Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Without Any Destiny ❯ Chapter 1: The Beginning, the Town of Flowers ( Chapter 1 )

Author's Note: Greetings. It's me, surreptitious_masamune13 here to embrace the year 2004 with something new. Well then, I guess it's time to introduce you to another new fanfic of mine. Based on my current favorite anime, Naruto… ^_^ you know this fanfic has something to do with ninjas. HEH… Anyway, I won't be looking at the main character Naruto so much…. I decided to base it out of the two supporting characters (My two favorite ones) Hyuuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke (Predictable?). And definitely no, this is not Yaoi. Though there will be a Yaoi story coming up, I'm not telling whatsoever to spoil the suspense. That'll very much kill everything, won't they?

Okay, it's one of my bishoujo stories again… If you hate it or have a problem with it, might as well don't continue. I'm sorry if it's not much to your liking. Then again, it's always to try something new for once, right?

Alrighty then, I shall cut the chase and start the story now. Enjoy…

WITHOUT ANY DESTINY

Characters on Board:

Hyuuga Neji

Sasuke Uchiha

Sogen Yuri

Tenten

Rock Lee

Uzumaki Naruto

Gai Sensae

Hatake Kakashi

Sogen Kaede

Orochimaru

Yamanaka Ino

Haruno Sakura

Aburame Shino

Shikamaru

Chouji

Lord Shirokage

Hyuuga Hinata

Hyuuga Haruko

Kiba

Sogen Suzuran

Sogen Kaze

ANBU

Konohamaru

Notes:

(………..) - Thoughts 1

`………..' - Thoughts 2

Chapter One: The Beginning, The Town of Flowers

`Every beginning is like a sunrise. You wake up to the sound of it and spend the rest of the day building up the story and suspense. Then, when sunset comes, you reflect back what you've done and hope that tomorrow will be the same as it was… But the next day, it was different for me I awake and things weren't the same as they were. It's like a brand new story… No more do I hear her sweet laughter, no more do I see her beautiful morning smile which greets me everyday, no more do I get to hold her warm hand which seemed to fit perfectly into mine, no more do I hear her call my name… It just feels so empty… It's as if life had no meaning at all…. I just wanted to see her one more time and hear her call my name! But that's impossible… She'll never return. She'll never come back ever again. How I wish I could still live in yesterday where everything was as perfect as possible…'

"Neji-kun! What are you reading?"

Neji turned to his right. It was the ever adorable Tenten with her dreamy eyes and Rock Lee standing beside her. Neji felt a little pressure on his shoulder. Something big beside him, breathing heavily. Neji could smell a faint breath of garlic. Pickled garlic, to be exact. Neji sensed a killing aura. He turned slowly to his left.

`There is someone… beside me…'

Neji moved to his left. He jumped back and fell to the ground as he saw his mystery monster. Tenten got mad and began shouting.

"Sensae! You shouldn't scare him like that!"

"A NINJA MUST BE ALERT AT ALL TIMES!"

Gai Sensae, ninja extraordinaire, snorted as Neji groaned when he got up. Tenten picked up the book that Neji was reading. She chuckled and smirked in teasing way.

"Since when did Neji read romance stories?"

"Don't come claiming me. I just read the ending. Besides, it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Sensae. I found it and a few Playboy magazines while cleaning up his room today…"

Tenten gave an evil demonic look at their Sensae. Rock Lee had his jaw on the floor and began to complain about the Sensae's attitude. Neji shook his head and watch as the Sensae fend for himself.

"Neji, you little imp! I'M GONNA GET YOU!"

Nightfall. The air was cooling as the nights were painted with sparkling stars and dark skies, Gai Sensae looks out and smiles with pride while watching his students. The hardworking ardent Rock Lee; the ever cute and charming Tenten, and the strong-willed natured Hyuuga Neji were chatting together on the floor. `Look how cooperative these kids are…' he laughed, then, struck by the thought of his springtime rival Hatake Kakashi, `… unlike Kakashi's team." Tenten and Rock Lee began quarrelling while Neji shakes his head. Gai Sensae clapped his hands as the students turned their attention.

"Tomorrow, we leave for Konoha Village."

"Can't we stay just a little longer here?" begged Tenten.

Gai Sensae began thinking; the town that they were in was called Hana, rather known as the Town of Flowers, had rather been a pleasant place. The town streets were clean and the simple friendly people living in simple houses with simple lives were what they want in a normal town but the sight of cherry blossoms descending were majestic and the scent of the fair white lilies of the valley is what captivated everybody most. It had been normal but Gai Sensae felt that this was not where they belong.

"I'm sorry, but orders are orders… We're leaving tomorrow…"

"Oh… alright, Sensae…" replied Tenten with a rather doubtful voice.

Neji got up from his chair and walked out.

"Where're you going, Neji?"

"A walk… I'll be back…"

The night was like a dreamy portrait of a starlit goddess. A harmony of fireflies danced around. Gentle breeze blew by, whispering a few secrets that no one can hear. Neji sat against the white picket fence which the meadow of white lilies overlooks it. Neji like the atmosphere he was at right now. He felt at peace, with nothing to worry about and no one to bother you. Neji was going to close his eyes when he heard some noise behind him. Something was approaching closer.

`A ninja must be alert at all times…'

He got up and held a shuriken in his hand. He turned swiftly jumping a few steps back.

"I'm sorry… Did I bother you?"

It was a girl, in her adolescence, wearing a white dress with a basket full of lilies in her hand. Her shoulder-length hair swayed a little as the breeze blew once again. Her eyes had a different glow though. In the light, her eyes were brown but in the dark, you'd swear both her eyes had a different color of blue and green. She was not too tan, not too fair. She approached a little closer to the fence and tucked her hair neatly. Neji gave a sigh of relief and placed the shuriken back.

"You seem to be out late at night…"

"… You are doing it as well. Picking flowers in the middle of the night…"

"Well, I like the atmosphere at this time… I usually come out now…" replied the girl.

Neji sighed.

`Might as well go back there…' he thought.

He was going to walk away when the girl called him back.

"Wait!"

The girl crossed the fence and ran to him. Neji halted in his steps and turned. She smiled and gave him a lily. He refused to take it, but she reluctantly put one into his hand.

"Take it. It's a gift from me."

"… You don't even know me…"

"That's a good point, for a start!"

"… There's nothing to talk about…"

She shook her head as he noticed she wore bright peridot earrings.

"From a simple word, everything begins…"

"Pft…"

"Alright, I'll start. Hi, I'm Yuri. And you are…?"

"Neji-desu…"

"Neji… That's a neat name."

"…"

Neji didn't want to hear any more prattle. He walked away, turning his back. He put his hand but suddenly, he staggered back as he felt a tug on his shirt. He turned. She was following him.

"You don't say much, do you?"

"Kind of… I'm on an errand…"

"Oh… where to?"

"I'm going back to Konoha Village tomorrow."

"Hey, me too! Maybe we can meet each other there!"

"I doubt it."

"Yeah… Konoha Village is kinda big… compared to a small town like this. To be exact, Konoha should be called a City! …"

"… It's not like what you think."

Neji sighed.

`Konoha Village may be big but compared to other places, it's not worthy to be called a City. Konoha Village is supposed to be a HIDDEN ninja village but it seems that both villagers and ninjas live in that area. It was suppose that the Hokage didn't want the outside world to know it was a ninja village… or maybe he was trying to promote outsiders to live in the ninja village? Unlike this town which is more better-built and sophisticated, Konoha is just a large village with a large population…'

"Neji, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing. Just telling you that Konoha's not like what you think. Don't get your hopes too high."

"But, if we do happen to meet… I'd like to know you better. Maybe we can be friends."

"… I have no friends."

"Then, I'll be your first!"

"Pft. Whatever you like. I'm gonna go. Sensae will be real mad."

Neji turned away and walked off, leaving Yuri behind. He wasn't intending to meet her anyway in Konoha Village. It's impossible to find anybody in Konoha Village… especially when most ninjas tend to use the rooftops as their roads rather than walk on normal ground.

"Neji-kun!"

"… What now?"

"I'd just like you to know that… you have nice eyes… like the color of the lily…"

"…"

Neji walked away into the dark corners. Yuri watched him from afar, tucking her hair neatly behind her ear as the gentle breeze blew again. A rain of cherry blossoms fell down, carried away with the rhythm of the cool breeze. Yuri shut her eyes and stood there, listening to the breeze.

`The boy has great chakura… The eyes of a Byakugan user… Maybe he is one of the ninjas there. He has a very cool and impatient personality. I see great things inside him… yet I fear him… No… I must forget that. Neji is not like him… I must forget this fear of mine…'

The next day, dawn breaks. Birds from the deep green forest sang sweet melodies from their deep melodic voices. The shy morning glories awaken from their slumber and bloom to their fullest. Gai Sensae and his team wait by the meadow fence which the lily garden overlooked. Rock Lee and Tenten had another of their mindless quarrels. Neji leaned at the picket fence again. Gai Sensae tapped his feet and began to feel irritated to Rock Lee and Tenten's worthless quarrels. A nerve grew on his head.

"Be quiet, both of you! The guest will be here soon!"

"Who are we escorting?"

"Some girl… we'll be meeting her soon. So, keep your -"

"Sorry I'm late, Gai Sensae. Have I kept you waiting?"

Neji felt a pang of surprise. It was the girl he met last night. Yuri. No wonder he felt strange after he came here with Sensae and all. She was dressed up in a white dress and a farmer's hat. Gai Sensae smiled.

"Not at all, Lady Yuri. We'll leave when you're ready."

"…Is that Neji?"

"Lady Yuri, it seems you know one of my best students. Be polite, Neji."

"I'm surprise we meet again, Neji-kun."

"Lady Yuri, huh?"

Yuri smiled and bowed at everyone. She seemed like any ordinary country girl. He didn't expect that she might be someone important to have received a title like this. Gai Sensae looked at all of them. The team seemed to blend in well with her.

"Okay, everyone! Listen up! Our duty is to escort Lady Yuri back to Konoha Village safely and we are in charge of taking care of her temporarily."

"Is Yuri someone special?" Tenten asked.

"Let's just say I have some relations with the country's affairs. But please, address me as Yuri."

"Alright, is everyone clear? We'll leave now!"

"Alright, Sensae!"

The five of them step foot into the roads of the green forest which lead to the famous ninja village, Konoha Village. They headed towards the road, where the sun shone brightly behind them, bringing them the best of the day.