Chapter Text
Hinata hurried through the quiet streets of Suna, her cloak billowing behind her, clutching the warm amulet in her hands. Her heart raced, and her mind was filled with thoughts of Kurenai. She had prayed for hours at the shrine, and now she needed to deliver the charm to her caretaker—she was sure it would work, that it would bring Kurenai back to health.
Bursting into the courtyard of her family’s estate, she found Kurenai resting on a low divan, her breathing gentle but weak. Hinata knelt beside her, pressing the amulet into her trembling hands.
“Kurenai! Please, take this. It will heal you! You will get better—I know it!” Hinata’s voice shook, her lavender eyes shimmering with tears. “We will travel to Kumo together, and everything will be fine. You won’t leave me, not yet!”
Kurenai opened her eyes, soft and full of warmth, and shook her head gently. “Hinata… my dear child,” she said, her voice faint but calm. “It is time. You must take care of yourself now. I… I will not be with you much longer.”
Hinata’s chest tightened, and she shook her head violently. “No! I will not let you die! The amulet—it will work! We will go to Kumo together. I won’t let you leave me!”
Kurenai gave her a gentle, sad smile. “Hinata… listen to me. I have lived my life fully, and my path is ending. But I have one last request. Take me to Kumo. Scatter my ashes there… where my family rests. Let me be at peace beside them.”
Hinata’s hands clenched the amulet so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Tears fell freely now. “No… that can’t be! I can save you! I will save you!”
“Shh…” Kurenai whispered, reaching out with her frail hand to touch Hinata’s cheek. “You are strong, Hinata. Stronger than you realize. Promise me… promise me you will take me to Kuma when my time comes.”
Hinata buried her face in her hands, shaking, desperate. “I… I don’t want to… I can’t… Kurenai, please…”
Kurenai’s eyes glimmered with a quiet joy, despite her weakness. “Do not fear, child. Life is a journey, and mine is ending… but yours is just beginning. You will live a long and fulfilling life, that is my wish for you. Take me to Kumo. That is all I ask.”
Hinata nodded slowly, still sobbing, gripping the amulet to her chest. “Yes… yes, I promise,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I will take you to Kumo, I swear it.”
Kurenai closed her eyes, a serene smile on her face. “Good… my brave little one,” she murmured. “Now… live, Hinata. Live, and take care of yourself, as I have always taught you.”
Hinata remained kneeling by her side long after the words faded, unwilling to move, unwilling to accept the inevitable. Yet deep down, she knew she had a promise to keep—one that would take her far from Suna, into a world she had never truly known, and into a journey that would change everything.
The night was quiet in the Hyuga estate. Moonlight filtered through the tall windows of Hinata’s chamber, casting silver patterns on the polished floor. She moved carefully, methodically, placing a few treasured belongings into a small duffle bag. At the center, she gently wrapped Kurenai’s ashes in a fine silk cloth, treating them with the utmost care and reverence.
Each item she packed seemed to carry memories: a scarf Kurenai had knitted for her, a small notebook filled with lessons on life and kindness, a delicate pendant that had always rested around her caretaker’s neck. Hinata’s hands trembled slightly, but her face was serene, determined.
A soft sound behind her made her pause. She turned to see Neji standing in the doorway, his arms crossed, brow furrowed in concern.
“Hinata,” he said quietly, stepping inside. “What… what are you doing?”
Hinata looked up, forcing a small smile. “I… I’m going to Kumo,” she said softly, holding the wrapped ashes close to her chest. “I will scatter Kurenai’s ashes there… where her family rests. It is her last wish.”
Neji’s expression hardened immediately. “Kumo?” he said sharply. “Hinata, you can’t. That place is… dangerous. You’re a civilian. You have no protection. Let me find someone—someone capable—to do this for Kurenai. You should not go yourself.”
Hinata’s heart tightened at his words, but she shook her head firmly. “No, Neji-nii-san. I… I have to do this. Kurenai raised me. She took care of me like I was her own. I owe her this final journey. No one else can do it. I have to go myself.”
Neji took a step closer, his eyes serious, filled with both worry and frustration. “Hinata, this is not a request. I will not allow you to put yourself in danger for this. You’re not ready. You’re too young, too inexperienced. Kumo is not Suna—it is… unpredictable. Anything could happen.”
Hinata’s hands tightened around the silk-wrapped ashes. “I am not going to stay behind out of fear, Neji-nii-san. I promised Kurenai that I would take her to Kumo. I will keep that promise, no matter the danger. I… I must do this.”
Neji’s eyes narrowed as he leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching Hinata carefully pack her small bag. “Hinata,” he said, his voice firm, “you cannot just leave Suna like this. Your father… he will not approve of this journey once he returns from his business trip. You know that.”
Hinata paused, looking up at him with pleading eyes. “Neji-nii-san… I will be back before Father returns. I promise. I just… I have to fulfill Kurenai’s last wish.”
Neji ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. “Even so… Toneri will notice if you’re not around the estate. He will ask questions, and you know how difficult it will be to explain why you’ve left.”
Hinata took a deep breath, her voice soft but unwavering. “Neji-nii-san… please. Cover for me. Just this once. I’m asking you—not as my cousin, but as someone I trust.”
Neji’s jaw tightened. He looked away, silent for a long moment, torn between duty and the determination in her eyes.
Hinata’s hands were folded over the small bundle of Kurenai’s ashes, her entire being radiating resolve.
Finally, with a reluctant sigh, he stepped forward. “Hinata… if you insist on going, I cannot stop you. But you must promise me something. Be careful. This journey… it will not be easy.”
Hinata’s lips curved into a small, grateful smile. “I promise, Neji-nii-san. I will be careful.”
Neji hesitated, then reached into his sash and drew a single kunai, handing it to her. “Take this,” he said, his tone clipped but serious. “In case of emergency… and remember the taijutsu I taught you. If you are confronted, use your speed, your agility. Do not fight recklessly.”
Hinata accepted the weapon with both hands, bowing her head in gratitude. “Thank you, Neji-nii-san. I will not fail.”
Neji gave her a final, long look, his lavender eyes softening despite his worry. “Go, then. And Hinata… return safely. That is all I ask.”
With that, Hinata lifted her bag and prepared to leave the estate, her heart heavy with both sorrow and determination. Every step she took carried the promise she had made to Kurenai, and the courage she had summoned to journey into a world far from the safety of Suna.
The wheels of the carriage rattled over the uneven road, sending jolts through Hinata’s body as she clutched the duffle bag on her lap. The carriage was crowded with travelers, merchants, and soldiers—people whose manners were rough, whose voices carried loudly and without concern. Every so often, a child would bump into her, and she had to steady herself, heart fluttering from the unfamiliar closeness.
Hinata’s delicate fingers gripped the handle of the duffle bag tightly. She was not used to such graceless surroundings, to the careless shoves and the loud, crude laughter. The dust from the road rose in thin clouds, settling on her pale robes, and the smells of sweat, horse, and unwashed travelers made her stomach churn.
She closed her eyes briefly and drew a steadying breath. I am doing this for Kurenai, she whispered to herself. This is not about comfort. This is about fulfilling her last wish.
When a merchant elbowed past her carelessly, she suppressed a flinch and adjusted the bundle of Kurenai’s ashes, cradling it against her chest as if her own presence could shield it from harm. She focused on the road ahead, imagining the quiet gardens and sacred places of Kumo, the place where Kurenai had asked to rest.
For all the discomfort and the unfamiliarity, there was a sense of purpose that made her chin lift, her back straighten, and her hands grip the duffle bag with quiet determination. She might feel out of place among these rough travelers, but the thought of Kurenai’s serene smile kept her steady.
Every bump of the carriage, every grunt and laugh from the passengers, reminded her that this journey was hers alone to take. And with every mile, Hinata’s resolve only deepened. She would get to Kumo. She would scatter the ashes. And she would honor the woman who had shaped her life, no matter how difficult the path may be.
Hinata pressed her hands to her lap, closing her eyes and trying to calm her racing heart. The rhythmic clatter of the carriage wheels on the uneven road was almost hypnotic, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to imagine the quiet gardens of Kumo, the place where she would honor Kurenai’s final wish. She knew the journey would be long and tiring, and sleep—if only a little—might steady her for the miles ahead.
But before she could drift off, the carriage lurched violently. Hinata’s eyes snapped open, and a cold surge of fear shot through her.
The driver’s shout came too late. The horses bolted in panic as the wheels of the carriage hit loose gravel. The vehicle tilted sharply, tipping toward the cliffside that had been hidden in shadow. Hinata’s hands gripped the edge of the seat, heart pounding as the world seemed to tilt around her.
“No!” she gasped, clutching the duffle bag tightly to her chest, Kurenai’s ashes pressed protectively against her. The carriage teetered precariously, creaking and groaning with each shifting weight.
The cliffside dropped sharply, a yawning void appearing beneath the wooden wheels. Hinata’s breath caught in her throat as the vehicle slid closer and closer to the edge. She could hear the horses’ frantic whinnies, the travelers’ screams rising above the roar of the wind.
Instinct took over. Hinata twisted, bracing her feet against the floor, gripping the sides of the carriage as it tilted violently. She could feel the bag slipping beneath her arms, the precious bundle threatening to tumble into the void.
Then—everything seemed to slow. The carriage teetered on the edge, the cliff yawning beneath them, and Hinata held her breath, knowing that the next moment could change everything.
Her mind flashed to Kurenai’s serene smile, her whispered last words: “Take me to Kumo, Hinata… live, and take care of yourself.”
With a surge of determination, Hinata dug her heels into the floor, gripping the bag as if her life—and Kurenai’s ashes—depended on it. Because in that moment, they did.