari,” he drew her into his arms again. “Let me see your arms?” She sighed, she new better than to deny him. She pulled back and removed her armbands. Orochimaru pulled an arm towards him and took a closer look at the scars. “Some of these are newer,” he observed, “but you have no fresh cuts. What happened?” She told him all about it, her voice barely above a whisper, she was ashamed that she had let him down. “It's okay, Hikari, you're okay now I can see it, but I'm curious, what changed?”
“Neji, he helped me, he took the nightmares away,” she said softly.
“You talked with him about it?”
“Yes.”
“About everything?”
“I told him how it started, that it went on for a long time, I didn't tell him all the details though.”
Orochimaru nodded, “and where is your Neji now?”
“He's away on a mission, before he left I promised him that I would find someone to talk to if I needed to. I did okay for a few days, but the nightmares, they just wouldn't go away.”
“It's okay, you've done well. You can stay here as long as you need to, and when you have to go back Kabuto will take you back as close to the village as he can.”
“Thank you Uncle Orochi.”
“Go with Kabuto now, he'll take you to your room, I'm going to finish up here, it'll take me a couple of hours but then I'll come get you and we'll get you something to eat.”
It had been ten days since they left Konoha. They had completed their mission objective yesterday, ahead of schedule, now Neji was eager to get back home. He wanted to push on, they were only a half day's journey away, he wanted to get home, wanted to see Hikari again.
“Slow down Neji,” Kakashi told him, “you need to rest, we all need to rest,” he said referring to himself and Kurenai. “We'll head out again at first light and be there by mid-day.”
Neji sighed and sat down next to the fire Kakashi had started. Kakashi was the team leader for this mission, it was his call, he has to respect it.
The next morning they set out again, having eaten and rested, they were moving at full speed, they made it back well before noon. Neji went straight to Hikari's house but she wasn't there. He checked the training grounds, tracked down Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru and even Sasuke, nothing, no one had seen her for days. Feeling dejected he went to the last place he could think of, the Hokage. He approached the door to her office and knocked.
“Come in,” she called. Neji entered and closed the door behind him, “I figured you would end up here eventually, have a seat.”
Neji sat down, “I can't find Hikari anywhere.”
“I know, she's not here, she left the village a week ago. She should be back in a day or two, I know she wanted to be back for when you returned but you guys got back early. Your doing I assume, God knows Kakashi is never on time let alone early.”
“Where did she go Tsunade-sama?”
Tsunade sighed, Neji was the last person she wanted to have this conversation with. She had told Hikari that if anyone asked she would tell them she went to visit her mother, but she didn't want to lie to her niece's boyfriend. “Neji what I am about to tell you can not under any circumstances leave this room. Do you understand?”
“Yes Tsunade-sama.”
“She's currently in the sound village with Orochimaru.”
“What? Why? What happened?” He demanded, standing up so fast that he knocked his chair over.
“Calm down Hyuuga!” she ordered him, “I will tell you everything, but only if you're calm.” Neji righted the chair and sat back down, silently fuming. “Now you know that growing up Hikari had a few different private tutors, two of which she considered surrogate uncles. You know Jiraiya was one of them, Orochimaru was the other. You must understand that Hikari has always been an exception to the rule among us. When she was born Orochimaru was still very much a part of Konoha. After he defected he kept in touch my sister and Hikari. Jiraiya and myself were not happy about it at first, but he has only ever had her best interests at heart. He was there for her even when we couldn't be. That man, for all the damage he has done, would drop everything and walk into a war zone if she asked him to. Hell if there were to ever be peace between our two villages, it's because Hikari would be the driving force, whether she realizes it or not.”
Neji was quiet for a long time, “Why didn't she tell me any of this?”
“Neji, this is a lot bigger than just you and her, I shouldn't be telling you this at all, but I know she cares for you, and I can tell you care about her, you wouldn't be in my office right now if you didn't. I'm telling you this because you deserve to know what you are getting into being involved with her. If Hikari could have told you before now I'm sure she would have but considering the circumstances, I know she wouldn't say anything with out permission from all three of us. Now despite what you choose to do after learning this, I need you to once again give me your word that you will not speak of this to anyone.”
“Yes Tsunade-sama, I understand, may I go now?” Tsunade nodded and watched him leave. She could only hope that he made the right decision, if he didn't Orochimaru might very well be out for his head, he would have to fight Jiraiya for him of course, and then there was Hikari, she would never forgive her if this drove him away.
Neji was waiting by the city gates he wanted to be there when she got back, they needed to talk about this. He needed her to be honest with him, he understood what Tsunade had told him but he needed this. Needed her to trust in him completely.
Hikari was excited to get home, she couldn't wait for Neji to get back from his mission, she had so much to tell him, once she had a chance to talk to both Uncle Jiraiya and Aunt Tsunade of course. She just hoped Uncle Jiraiya was still in town. She had spoken with Uncle Orochi before she left, she had told him that she trusted Neji completely, and she wanted to share this secret with him.
He saw her come through the gates. It didn't take her long to notice him and before he knew it she had crossed the distance and was in his arms again. “You're back early, how long have you been back?”
“A couple days. Hikari, we need to talk.”
Those four words hit her like a ton of bricks, no one ever wanted to hear those words it always meant something bad was coming, “Do you mind if I grab a quick shower first, it's been a long trip,” she asked him, praying he would say yes, she needed time to compose herself, to try and figure out if she had done something wrong. He just nodded and followed her home, he took a seat on the couch while she went to shower. Once she closed the door she had to stop herself from slamming her head against the wall in frustration. She got into the shower turning the water until it was just a notch under scalding.
Neji sat there listening to the running water, trying to figure out how to breach this topic with her. He heard her start singing, and could tell she was nervous about something.
I need another story

Something to get off my chest

My life gets kinda boring

Need something that I can confess

'Til all my sleeves are stained red

From all the truth that I've said

Come by it honestly I swear

Thought you saw me wink, no

I've been on the brink, so

Tell me what you want to hear

Something that will light those ears

Sick of all the insincere

So I'm gonna give all my secrets away

This time don't need another perfect lie

Don't care if critics ever jump in line

I'm gonna give all my secrets away

My God, amazing how we got this far

It's like we're chasing all those stars

Who's driving shiny big black cars

And everyday I see the news

All the problems that we could solve

And when a situation rises

Just write it into an album

Send it straight to gold

But I don't really like my flow, no, so

Tell me what you want to hear

Something that will light those ears

Sick of all the insincere

So I'm gonna give all my secrets away

This time, don't need another perfect lie

Don't care if critics ever jump in line

I'm gonna give all my secrets away

Oh, got no reason, got no shame

Got no family I can blame

Just don't let me disappear

I'ma tell you everything

So tell me what you want to hear

Something that will light those ears

Sick of all the insincere

So I'm gonna give all my secrets away

This time, don't need another perfect lie

Don't care if critics ever jump in line

I'm gonna give all my secrets away

So tell me what you want to hear

Something that will light those ears

Sick of all the insincere

So I'm gonna give all my secrets away

This time, don't need another perfect lie

Don't care if critics ever jump in line

I'm gonna give all my secrets away

All my secrets away, all my secrets away
Neji felt a small smile grace his lips, it was amazing, that without even knowing it, it fit so perfectly. The lyrics she sang got to him every time, and he had a feeling she meant those words, she would tell him what he wanted to hear. She came out of the bathroom dressed in clean clothes, her exposed skin red from the heat of the water, and came to sit on the couch with him, on the opposite end, keeping her distance, he could tell she was still nervous.
Hikari took a deep breath and tried to steel herself for the worst possible scenario. “So what did you want to talk about?” she asked apprehensively.
“Where did you go?” he asked.
She took another deep breath, “I was with my Uncle.”
“Jiraiya?”
She looked at him and could tell he knew a lot more than he was letting on, “You and I both know that's not who I mean.” he nodded, and she knew there would be no time to talk to Uncle Jiraiya and Aunt Tsunade, she could only hope that they would forgive her, and that Neji would still be there when it was all over. “Please don't get angry,” she pleaded. “This is going to be a lot to take in and I can only hope you won't hate me for it when I'm done.” She paused trying to figure out the best way to word it, but she could only think to be as straight forward as possible. “I was with Orochimaru,” Neji said nothing, and she took that has a bad sign, she had to get this out as quickly as possible, she had to make him understand, please God let him understand. “He has a good heart, he really does, I know it's hard to believe but it's the truth. He's done so much for me, helped me so much, I would be dead right now if it wasn't for him. I wanted to die, I was so close to giving up, and then he came and he helped me just like he has always done. He was there for me when my Dad died, he was the one to take me away when Aki,” She was crying now, “When Aki used me, and my mother, my mother turned a blind eye. I was going to do it, I had it all planned out. Take a couple of my mother's sleeping pills, cut a little bit deeper, and just go to sleep. Just to get away from him. But Uncle Orochi, he made him leave, made sure he would never hurt me again, and then he took me away from there, he helped me heal, helped me get better, get past it.
“Please you have to understand, I wouldn't be here right now if not for him. And when you had to go away, I tried to do it, tried to make it through, and the days were good, but the nights, the nights, the terror came back. I couldn't sleep, all I could hear were his footsteps coming into my room, the look on his face, and the smell of beer on his breath, it was so bad I could almost taste it. I needed someone to talk to, someone to understand, and he has always been that person to me, before you. The only one I could feel safe with, until you.” Hikari sobbed, she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs and cried.
It was the most heart wrenching sound he had ever heard, and he just wanted to make it stop, wanted to take away all of her pain. He never wanted to see her hurt like that again. He moved closer to her and pulled her into his arms, she sobbed into his chest. “Shh Hikari, it's okay I'm here, I'm not going to leave you it's okay just breathe, come on breathe with me,” he told her like he had the first time he witnessed her having a nightmare. “That's it, breathe. I'm here, I wont leave you.”
Hikari hiccuped, “you won't?”
“Never, I can't say I condone what that man has done, but if he's helped you as much as you say he has, then that's good enough for me, okay?” She nodded into his chest. He kept her in his arms, until her breathing evened out and she fell asleep. Even then he had no intention of leaving her side, he no longer cared, appearances be damned, as long as she was okay that was all that mattered.
Hikari woke up the next morning in her bed, she stretched out and turned coming face to face with Neji, he threw an arm around her and nuzzled into the crook of her neck, “'Morning,” he mumbles without opening his eyes, his breath tickling her.
“You're still here.”
“Mmhmm,” he hummed.
“But what about...” he cut her off.
“Don't care.”
“But what if....” he cut her off again.
“Doesn't matter.”
“Neji,” she said seriously, and he opened an eye to show her he was listening. “I don't want you to get into trouble because of me.”
Neji propped his head up on his arm and leaned in to kiss her. “Things can go back to the way they were before now if you want,” He offered.
“What I want, is to know why you didn't leave this morning like you usually do.”
“Would you rather I had?”
Hikari sighed, “That's not fair, of course I'm happy you're still here, but not at the cost of you getting in trouble.”
“I stayed because you needed me, you needed me here last night and you needed me here this morning, don't tell me you didn't.”
“I will always need you,” she said with a small smile.
“Come on let's get you something to eat,” he said and kissed her temple. “You must be hungry you didn't eat at all after you got back yesterday.” He got out of bed and rummaged in the top drawer of her dresser where she had made room for him to store some of his clothes.
Hikari got up and followed him out to the kitchen, she pulled some eggs and bread out of the fridge and heated up the stove. He watched her from the island, “Hey Hikari?”
“Yeah.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course, I don't think there's much else I could tell you that you don't already know now.”
“You said he took you away from there, when was that?”
Hikari knew what he meant but she figured that she would elaborate. “The first time I was four years old, it was after my Dad died, Mother wanted time to mourn properly, that time he took me for a month. The next time he took me was for three months, I was seven, My mother had been with Aki for just over a year and he wanted to take her on an extended vacation, my mother thought I was too young to go so she shipped me off to Uncle Orochi. “When I was eleven he took me for a couple more months, I had started acting out because of what was going on, but was too scared to tell anyone, I thought it was my fault. I was happy when I was with him, when he brought me back that was when I started cutting. It was a release, even though I had been happier than I had been in a long time, I thought I had done something wrong and that's why she had sent me away. So rather than acting out I took it out on myself and hid it from everyone.
“Finally when I was fourteen, Uncle Orochi and Kabuto came for a visit, Kabuto was the one who caught me. I begged him not to say anything but he did anyway, and for awhile I hated him for it. When they were finally able to get me to admit to the reason for it Uncle Orochi made Kabuto take me back to the sound village while he stayed behind. He threatened both Aki and my mother, he told him to leave and never come back, and he told her that if she ever let another man touch me like that he would take me away and she would never see me again. He kept me for over a year that time, he ordered some of his men to keep an eye on the house to make sure that not only did Aki not return but that mother wasn't sneaking out to see him either. During that time he helped me get past it all. Told me that what happened wasn't my fault, and every thing would be okay from now on. He told me that if I ever needed him he would be there, as he always had been.”
“So you were there at the same time as Sasuke then?”
“Yeah, not that we interacted with each other too much, Uncle Orochi tried to keep me away from him as much as possible.”
“Why?”
“I'm not really sure, I suppose it was because he was worried about how I might become if I spent too much time with him. It's hard to explain, but there was a darkness about him back then, it's still there I can sense it but it's not as bad as it once was, do you know what I mean?”
Neji frowned, “Not really.”
“It was like he was battling his own demons, and even though Uncle Orochi was trying to help him like he helped me, but he was more resistant, not wanting to accept it, all he wanted was power. I can't help but think if we only knew the real reason that he returned to Konoha everything would make more sense. I asked him about it the last time I was there but he told me that it was Sasuke's decision whether or not to tell anyone.”
“What do you mean he was trying to help him? I thought he just wanted Sasuke so he could take over his body. I'm sorry for all these question but I'm just trying to understand why you see him the way you do, when no one else does.”
“I understand, Uncle Orochi has always been a little hard to understand, unless you really get to spend time with him. He never wanted Sasuke for his body, it was just the most logical conclusion that everyone jumped to. He has always done his best to help people who needed it. As a result his people are extremely loyal to him. Many of his followers didn't have the best start to life, being orphaned at a young age or growing up in abusive household. In some cases it was was too late for them. Some would gladly follow him blindly even if it meant their death, others were more than happy to take matters into their own hands if the situation called for it, there have been quite a few times when he has not condoned the actions of some of his shinobi. But it was always more of a case of them being mentally unstable than anything else.”
“Was that the case with the sound four?” he prodded, finally getting to the heart of the matter he really wanted to discuss.
“You know about the sound four?”
“I was one of the members of the Sasuke retrieval team when I first left with them.”
Hikari's expression darkened slightly, “You do realize that Sasuke left of his own volition right? He wanted to go with them.”
“I know that now, we didn't then. Were you friends with them? The sound four I mean.”
Hikari sighed, she really didn't like where this was going. Until now she had had no idea that Neji had been involved in that situation, she had lost a couple of friends that day, and now she just prayed that he hadn't been the one responsible for their deaths. “I was friends with a couple of them. Others not so much, they were more the unstable types, the only reason they were sent to get Sasuke in the first place was because of their talents when it came to sealing jutsus.”
“Were you friends with Kidomaru?” he asked quietly, almost afraid of her answer, what would she think of him if he was responsible for the death of a friend.
“Kidomaru, definitely not, he was as unstable as they came, he tortured people and enjoyed it way too much, no I was friends with Tayuya and Kimimaro.”
“Tayuya was the girl with them right? Which one was Kimimaro?”
“Yes, Kimimaro was the one with the bones. I still have a sword that he gave me.”
“I don't remember seeing him, but I remember Lee mentioning him.”
“Yeah Kabuto told me he joined them at the end, he wasn't long for this world when he left the village, he had been in pain for a long time before that, he loved Orochimaru like a father and would have done anything for him, even sacrificing himself so that Sasuke could make it to the sound village, Kabuto said that he knew he wouldn't be returning from that battle no matter who he had been facing, it was all he could do to stall their progress. His death was a blessing in disguise, it's what he would have wanted, so go out in battle instead of in a hospital bed connected to all manner of machines.
“Tayuya, wasn't everyone's cup of tea, boy did she have a mouth on her, she could give Kiba a run for his money. But she was smart and dedicated to Uncle Orochi, she was one of the few girls in the sound village I really connected with, she taught me how to be strong, taught me that just because we were girls we could still scrap it out with the best of them. I still miss her sometimes.”
“What about the other two?”
“Two, three? Depending on how you looked at it,” she laughed, “Jirobo, big dumb a mean, there wasn't much else to him other than that. Sakon and Ukon, they were crazier than Kidomaru.” She waited for him to say something, anything else but he was silent. She didn't want to hear the truth of what happened to her old friends and what roles her new friends may have played in their deaths but she knew she would never be able to put it behind her if she didn't know.
“Can you tell me about that mission?” she asked softly, “I'm sorry to ask but I need to know the truth, Uncle Orochi and Kabuto could only tell me so much since none of them made it back alive, they didn't know who they had to face and how they came about their ends, just that it happened.”
Neji sighed, she had been honest with him, sharing some truly painful memories, telling her what little he knew was the least he could do. “I don't know all the details myself, but I will tell you what I know, both our five man cell and the sound four chose to split off from each other and sent the rest ahead rather than fight as a group. First was Jirobo, he trapped us in some sort of regenerating earth dome that absorbed chakra, once we were able to break out Chouji stayed behind to face him while the rest of us carried on.
“Second to break off from the sound four was Kidomaru who tried to get us with his webs, unfortunately for him he webs couldn't hold up if they had addition chakra channeled into them. The only one capable of doing that was myself, so I sent the others ahead and stayed behind to deal with him.” Neji took his shirt off to show her the scar left behind from his battle with him, Hikari gasped and ran her fingers over the scar, front and back. She had no idea how he had managed to survive such a wound, but she was glad he had, and even more relieve that Kidomaru had not survived the battle, if her had she would have killed him herself. He put her hand over hers holding it in place over the only reminder he carried from that battle, just above his heart. He kissed her, “Do you want me to continue?” She nodded, afraid to speak.
“Kiba and Akamaru worked together to take on Sakon and Ukon, they were able to hold their own well enough, Kiba suffered some serious but non-life threatening injuries. If not for Kankurou coming to his aid he would not have lasted much longer.”
“So that leaves Tayuya and Kimimaro.”
“Yes, I'm sorry Hikari. I know they were your friends but please don't judge the others too harshly, they are good people.”
She took his face in both of her hands and made him face her, “Don't be, things were different then, I know there was no other way for things to have gone, it was you or them, except for maybe Kimi, it was always going to be him.”
Neji nodded and continued, “Tayuya ended up against Shikamaru.”
Hikari had to forcibly hole back her reaction, it would only make things harder for him to continue. She liked Shikamaru, and now that she knew him, she knew if there had been another way to resolve the situation he would have done so. Meaning that he had had no choice in the matter. Still it hurt to know someone she considered a friend now, was responsible for the death of someone she considered a friend then.
“He didn't kill her though,” Neji quickly explained, interrupting her train of thought. “She forced him to go on the defensive, they were at a bit of a stalemate until Temari came to lend a hand. You haven't met her yet but I'm sure you would like her, she's Kankurou's sister.”
Hikari was relieved to hear that Shikamaru hadn't been the one to deal the death blow to her friend, she found it almost fitting that it was another woman that did what the genius Shikamaru could not, still her heart ached for the loss of her friend even if it had happened years ago.
“Naruto was the one to go after Kimimaro, but when Sasuke took off on his own to continue towards the sound village, Lee showed up to take Naruto's place so he could keep chasing Sasuke down.”
“Lee took on Kimi?” Hikari asked shocked, she didn't know Lee very well, but she did know that he was strictly a Tai-jutsu user, it was incredible that he had taken on Kimi, who even on his death bed as it were, should have been more than enough up against a young man such as Lee.
“Not alone, but he did his part to stall for what it was worth. Lee was fresh out of the hospital himself at that point but he would not be held back. You know how at Chouji's party we had to wait until he was gone to start drinking?”
“Yeah,” she said slowly, not quite sure where he was going with this.
“The reason for that is because Lee is a natural when it comes to the drunken fist. From what I heard afterwards, when Lee checked himself out of the hospital, instead of grabbing his bottle of medication he accidentally grabbed a bottle of Sake Tsunade-sama had left behind in his room. He drank it during his fight with Kimimaro thinking it was his medicine.”
Hikari shook her head is disbelief. “In the end though it was Gaara who came to his aide, again you haven't met him but I'm sure you recognize the name, and are aware of what he is capable of.”
Hikari nodded, “Yeah he's the current Kazekage right?”
“Yeah, so that's how it all played out, or as much as I know about it,” Neji finished.
Hikari was silent for a long while before she spoke again, it was a lot to take in. “I hate it, I hate it all,” she said bitterly. “That you were all forced into that situation far beyond your years, stupid, pitting child against child its disgusting. I need to have a word with both Aunt Tsunade and Uncle Orochimaru. I'm going to put an end to this bullshit if it's last thing I do. For Gods sake they were on the same team for years, they hold all the power to end this feud and yet they do nothing. I've heard the stories, Suna, including Gaara and his siblings helped Uncle Orochimaru invade Konoha, not to mention the whole fiasco with Gaara going all psycho, and now they are among our closest allies. If Aunt Tsunade can put the past to rest when it comes to them, why the hell can't see do the same with a person she worked side by side with for years,” Hikari was raging, pacing the floor to the point that Neji would be surprised if there wasn't a rut there soon. She ran out the door before he had a chance to stop her. Neji gave chase, this could either be a good thing or a very bad thing.
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When I'm Gone