Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Ghostly Eyes ❯ Conversations in the Night ( Chapter 7 )

    &n bsp;The four Konoha Shinobi found it difficult to sleep that night. Not surprising, as they were standing, tied to poles stuck in the top of a giant tree trunk. The four ninja were aligned in a circle with their backs to one another. To Kurenai’s left was Kiba, to Kiba’s left Naruto, to Naruto’s left Shino, and to Shino’s left Kurenai. Spread around them was a sticky, translucent substance which Shino reported made his insects very hesitant to leave his body.

     Since their arrival in this village, Kiba and Naruto spent most of the time switching between bickering with one another and complaining about the circumstances. Shino was characteristically quiet. Kurenai was silent as well, watching those around her throughout the day. Kurenai studied everything intently. The Nimmori village consisted of circular wooden huts high around the trees. They were seemingly built to be one with the tree, with the roof and floor extending outward. Kurenai thought it looked almost as if the huts were growing out from the trees. A series of bridges and ladders were scattered in an arrangement Kurenai could only assume made sense to their captors.

     The Nimmori villagers had spent their day taunting the four Shinobi. Kids came by, occasionally pelting them with rotten fruit and vegetables. While Shino and Kurenai had taken a few, Kiba and Naruto had proven the most amusing of targets, as they often yelled and complained the loudest. Shino and Kurenai gave little reaction, making them less fun.

     Kurenai periodically tested their bonds. Nothing special. The knots weren’t easy to undo, nor were they impossible. She and at least one of the Genin should be able to do it. But Kurenai gave them instructions not to escape yet. She wanted time first. She wanted to learn more of their situation if at all possible.

     Luck seemed to be on their side when a yip-yapping noise was heard. It took a moment for the noise to register as a dog’s barking. There were dogs in the village, so it could easily be one of them. However, for one in their party, this bark was recognizable.

     “Akamaru!!” ; Kiba yelled out, “It’s Akamaru!” he was stomping his feet in excitement. He had been worried about his partner from the moment Hinata took the dog away. Listening, Kurenai and Shino recognized the dog’s familiar barking as well.

     “Kiba. What does Akamaru say?”

     “Hmm…” Kiba listened, “He says he’s with Hinata. She went to see their leader. He doesn’t know what they talked about. They spoke another language.”

     Kiba listened further, now not bothering to translate as he went so as to get more of the message. Kiba listened until Akamaru’s barks suddenly cut off with a loud yelp.

     “Akamaru? Akamaru?!” Kiba yelled, almost sounding like he was howling.

     “What happened?” Kurenai asked.

     “I don’t know. Akamaru just stopped! He screamed out, like something was attacking him.”

     “If Akamaru is with Hinata,” Shino said, “She might have realized Akamaru’s barking was more than just a loud dog.”

     “How can that be?” Naruto asked, “I thought she didn’t remember us at all!”

     “That doesn’t seem to be entirely true.” Kurenai said, “She has the memories, but it seems they’ve been pushed away, to make room for the personality of this ‘Kashghyu N’Ga’.”

     “Huh ?” Naruto asked.

     “Hinata’s memory hasn’t been lost or erased, just put to the side. Think about her actions. She laid out this strange substance around us. As a result, Shino’s insects can’t leave his body, and none on the outside can come to us. She took Akamaru away from Kiba. And if she has Akamaru with her, it would explain why he was just silenced.”

     Kurenai was silent a moment before speaking again.

     “Naruto, while on the way here, did Hinata look at you?”

     “Huh? Come to think of it, I think she kept glancing at me. When I looked at her, though, she turned away. Does that mean anything? I mean, she does that all the time!”

     “Ugh!” Kiba muttered, “How can you be so dense?!”

     “What?!”< br>
     “Kiba!” Shino warned just as Kiba had begun speaking again. They both knew of Hinata’s feelings for Naruto. However, they had agreed not to say anything to Naruto until Hinata did. It wasn’t their place to reveal Hinata’s secrets.

     “Kiba, what did Akamaru say before he stopped?”

     “Well, Hinata talked to these guys’ leader then went to a different hut. I guess her home. He said she sparred with some of the village boys and beat them all.”

     “Wow… go Hinata.” Naruto said.

     “The whole time, though, Hinata acted very different from what Akamaru knew. He said she was sleeping, but I think Akamaru woke her.”

     Kurenai considered what she’d been told. Hinata’s mind had been literally transformed and made her think she was someone else. But why? And how could they undo it? Kurenai didn’t think it’d be possible to take Hinata by force and do it after returning home. She’d be heavily protected here, considering the amount of reverence these people seemed to hold her in.

     Wait… reverence…

     “The Blessed Line of the Nimmori…” Kurenai said aloud, remembering the words of Hinata earlier in the day.

     “Come again?” Kiba asked.

     “The reason for their taking Hinata. I think it has to do with being a Hyuga. They want her Kekkei Genkai for something.”

     “But what?” Naruto asked. It was Shino who answered.

     “Sensei, when you told us of these people, didn’t you tell us of a rumor-”

     “That they had tried and failed to raise a demon.” Kurenai exclaimed, following her student’s train of thought, “That is a definite possibility. They want to try again, and somehow the Byakugan can help them. Unfortunately, we still have too little to know for sure. I think we should wait to make our escape. We still have time, and we might learn something else.”

     “Huh?” Kiba and Naruto said together. Time for what?

     The dog ran and hid the moment the stone spearhead flew by its face. Kashghyu N’Ga sat at on her futon, made of furs and a bird-down pillow. She had been sleeping badly, and waking up to the animal’s noise didn’t help. Especially since hearing it had brought about another of those strange impulses she’d had of late. For some reason, she knew the dog shouldn’t be allowed to speak. As if someone could understand it.

     In a way, though, she was almost grateful to the pup for waking her. Her dreams bothered her. She kept seeing faces, hearing voices, smelling scents. All of it was incredibly familiar, yet she couldn’t recall any of it. Some of it was pleasant. She saw the boys she now knew to be Fire Shinobi in her dreams. Giving her encouragement and friendship. The woman as well. She saw the woman speaking with authority, explaining various points on various subjects. Kashghyu also saw a man, with eyes as white has hers, berating and yelling at her. A small child, a girl with white eyes, looking up at her and smiling. The word “neesan” was clearly heard by Kashghyu at this point.

     They were Before. Before she came to the Nimmori. Before she became She of the Ghostly Eyes. The dreams upset her greatly. She always felt great pain in her heart. She didn’t know if it was regret or something else. If she woke during the white-eyed man’s part in the dreams, Kashghyu would awake with tears flowing down her cheeks. With the blonde boy, her cheeks would be burning red. She wiped tears from her eyes. Tonight’s dream had been the white-eyed man.

     “Kashghyu” a voice called.

     “Yes, father.”

     The man who entered the room was clearly not Kashghyu’s father. His name was Da Iri’ga. He was Kashghyu N’Ga’s guardian. At age forty-eight, he had battled when the Nimmori had fought the Fire Ninja before. He had also overseen the rearing of many outsiders who had been purified into Nimmori. He was handpicked by the Ki’ge to watch over Kashghyu N‘Ga.

     “More dreams?” he asked. Kashghyu nodded. Many who were purified had the dreams of their past for weeks, even months after. Though by the end of the first half of the first year the dreams always faded completely.

     “The dog…” Kashghyu said, almost as an afterthought, “It shouldn’t be allowed to speak. We should muzzle it.”

     As the dog whined, Da Iri’ga kneeled down before his surrogate child.

     “Do you know why?” he asked.

     “His master… they can communicate… I think…”

     Tears from the dreams were flowing from her eyes again. Da Iri’ga embraced the girl in his arms. All the confidence she had in daylight seemed to fade at these times. Da Iri’ga thought she must not have had an easy life Before.

     “Perhaps this is not the best time, then…”

     “It’s been decided?” she asked.

     “The signs say that the best time to perform the rituals will be three days from now.”

     “Three days.” she repeated.

     “The Ki’ge will prepare everything. You will not be needed until the final moments.”

     “I am nervous.” Kashghyu said, growing more excited, “What if I fail? The great disaster could befall us again!”

     “You needn’t fear.” Da Iri’ga told her, “The possibility of you failing is not something I, or anyone else, has considered. You are strong, and because of that strength we all have faith in you.”

     “You needn’t fear,” he repeated, “You will succeed. Now rest.”

     Da Iri’ga gave his surrogate child a goodnight kiss on the forehead before getting to his feet. He looked around the room a moment, before finding the dog Akamaru and taking the animal with him out of the room. He would see to Kashghyu’s request to muzzle it.

     As Kashghyu laid herself back down, her hand went to that same spot Da Iri‘ga had kissed. She ran her finger across the tree sign that marked her as an outsider purified into the Nimmori. Gradually, she drifted into sleep once more.

     Da Iri’ga’s affirmation that she would not… no, could not fail, helped ease Kashghyu’s worries. Enough so that she could easily deal with her dreams that night.