Gathering Shadows (Rewrite)
folder
Naruto › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
8
Views:
1,420
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Naruto › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
8
Views:
1,420
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Family Secrets Revealed
==============================
Word soon reaches Konoha and as Tsunade reads over the message Kakashi had sent her once the team had returned to Suna. Her eyes widen in a mixture of shock and fear before she looks up at her assistant she sighs heavily. “Which of the Hiroku shinobi are still on good terms with Raven-san?”
“Aside from Siefer-kun and Kimiko-sama I believe all of Raven-san’s former team still maintain regular contact with him,” Shizune answers her mentor. “However of those five I believe Kimiko-sama is the only one still in Konoha at the moment.”
Tsunade leans back in her chair and rubs the bridge of her nose in a vain attempt to fight off the migraine that threatens to overtake her. “Have her report here at once then as soon as the Academy lets out for the day notify Hinata-sama to come here as well.”
As Shizune leaves the office the Hokage turns her chair around and looks out her window and at the village below. “Things are going from bad to worst far too quickly for my taste,” she tells herself aloud. “If I didn’t know any better I’d almost swear that Orochimaru was planning another invasion and Akatsuki was helping him.”
==============================
The sun had barely set over the walls surrounding Suna an Sakura was pacing nervously as she awaits the arrival of what she knows will be a very frantic Hyuga heiress. Both Gaara and Kankuro were already up and moving about despite their doctors, advised about staying in bed for the next few days. Only Raven’s condition remains unchanged as he has once again slipped into another comma.
“Where is he?” a panicked voice cries out drowning out the boom of the doors swinging open before the normally well mannered blue haired kunoichi. “Where is he Sakura-chan?” the nearly terrified girl asks grasping her friend’s arm rather tightly.
“Calm down Hinata-chan,” the medical-nin tells the Hyuga. “Raven-san is fine,” she assures his fiancé, “He’s resting in the other room and there is already a chair waiting for you.”
A wave of relief visibly washes over the dark haired young woman as she slowly walks towards the room where her future husband now lays in yet another comma. “How-how long do you think this one will-how long will this one last?”
“I wish I knew Hinata-chan,” Sakura answers sadly, “He pushed himself a lot further then I’ve ever known anyone to be able to. He used the last of his soldier pills when he faced off against Itachi.”
“Five soldier pills in one day are more then anyone has ever been known to take,” a soft commanding voice tells them from the main doorway. Kimiko Hiroku slowly enters the room to join the other kunoichi and bows politely to Sakura. “I thank you for tending to my brother Sakura-san,” she tells the girl graciously.
“I wish that I deserved your thanks Kimiko-sama,” Sakura blushes, “The truth is that there is nothing anyone can do for Raven-san except wait for his body to recover on its own.”
“I fear that that might take longer then the last time and time is a luxury that we can not afford at the moment,” the Hiroku heiress tells the younger woman. “With Akatsuki on the move and once again actively seeking out the Jinchuuriki I fear the time of another great Shinobi War is closely drawing near.”
“I would agree,” a male voice interrupts them. The three kunoichi turn and are greeted by the sight of a now formally dressed Kazekage flanked on both sides by his older siblings with Kakashi, Naruto and their former mentor Baki following behind them. “In the mean time I wish to formerly extend Suna’s hospitality to all of you and invite you to dinner at my home tonight.”
“On behalf of the others I accept your hospitality and thank you for the generosity, Kazekage-sama” Kimiko replies while bowing politely.
==============================
Later that evening they are all dinning in Gaara’s mansion when the topic of conversation turns to the unconscious man at the hospital. “I am curious Kimiko-sama,” Gaara begins looking at her intently, “Why was Raven-san exiled from the Hiroku Clan? I know what he has told my brother and sister but i wish to hear it from you since i doubt that he was completely honest with them.”
Kimiko can only look at the table as if trying to find the answer to his question in her plate. “You must understand that while Raven-kun has always been considered the pride of our clan his life until recently has been a living hell since our mother's death. All his life Raven was treated as a burden and disappointment by our father except when he his skills were deemed necessary to Hiroku-sama’s plans. Our father constantly belittled and humiliated Raven-kun because he refused to leave Sapphire-chan and Jade-chan behind so that he could advance through the ranks as quickly as Koga-niisan and I did and was forced to humiliate Neji-san and Hinata-chan during the Chunin exams because our father wanted to prove our clan's superiority.
After Koga-niisan's death our father ordered Raven-kun to call off his courtship of Hinata-chan and assume the roll of the Hiroku heir and marry Sakura-chan instead. For Raven-kun that was the final straw and after nearly sixteen years of abuse and mistreatment Raven-kun finally had enough and stood up to our father. For his defiance he was banished and his name stricken from the clan’s records.”
“That’s awful,” Sakura gasps, “I had no idea...”
“No one did,” Kimiko tells her, “That's the way Raven-kun wanted it. Koga and I tried to stop our father but every time we did the abuse only escalated until Raven finally told us to back off before we got him killed.”
“How much pain Raven-san must have gone through to be treated by his own father like that?” Naruto asks Kyuubi. "I think I finally understand now why he and Hinata have become so close, they both had fathers that never saw them for who they were."
{{“The pride of his clan,”}} the Bijuu says, {{“Acknowledged by all but the one whose opinion should have mattered the most."}}
An hour before dawn Kimiko and Hinata return to Konoha to deliver their report to the Hokage and to let her know that the others would be returning once Raven had recovered his strength. Although Hinata wished to remain by Raven's side until he had recovered her duty to her beloved students would not permit her to remain away from them for as long as Raven would require to emerge from his comma. Bidding their friends farewell they fade into the darkness and out of sight.
==============================
Word soon reaches Konoha and as Tsunade reads over the message Kakashi had sent her once the team had returned to Suna. Her eyes widen in a mixture of shock and fear before she looks up at her assistant she sighs heavily. “Which of the Hiroku shinobi are still on good terms with Raven-san?”
“Aside from Siefer-kun and Kimiko-sama I believe all of Raven-san’s former team still maintain regular contact with him,” Shizune answers her mentor. “However of those five I believe Kimiko-sama is the only one still in Konoha at the moment.”
Tsunade leans back in her chair and rubs the bridge of her nose in a vain attempt to fight off the migraine that threatens to overtake her. “Have her report here at once then as soon as the Academy lets out for the day notify Hinata-sama to come here as well.”
As Shizune leaves the office the Hokage turns her chair around and looks out her window and at the village below. “Things are going from bad to worst far too quickly for my taste,” she tells herself aloud. “If I didn’t know any better I’d almost swear that Orochimaru was planning another invasion and Akatsuki was helping him.”
==============================
The sun had barely set over the walls surrounding Suna an Sakura was pacing nervously as she awaits the arrival of what she knows will be a very frantic Hyuga heiress. Both Gaara and Kankuro were already up and moving about despite their doctors, advised about staying in bed for the next few days. Only Raven’s condition remains unchanged as he has once again slipped into another comma.
“Where is he?” a panicked voice cries out drowning out the boom of the doors swinging open before the normally well mannered blue haired kunoichi. “Where is he Sakura-chan?” the nearly terrified girl asks grasping her friend’s arm rather tightly.
“Calm down Hinata-chan,” the medical-nin tells the Hyuga. “Raven-san is fine,” she assures his fiancé, “He’s resting in the other room and there is already a chair waiting for you.”
A wave of relief visibly washes over the dark haired young woman as she slowly walks towards the room where her future husband now lays in yet another comma. “How-how long do you think this one will-how long will this one last?”
“I wish I knew Hinata-chan,” Sakura answers sadly, “He pushed himself a lot further then I’ve ever known anyone to be able to. He used the last of his soldier pills when he faced off against Itachi.”
“Five soldier pills in one day are more then anyone has ever been known to take,” a soft commanding voice tells them from the main doorway. Kimiko Hiroku slowly enters the room to join the other kunoichi and bows politely to Sakura. “I thank you for tending to my brother Sakura-san,” she tells the girl graciously.
“I wish that I deserved your thanks Kimiko-sama,” Sakura blushes, “The truth is that there is nothing anyone can do for Raven-san except wait for his body to recover on its own.”
“I fear that that might take longer then the last time and time is a luxury that we can not afford at the moment,” the Hiroku heiress tells the younger woman. “With Akatsuki on the move and once again actively seeking out the Jinchuuriki I fear the time of another great Shinobi War is closely drawing near.”
“I would agree,” a male voice interrupts them. The three kunoichi turn and are greeted by the sight of a now formally dressed Kazekage flanked on both sides by his older siblings with Kakashi, Naruto and their former mentor Baki following behind them. “In the mean time I wish to formerly extend Suna’s hospitality to all of you and invite you to dinner at my home tonight.”
“On behalf of the others I accept your hospitality and thank you for the generosity, Kazekage-sama” Kimiko replies while bowing politely.
==============================
Later that evening they are all dinning in Gaara’s mansion when the topic of conversation turns to the unconscious man at the hospital. “I am curious Kimiko-sama,” Gaara begins looking at her intently, “Why was Raven-san exiled from the Hiroku Clan? I know what he has told my brother and sister but i wish to hear it from you since i doubt that he was completely honest with them.”
Kimiko can only look at the table as if trying to find the answer to his question in her plate. “You must understand that while Raven-kun has always been considered the pride of our clan his life until recently has been a living hell since our mother's death. All his life Raven was treated as a burden and disappointment by our father except when he his skills were deemed necessary to Hiroku-sama’s plans. Our father constantly belittled and humiliated Raven-kun because he refused to leave Sapphire-chan and Jade-chan behind so that he could advance through the ranks as quickly as Koga-niisan and I did and was forced to humiliate Neji-san and Hinata-chan during the Chunin exams because our father wanted to prove our clan's superiority.
After Koga-niisan's death our father ordered Raven-kun to call off his courtship of Hinata-chan and assume the roll of the Hiroku heir and marry Sakura-chan instead. For Raven-kun that was the final straw and after nearly sixteen years of abuse and mistreatment Raven-kun finally had enough and stood up to our father. For his defiance he was banished and his name stricken from the clan’s records.”
“That’s awful,” Sakura gasps, “I had no idea...”
“No one did,” Kimiko tells her, “That's the way Raven-kun wanted it. Koga and I tried to stop our father but every time we did the abuse only escalated until Raven finally told us to back off before we got him killed.”
“How much pain Raven-san must have gone through to be treated by his own father like that?” Naruto asks Kyuubi. "I think I finally understand now why he and Hinata have become so close, they both had fathers that never saw them for who they were."
{{“The pride of his clan,”}} the Bijuu says, {{“Acknowledged by all but the one whose opinion should have mattered the most."}}
An hour before dawn Kimiko and Hinata return to Konoha to deliver their report to the Hokage and to let her know that the others would be returning once Raven had recovered his strength. Although Hinata wished to remain by Raven's side until he had recovered her duty to her beloved students would not permit her to remain away from them for as long as Raven would require to emerge from his comma. Bidding their friends farewell they fade into the darkness and out of sight.
==============================