The sun was setting now, casting reds and oranges across the land.
"Tou-sama, I'm here. I just finished with my session." I knocked on the tatami door.
"Come in."
I slid the door, removing my shoes, noticing my father drinking his tea while reading - probably books about shinobi history or ninjutsu.
"Sit down. We need to talk." He ordered.
I grabbed a pillow and sat down across from Tou-san.
"This is an era of warring states. Kami knows how long this will be going on for. I need to know who the boy you were healing was. It could prove to be vital information." Father set his book aside.
"As you know, the Uchiha are a bit dismissive towards the Hyuga. They view us as beneath them." My father visibly displeased at the thought of that statement. My initial reaction was to laugh. The Hyuga clan is the strongest and everybody knows it.
"They may take what you did as an insult, which could provoke some fighting and dismay between our clans in the future."
"Tou-san," I squeaked, still wincing in a bit of pain, "First of all. Their egos are gigantic if they take it as an insult. And secondly, I really don't know. I just saw a life dying, I tried to save it. I don't know him, never have spoken to him, none of that."
He chuckled. "I guess it's useless. Enough then. Go to sleep."
"Mm."
-
I plopped myself onto the futon splayed out, still unkempt from the day before.
"This feels so relaxing." I muttered. It felt like safety. Something I so yearned for nowadays. Death was an easy encounter, it seemed like people around me were knocking down one by one.
I pulled the covers up to my chest, and took a deep sigh.
Who was that boy, and why should the Hyuga clan be so concerned? All I knew was that he was an Uchiha. We were ordered to stay away from them. A prophecy entails that a battle of our dojutsu would wreak havoc into this world. Like we need more of that.
I recalled my grandfather's words.
"Listen well, Ayumi. All of us are born into this world bearing our own destiny. In our lifetime, that destiny never changes."
Perhaps it was destiny to meet him? Perhaps that meeting may set things in motion in the far future? Would I even make it to the future when the world was in such a state? Is peace, without all this fighting, even a concept within our grasp? I giggled at the last part, the idea had just sounded so pathetic. And impossible. Out in that battlefield, I saw a whole other side of humanity. People were purely driven by power and greed. Such desires seemed almost unnatural to erase, that was how bad the state of affairs were. Peace could not exist if people continued to be engrossed in such things, I decided.
Whatever. I needed to go to sleep, which seemed like a far away task.
-
My mind drifted to a white space. My body was floating.
Huh? I looked up ahead, to see a man in white hair, cloaked in white clothing, with orbs floating around him. He had similar eyes as my parents. Oddly enough, I wasn't scared. His aura was warm, welcoming, despite the unusual appearance.
I gulped, he just kept staring at me, saying nothing at all.
"Uhm, Hi? Perhaps we could start with introductions?"
Is this a dream?
"Hamura. Otsutsuki Hamura."
"Otsusut-... Otsutskik- ah, wait, Otsutsuki Hamura. Gotchya. My name is Hyuga Ayumi." I pointed a finger at myself with a toothy smile.
Hamura tried to suppress a chuckle at my dumbfoundedness. "I know well who you are. I've been watching over you. And no, it's not a dream. This realm, I can hear your thoughts." He raised his hands to indicate the blank whiteness that surrounded us.
"Watching me? Why?"
"Let me fill you in." He levitated closer to me.
"Have you heard of the Otsutsuki clan?"
I shook my head.
He placed his hands on his hips and scoffed. "This generation is lost, truly. Have you no background in shinobi history, kid?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "Just basics."
"Well then." He held his staff. "I'm the founder of what came to be the Hyuga clan. You've in particular, inherited my powers in great proportion."
My mouth dropped. What was this man on about?
I bowed down immediately. "Hamura-sama! Oh -eh, I mean, Otsutsuki-sama! I'm so sorry for my lack of respect!"
"Hah." Adjusting his staff. "No worries. Anyway, as I was saying, this dimension was ordered to be triggered once you've awakened your byakugan. I see that you're just a child, a Hyuga heiress, yet you've seen so much."
"I guess it's just part of the job description, right?"
He dropped his shoulders, "If you see it in that way." A tone of disappointment lingered in his voice. "You'll soon grow to manifest powers that rival even mine. I can see it." He narrowed his eyes into mine. Suddenly, his intrusive stare made me feel anxious, and for a moment I wished I could grab onto my father for protection.
"Don't be nervous." Hamura smiled, "I'm merely a messenger to help guide you. You need to train those eyes of yours. Be diligent, strong but most importantly - just. But before I leave, I will spare you some of my power. We'll be connected by the moon. Sayonara." And soon enough Hamura's silhouette had been enveloped by the whiteness of this dimension.
"W-wait...! I didn't get to say goodbye..." Helplessly reaching my arms out into the endless space.
-
I gasped, stirring awake, covered in cold sweat. Ew, gross!
What the hell was that?!
I looked over my hands, and then my palms, which started to sting me. My left palm had a crescent moon imprinted onto it, pulsing with light, but was slowly fading away. This must be the powers or whatever he talked about? How am I even supposed to use it?
Eh, I'll figure it out. I need to get back to sleep.
-
It had been five days since that night. I was standing in front of father as I was ready to spar, but before I threw a fist, I took a look at my palm. The crescent moon had faded into a light grey colour, no longer pulsing with light.
"Ayumi! Pay attention!" Father dashed at me, his hand grazing my arm. The all too familiar feeling of chakra pulsing through my insides and blocking a tenketsu* ensued.
"E- ouch!" I exclaimed as my back hit the wall.
He shuffled towards me, grabbing my wrist. "Where is that mind of yours headed?"
"It's nothing tou-san! I just have a weird..." I showed him my palm, "Thing on my hand and it won't go away."
Hayate reached for my palm, rubbing the crescent signal. "Go." He let go of my wrist. "Now!"
I ran out the training area back into my room, crying just a little bit.
-
*HAYATE'S POV*
I was quite perplexed by the insignia etched onto my daughter's hand. Legend has it, so to speak, that the crescent moon represents a bridge for one on earth to the moon. How did she get that? Perhaps some revelation?
I stifle a chuckle, proud at her progress already. It had only been a couple days since she had awoken her byakugan. The blood runs strong in this one.
Our ancestor - Otsutsuki Hamura - had bestowed us with such holy power. But for what reason?
---
AUTHOR'S NOTE
[*chakra node]
PS: Hayate Hyuga is Ayumi's father's name!
Just an FYI I grabbed screenshots from episodes of the Hyuga clan! NOT made by me since I have no artistic talent of that sort!