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chaosnojutsu · 9 months

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Who *Should* Have Died From The Konoha ~12 Instead Of The One Who Did

rules:

we’re assuming they die under the same circumstances as the other guy

each one listed would have a complete storyline and their death would further the immediate plot as well as the overall narrative

i’m not “just picking characters i don’t like”

i do not condone killing characters for the sake of shock value but am considering shock as a legitimate tool in generating impact of a character’s death

miss me with “[redacted]’s death was a tragic result of the shinobi system” because no it was not. if that were true you could sub out [redacted] for any other child soldier and get the exact same impact. we know exactly why they were chosen and it’s got an (insufficient) explanation irl and in-universe.

#3. Sai

Motivation: Friendship

First of all, imagine the shock value from killing one of THE Team Kakashi members.

Cool. Now imagine Naruto’s shock at Sai sacrificing himself for him.

Sai overanalyzes normal human interaction to the point of not understanding it. He reads books about how to befriend people. He still doesn’t understand it all the time but friendship is coming more naturally to him these days. What he does understand is that Naruto is the only chance of winning this war, and he’s down, and the enemy is aiming for him, and Hinata is trying to stop them but she’s on the ground, the spears are in the air and so is Sai, and Naruto is his friend.

He doesn’t need to think about it much deeper than that.

Now imagine Sasuke “What Does ‘Friend’ Mean To You” Uchiha witnessing this, witnessing Naruto’s reaction, and the further effects this may have on his character. After all, Sai was his replacement. If Naruto feels this strongly about losing someone who was decidedly not him but his friend and teammate nevertheless then… maybe.

#2. Rock Lee

Motivation: Youth

Regardless of *how* this one plays out, no one wants to watch the determined, precious, comedic relief die; no one who’s watched this far into the show wants Rock Lee specifically to die. Huge impact already. But we can make it super duper sad because he deserves a memorable death. I see it going one of two ways.

One: Hinata doesn’t even have the time to try to shield Naruto because Rock Lee is faster. Ten-Tails barely launches the attack and Lee’s already taken/attempted to counter the hit. Perhaps this is his eight gates moment. Similar to Sai, Rock Lee would cite the power of friendship in his dramatic death speech, but he also was just… doing his duty. Truly, if you’re in the “Neji was just another tragic child soldier” camp, Rock Lee is the prime example of what I mean when I say you could sub in any child soldier, which I know sounds paradoxical but stay with me. Rock Lee’s entire personality is training harder than anyone else to benefit a system that will ultimately result in his death. If you want to make a point about child soldiers and needless lives lost, Rock Lee is the one to kill.

Two: Rock Lee doesn’t shield Hinata. He shields Neji. But not necessarily on purpose. The scene plays out exactly as written up to the moment Neji activates his byakugan, and the next frame isn’t him falling to the ground, it’s Rock Lee. The usually-somewhat-reserved Neji is devastated, probably in tears, demanding to know why he would do something like this. Rock Lee coughs up a bit of blood. “I was faster than you.” Smile. “I finally beat you…” Serene eyes fall shut. “…rival.”

And now imagine Naruto’s reaction to losing Bushy Brow. Imagine him watching Gai be brought to his knees by a blow that didn’t physically touch him. Imagine Madara incorrectly perceiving that. The implications. The foreshadowing.

#1. Shino

Motivation: Legacy

I’m gonna be real, the writers were never gonna kill off Rock Lee like that, which is the biggest reason Shino has taken the crown as Most Worthy Of A Tragic Death in my book.

This dude has a connection to both Naruto and Hinata (making him equally as good a sacrifice as Neji if that’s the canon criteria). However, unlike most other (male) characters, Shino isn’t shown to have a particularly close friendship with Naruto. The one recurring joke around Shino is that he’s so irrelevant even Naruto can’t remember his name.

But he is good friends with Hinata. And he knows she’ll spend the rest of her life miserable if Naruto dies, and that if she dies right now she will never have gotten her life’s greatest wish.

So Shino goes out in a blaze of glory, and we’ll probably insert something about how Naruto has somehow secretly inspired him all along— or maybe something cynical about how he always wanted to be included by Naruto but never was unless Kiba or Hinata were around, so he’s sacrificed himself to maintain the livelihood of everyone else while not “losing” that friendship himself— and we of course get the touching moment with Hinata (oh just imagine the drama if Shino lay dying and told Hinata “Why did I protect you? It’s simple. The reason is… for the same reason you protected him.” and we find out that the huge secret crush of the show was not Hinata toward anyone, but Shino toward Hinata, never confessing because he knew it would be futile).

Good luck forgetting his name now, Naruto. Now no one will ever forget about Shino Aburame.

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watermelonsloth · 6 months

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Alternative Canon Ships

I think something that annoys me and a lot of other people about the canon ships is that they weren’t the only options by a country mile. So I wanted to finally put my money where my mouth is and take a crack at pairing the Konoha 12 without changing the manga.

Anyone I didn’t mention here should be presumed single in my AU because I either think they’re better single or I don’t care about who they end up with.

Option 1

Naruto and Sasuke - The entire series is about them learning to understand each other and ending the cycle of hatred by coming together (in holy matrimony). Naruto wouldn’t have a character arc without Sasuke and Sasuke’s character arc is incomplete without Naruto. I don’t think I need to explain how they act as foils and compliments for each other or how they’re willing to go to great lengths for each other or how they show time and time again how much they value each other.

Sakura and Rock Lee - We really went through the chunin exams for nothing. They have very little screen time together, but what we have is good enough for it to at least make sense. Rock Lee is clearly willing to both wait and die for her and Sakura has a mini arc about learning not to judge people on appearances and to respect him that culminates in her giving him flowers in the hospital. Worst case scenario it needs to get the NaruHina treatment and have a movie made about why they came together in the end.

Shikamaru and Choji - I’ve already said that I don’t care for any of the inter-Ino-Shika-Cho ships, but they interact with too few characters for me not to bring them up here. They’re childhood friends, they obviously care for and respect each other, they have complimentary personalities, and Shikamaru stands up for Choji on multiple occasions. They don’t get too much attention in shippuden because Choji and Ino were shafted, but they at least continue to support each other when they are shown interacting.

(This is where we start losing a sturdy foundation because the characters don’t have enough screen time spent interacting with anyone unmentioned. From here on out the bar is in hell and I’m only pairing the characters off because it would’ve been expected.)

Ino and Sai - A lot of people shit on this ship and I get why (Ino is caught in Sakura’s shadow and Sai was literally Sasuke’s replacement in team 7, so it’s easy to see them as discount SasuSaku). However, the ship isn’t the most unbelievable in canon. Ino has shown that she has genuine feelings for Sai and they at least interact with each other.

Hinata and Shino - Hinata would make sense with either of her teammates, but I’m choosing Shino because he makes more sense. They’re similarly introverted types, they get along, Shino has been shown to have faith in her abilities (I’m not saying Kiba doesn’t, but Shino’s more consistent about it), and I think it would be fitting for Shino (who’s insecure about being unnoticeable) to end up with someone who would prioritize him if he ends up with anyone at all.

Option 2

Naruto and Sakura - These two would’ve made more sense, “red herring” and “pursued her for rivalry” my ass. Both are ready and willing to make sacrifices for each other, they interact a lot and most of it is positive (we aren’t mentioning the slapstick because I’m not having that asinine argument), there were hints throughout shippuden of Sakura returning his feelings, they have complimentary personalities, Sakura ending up with Naruto is beneficial to her character, Naruto ending up with Sakura is in-line with his character arc and theme, both stop to consider each other’s feelings on multiple occasions, Sakura attempts to help Naruto in any way she can on a regular basis, (even if I hate how often this is mentioned) Sakura is explicitly compared to Kushina, there are more hints at their relationship than I care to list here, and there’s symbolism for a flower under the sun/heaven and earth.

Sasuke and Karin - SasuKarin is the sister ship to Naruto and Sakura because of its parallels (the Uzumaki has feelings first, the girls are both compared to Kushina, the girls both act as support and medics to the boys who take on leadership roles, the Uzumaki wants to protect/see their love interest’s smile, etc). As for reasons: Sasuke has been shown to respect Karin and her abilities, Karin loves Sasuke because he was the first person to show her kindness, Karin has put her life on the line for Sasuke on multiple occasions, both are willing to go to great length for the other, and both unlocked abilities for the sake of saving the other.

Ino and Sai - I’ve already explained this.

Shikamaru and Temari - This ship isn’t perfect, but I think it makes enough sense for most people to not be upset (the only people I’ve seen complaining about it are people who hate Shikamaru or ship something else). They always share at least one scene when Temari enters the story, there are hints about it being romantic, and makes more sense in canon than many of the other options.

Choji and Hinata - This is, admittedly, a stretch, but it isn’t as much as a stretch as ChoKaru so I’m considering this still in the safe zone. The two both have shy and sweet personalities that make it easy to imagine them getting along, both struggle with overcoming their low self-esteem and taking action themselves, both care deeply for their friends, Hinata fits with what Choji wanted romantically in his infinite tsukuyomi dream, and both have the shared idea of maintaining kindness even in a ruthless shinobi world.

Bonus

Naruto and Hinata - This ship was fine, even with its lack of screen time, but the Last and Boruto ruined it, so we’ll just pretend that didn’t happen. Naruto learned to not judge and respect Hinata, Hinata has multiple scenes where she snaps Naruto out of spiraling (the proud failure speech is still peak NaruHina), Naruto stands up for Hinata, Hinata takes a lot of inspiration from Naruto and his determination, and Hinata cares about Naruto’s wellbeing and feelings so much it’s a near irrevocable part of her character. With nothing changed it would still be just as flawed and clumsy as in canon, but it wouldn’t be unforgivable.

Hinata and Rock Lee - Again, I’m stretching canon for a Hinata ship, but I think there’s enough ground to stand on to at least mention it. That ground being a weird amount of parallels. They both have experience being in Neji’s shadow, both of them are untalented and make up for their shortcomings through hard work, both care about the people they love to a self-sacrificial degree, both are true to their word, both of them admire Naruto (join the club), both of them has a teacher that acts as a parental figure, and both of them have unrequited love because the target of their affection has feelings for someone more conventionally attractive than them(though Hinata gets more conventionally attractive as the series goes on so…).

Ino and Choji - It’s not perfect, but it gets the job done. They support each other as teammates, Ino could help Choji be more confident, Ino getting with Choji could symbolize her getting past her superficiality, and they don’t have opposing personalities or beliefs as far as I can tell.

Sasuke and No One - I’m just putting this here to remind everyone that there’s an argument to be made about Sasuke being better off without a relationship. I absolutely get why he was paired off and I probably would too if I was in charge of the epilogue (it can be an indicator of him and the clan healing, plus an Uchiha child/the sharingan is a fun idea to mess around with), but him remaining single also makes sense. He states how he’s disinterested in romance and he just doesn’t have that many working potential love interests in canon. Yes, there’s Sakura but more than a movie could cover would have to change before the two of them could reasonably work together and it might still ruin her character.

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naruto-shipping-confessions · 1 year

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#Anti KibaHina #NaruHina #ShinoHina

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friendlynova · 2 years

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KibaHina good, NaruHina bad

#anti naruhina #hyuuga hinata #kibahina #shinohina is also good #hinata hyuga

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lunaneko14 · 5 years

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So I’m just wondering since we have a lot of ships that involve Hinata which one is your favorite and least favorite ( excluding naruhina because we all know that’s best ship for hinata) 🤫😏

LN14:

Best- SasuHina

Middle- InoHina, GaaHina, LeeHina, TenHina, KibaHina, ShinoHina, SaiHina, ChojiHina

Worst- SakuHina, NejiHina, DanzoHina, and BoruHina

#sasuhina #inohina #gaahina #leehina #tenhina #kibahina #shinohina #saihina #chojihina #anti sakuhina #anti nejihina #anti danzohina #anti boruhina #hinata hyuga #submission

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beanerbrujx · 7 years

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You very much can be pro Hinata and anti NaruHina

I mean, a lot of pro Hinata/anti NaruHina fans honestly don’t believe Naruto deserves Hinata, even if he was a clueless teenager, the fact remains that Naruto did not react to Hinata’s confession, something a lot of Antis very much dislike

A lot also ship Hinata with other characters, in cases like KibaHina or ShinoHina, it’s two guys that always acknowledged her and her strengths since they all became members of Team 8, or another popular pairing for her is SasuHina, where the shippers ship potential since Hinata was the only girl that never once chased Sasuke, they ship the idea that what the two’s relationship would be had they interacted, how Sasuke would have reacted differently to Hinata than he did the other girls his age

TL;DR: Never accuse someone of being anti Hinata simply because they don’t like the ending, a lot see wasted potential in her marrying her first crush, rather than move past it

#pro hinata #anti naruhina #sasuhina #kibahina #shinohina #and i'm a naruhina shipper so like don't even try to come at me that way #i'm also just multihina in general #300

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kyriolex · 7 years

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Shino’s finally hit his stride as a teacher

Shino has his groove back; he’s the cool one again!

So in episode 10, Boruto, Shikadai, and Mitsuki skip class after handing over a fake absentee note. Shino immediately sees through the note and calls their parents, bringing hellfire onto Boruto and Shikadai’s heads.

Shino calls a meeting with Boruto and Hinata. The conversation basically goes:

Boruto: I can’t waste time in school! I have to fulfill my destiny as the star of hope!

Shino: Boruto, I get that you’re the protagonist, but you still have to get an education. If you must have your adventures in the daytime, then I’ll have to tutor you after school.

Boruto: Sensei, why are you being so UNREASONABLE? Adults are all the same. (Poofs his clone in a tantrum)

Hinata apologizes, saying that Boruto is just trying to impress his dad. Shino sympathizes, saying that he often overcompensated to live up to his own father’s legacy (Glad to see my headcanon confirmed!). Hinata argued that Shino was always super-mature as a kid and didn’t yell at his teachers. She also calls him Shino-kun, so it seems they are still close.

Then Shino asks, “Have you told Naruto about Boruto playing vigilante?” Hinata says that Naruto is already so busy he barely sleeps, and she doesn’t want to add to his problems. Shino then says what everyone in the fandom has been thinking, which is, “You should tell him. Naruto is Boruto’s father before he’s the Hokage.”

Hinata admits he’s right. Then Shino looks out the window and says in a heartfelt voice, “...don’t look so sad.” At which point all of the ShinoHina feels rose up in me and I died.

The next day, Shino tells the class that they are going to do workplace training and that the kids can choose who they shadow. Boruto and Shikadai are trying to figure out a way to skip class when Shino sneaks up behind them and goes “Did you understand what I said, Boruto? You can pick ANY occupation in the village, hint hint.” At which Boruto realizes he can shadow the mailman. That way he can hunt for ghosts in the village without skipping class. It really was a brilliant solution on Shino’s part. It shows Shino does take Boruto’s quest seriously and is willing to go the extra mile to support him.

See, Shino is really good with kids when the plot allows him to act in character.

#Shino Aburame #Shino-sensei #Boruto #Hinata Hyuuga #anti-naruhina #ShinoHina #I know they have a platonic relationship but let me dream

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cynicaljapanophile · 5 years

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Hana’s Masterlist

* = Personal Favorite

Naruto|

MasterChef AU|

I | II | III | IV

Reality TV AU|

Keeping Up with the Naras

The Lee Family : A Reality Show

Youtube AU|

I | II | III | IV | V

Teacher AU|

I | II

Team 8 Headcanons|

I | II

College AU|

I | II

BNHA AU|

I | II | III

Modern Family AU|

Uchiha Family Headcanons*

Uzumaki-Namikaze Family Headcanons

Hyuga Family Headcanons*

Hyuga-Uchiha Family Reunion Headcanons*

Nara Family Headcanons

Hyuga Family Game Night Headcanons

Hyuga Family with Instagram

Mall AU|

Neji and his S/O(Modern AU)|

Neji Relationship Headcanons(Modern AU)

Neji Camping with his S/O Headcanons

Neji Hiking with his S/O Headcanons

Meeting Neji’s Family Headcanons

The Time Konohamaru, Moegi, Hanabi, and Udon (Kinda) Broke the Law Headcanons*

Celebrity AU -

I | II | III

Rock Lee General Dating Headcanons

Neji Unrequited Love Headcanons

Amortentia Headcanons

What They Look for in a Lover : Team Guy

Kakashi Hatake Relationship Headcanons

Shikamaru Relationship Headcanons

Itachi Uchiha Relationship Headcanons

Pros and Cons of Dating Them : Team Guy

Pros and Cons of Dating Them : Team 8

Naruto Characters as Kids I Went to School With

Team 7 Making Up with their S/O After an Argument Headcanons

Sai Relationship Headcanons

Naruto and Lee Liking the Same Girl Headcanons

Team Guy Cuddling Headcanons

Kakashi Hatake with a Younger S/O Headcanons

Sexuality Headcanons

Clan Headcanons|

Hyuga Clan Headcanons

Uchiha Clan Headcanons

Character x Character|

ShinoHina Headcanons

Pros and Cons of their Relationship : NejiTen

Fallout AU|

HPHM|

Height Headcanons|

I | II

Jane Court Headcanons

Theatre AU|

Edgy Wizard Teens and a Ouija Board Headcanons

Sexuality headcanons|

I | II

FMA AU|

I | II

Hospital AU|

Mock History Reports

A (Mock) History Report : Patricia Rakepick

Fallout AU|

I | II

What She Sees in a Lover : Penny Haywood

What I Would want from HPHM if it was a PC/ Console Game

Rowan Khanna Headcanons

Rowan Khanna Relationship Headcanons

How I Would Write HPHM in Bullet Point Format|

How I Would Write Merula’s Redemption Arc*

How I Would Develop Tulip’s Character in a Side Quest

“We’re friends, right?” : A Rowan Khanna Side Quest*

How I Would Write HPHM : Year One Chapter One

How I Would Write HPHM : Year One Chapter Two

“Another One Bites the Dust” : A Rowan and MC Side Quest

How I Would Integrate MC into Harry Potter Canon

ASKS|

Interview MC About Jacob Asks

Interview Jacob Asks

MY MC|

House of Evergarden(Family Profile)

Hana Kim(Profile)

Hana, Rowan, and Ben Friendship Headcanons

Character Profile

The Cursed Child and The Curse Breaker|

Summary :

“This is just a puzzle to be solved in a place full of mystery.”

-Hana Evergarden-Kim, O.M.(First Class)

In which the Cursed Vaults start to cause problems for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry once again after almost 30 years.

Status : Ongoing

Prologue | Bonus chapter | Chapter 2

Platonic Soulmates|

Summary : A series of short stories about Rowan and Hana’s friendship.

Roommates|(Modern AU)

Summary : In which two childhood friends are roommates that are often mistaken for a couple.

Status : Ongoing

Introduction | Chapter 2

My Thoughts on Merula|

My Personal Reason for not Wanting to Become Friends with Merula

What I Hope will Happen with Merula and MC’s Relationship(but probably won’t)

Merulas Age isn’t an Excuse for her Bullying

Merula is a Bad Tsundere

Another Anti Merula Rant

A List of all the Bad Things Merula has Done

Merula is Toxic for MC(in my opinion)

The Royal Tutor|

Heine Wittgenstein Relationship Headcanons

D.Gray Man|

Lavi Relationship Headcanons

Lavi with a Short S/O Headcanons*

Millenium Earl Relationship Headcanons

General Cross Relationship Headcanons

Millennium Earl and General Cross Cuddling Headcanons

Barakamon|

Seishuu Handa First Date Headcanons

Fire Force|

Takehisa Hinawa Relationship Headcanons

RWBY|

Sexuality Headcanons|

Fallout 4|

Height Headcanons

Harry Potter|

How I Would Write a Dramione Fic Without Romanticizing Abuse(in bullet point format)*

Toxic Communities|

The Kpop Community

Shipping Community : Fetishizing Male Friendships

Random Thoughts|

My Message to the Killing Stalking Fandom

My Annoyance with How People Treat the Kinds of Paradise MC

#harry potter hogwarts mystery #hogwarts mystery #hphm #naruto #the royal tutor #d.gray man #d gray man #dgm #barakamon #fire force #enn enn no shouboutai #hana's masterlist #myposts #finally done with the masterlist after forever

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lunalockser · 7 years

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Ships

I always seem to ship the ships with plenty of antis or no chance of becoming canon, or involve a tragedy.

Plenty of antis

Gruvia

Nalu

Jerza

Swanfire

Captain Swan

Rumbelle

Dean/Lisa

No chance of being canon

Kibahina

Shinohina

Shinohinakiba

Choji/Ino

Nejiten(Seriously, fuck Kishimoto)

Bash/Mary

Megstiel

Tragedy Ships

Banlaine

Kiane

Melizabeth

Zervis

Outlaw Queen

Likw WTF heart? Why you like this pain?

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sasusaku-on-konoha · 7 years

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Just to be Clear

OTP ship: SasuSaku CANON ships I favor: ShikaTema, MinaKushi, MikotoxFugaku, InoSai non-CANON ships I favor: NeijiTen, InoSaku, SakuKarin, KarinxSuigetsu, NaruSaku, NaruGaara, Hinata x the-rock-that tripped-her-during-vs.-Pain Anti ship: NaruHina, SasuHina, SasuKarin, ShinoHina, KibaHina Favorite characters: Sakura Haruno Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha, Sarada Uchiha, Karin Uzumaki, Ino Yamanaka, Tsunade Senju, Kushina Uzumaki, Mikoto Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, Shikamaru Nara, Neiji Hyuuga, Tenten Anti Character: Hinata Hyuuga

P.S.

I maybe anti SasuKarin, but I'm a pro Karin. In fact I ship Karin with anyone else (most especially to Sakura & Suigetsu), as long as I don't ship her with Sasuke. And I despise anyone who hates her just because she is a fangirl of Sasuke, like she's a decent woman, hello? And Ino's was once a fangirl of Sasuke, so what's the difference? (=_=)

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syao · 7 years

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#SyaoRereads: The Sparrow by Goldberry

It’s #NejiTenMonth this July, so in the spirit of celebration for my favorite Naruto OTP (next to the unfathomable ShinoHina, haha!), I’m re-reading and reviewing NejiTen stories that really, really left an impression on me.

Today, I’m starting with who I personally feel is the best NejiTen author in the fandom. Goldberry crafts such excellent, in-character stories. (I reckon she understands Neji and Tenten far better than Kishimoto himself does!)

Among her library of great reads, I consider The Sparrow as my favorite. I don’t usually like angst, but I fell in love at first read with this fanfic.

For those who haven’t read it yet, spoilers abound. Also, please go and read the story right now. It’s goddamn beautiful.

Birds fly and die and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Except for Tenten, she tries.

This 10-minute read packs a lot of powerful symbolism and emotion, beginning from 7-year-old Tenten’s incredible compassion and selflessness shown in her treatment of the titular sparrow. The simple, age-appropriate explanation of young Tenten’s concern for the animal and its ties to Hyuuga Neji built the foundation of her protectiveness and affection for him later on in the story.

It was Neji who caught her, a flash of confusion crossing his face before his features resumed their normal flat expression. She knew he couldn't understand how she had failed to save herself, how she could have miscalculated so badly as to fall prey to such a simple mistake...

I loved this catch scene. It was described so vividly that I could visualize the whole scene as an anime filler sequence.

One thing I always struggle with in writing NejiTen stories is how to show restraint in handling Neji, particularly his interactions with Tenten. Canonically, he doesn’t speak much or demonstrates emotions. He’s no Rock Lee who readily jumped into the arena during the Chuunin Exams arc out of worry for embattled Tenten. This makes it hard to move the plot along.

But in this story, Goldberry capitalizes on this. The story is mostly told from Tenten’s POV, and her seeing a change in expression in usually poker-faced Neji makes the scene more impactful. Yet the same POV shields us from what Neji was thinking at that time, tapping on good ole shoujo tropes of denial and downplaying of romantic tension.

"They're going to find out eventually, Tenten. It will only make it harder...in the end...if you keep protecting them."

She smiled a little, though the look was grim. "They have enough burdens to bear. This one is mine alone."

Maito Gai is frequently reduced in fanfics as a lovable buffoon, so I like stories that tackle his other persona-- the one that stopped Neji from the final move that would have seriously harmed Hinata in the Chuunin match and would have made his student regret it forever.

In here, Gai shares the burden of concealing Tenten’s “last, final sparrow”, adding to the element of dread that we’ve come to expect from Your Lie in April.

The four of them were only halfway there when it hit her, a pain so intense she saw white stars and dropped to the ground, struggling to breathe, literally gasping for air. Neji and Lee were beside her instantly and she could hear their voices but it was beyond her to answer when she wasn't sure she could take another breath. There were some long, horrible minutes while her teammates could only watch their capable, strong kunoichi writhe on the ground, tears on her face from the supreme effort it took to force her failing lungs to work.

This passage played out exactly as the anime would have in my mind. The contrast between the “capable, strong kunoichi” and the writhing woman on the ground was such a painful contrast, and at the same time, it established how well-regarded and respected Tenten is in her team. THIS is the dynamic that differentiates their team from the rest of Konoha 11, where women are regarded as either damsels-in-distress or annoying nags.

Neji and Tenten’s conversation prior to the climax is the part that most moved me in this story, ESPECIALLY this segment:

"I heard you say, 'I'm dying'." His white eyes flashed at her and she could see the hopeless rage in his face. "Why didn't you tell me, Tenten? About the birds, about your sickness... I would have.. I could..."

"You could what, Neji?" she asked, tiredly. "Fight death?"

She had meant it to be rhetorical, but Neji's gaze met hers firmly. "I would try."

HE WOULD FIGHT DEATH FOR HER SAKE OMFGBBQ!!!!12340J!!!

/clears throat Sorry about that. So where was I? Ah yes, the moment that the Neji wall breaks. His “hopeless rage”, the lines he couldn’t finish, and the “I would try” line. It was perfectly Neji through and through. And once again, I have to laud the writer for the impressive restraint. No overt “I love yous” were exchanged here, but, dammit, if a guy is ready to fight death for you, you better believe it’s one true love, hun.

The operation scene puts you amidst the scary, tense-filled moments. There’s little dialogue, yet it feels like you’re hearing and feeling all the character’s sentiments, thanks to the well-written exposition.

He was almost...frantic, and the very idea of that made her start. Neji was never anything but cool, collected, icily arrogant in the face of danger. Even angry, he always remained in control. To hear him now, it was almost as if...as if he were afraid.

Afraid of losing her.

Afraid of losing a teammate, her mind corrected, but even she didn't quite believe that.

Neji’s crumbling facade. Tenten’s blossoming epiphany on how important she might just be to him.

"She owes you a great deal. Without your eyesight, we might never have-"

"She owes me nothing, Hokage-sama," Neji said quietly, still watching her. "It was I who was repaying a debt."

What a great anti-climactic moment this is, Neji finally being given the opportunity to express how he feels for Tenten-- including acknowledging her kindness and sacrifices for him. As a reader, I felt Tenten was vindicated for having to go through all of this. Plus, what a very Neji thing for Neji to say, no?

So in conclusion...

Imagery and symbolism-wise, The Sparrow knocks it out of the park. The “less is more” approach to dialogues also helped make it feel more IC and believable, especially Neji. The transitions were also great and didn’t feel abrupt at all.

All in all, it’s a story worth reading and re-reading if you ever need a NejiTen fix.

Next week: I’m reviewing Neji Gaiden by Levi Ackerman. Multi-chapter. Dammit, bid me good luck with this one.

#neji x tenten #nejiten #fanfic #SyaoRereads

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naruto-shipping-confessions · 7 years

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It’ll take me a long time to tag them all, but this post should include all kinds of alternate canon pairs.

#Anti SasuSaku #Anti NaruHina #Anti ShikaTema #Anti SaiIno #NaruSaku #SasuNaru #KibaHina #ShinoHina #ShikaIno #SasuKarin

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kyriolex · 7 years

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Fog

I wrote this for the "Worst Fear" day of the JuneBug2k17 challenge. I tried to put the fic in the blog’s submit box, but I couldn’t figure out how to place a ‘read more’ line in there, so I’m posting like normal and using tags instead (sorry).

This takes place in an AU where there is no chakra ghost conspiracy, leaving Shino without an outlet for his existential crisis. Prepare for lots of unnecessary angst.

Shino Aburame wakes up feeling like the fog outside his window: cold, damp from night sweats, and full of hazy, half-awake thoughts. A light tune rings from his phone, reminding him that he has to be at the Academy in ninety minutes. Shino pushes his bed covers off. He would trade his right hand for another hour of sleep, but he has a job to do. He might not do it well, but he needs to do it all the same.

"He's not as dependable as the other teachers…"

"Is there anything someone like him can teach us?"

"Even his shadow has more presence than him."

Shino squeezes the sheets between his fists. Yesterday had been a disaster. He'd set up a party for Mitsuki, hoping the festivities would overshadow any ill feelings about the boy's Sound Village heritage. He'd bought snacks and cake from the grocery store, since no one would have trusted an Aburame's cooking. Then he'd grabbed balloons and stuffed animals in the school supply closet, left over from another class's party.

The stuffed animals had been his undoing. He'd thought that dancing puppets would be the finishing touch that would win the kids over. But as soon as Shiemi hugged one of the bears, the bugs inside leaked out. The whole field exploded in chaos. The children screamed and swatted at his bugs, who flew in a directionless panic. Even after Shino recovered his hive, the children gave him a wide berth. Some watched him in fear, others in disgust. In the span of five minutes, he'd transformed from a teacher into a freak.

Shino isn't sure how he'll face his class today. Should he pretend nothing happened? Bow down and apologize? Give a lesson on his kikaichu and why they aren't anything to fear?

He'll figure it out on the train ride to school. In the meantime, he needs to get dressed. He walks across his bedroom, floor chilling his bare feet. His bugs help him unbutton his nightclothes and carry them to the laundry basket.

As he slips on his undershirt, Shino catches his reflection in the corner of his eyes. He frowns. He looks like a scarecrow, with bony shoulders, twiggy legs, and hair the texture of straw.

He used to be fit. When he was a ninja, his body had been lean but muscled. He could run for miles without breaking a sweat. Back then, he'd considered his physique to be merely adequate. He hadn’t known how good he had it.

After the war, peace came. Hinata got married, Kiba got his own genin team, and Shino got unemployed. It was hard enough for a team of trackers to find work in peacetime – it was impossible for Shino to get hired as a one-man unit.

His father approached him, saying that now that Shino wasn't in daily danger of dying, he could dedicate himself to his duties as an heir. Specifically, becoming a host for the clans' more endangered bug species: the water-breathers, the metal-eaters, the web-weavers, and so on. If, say, all the clan's kidaichu wielders suddenly died, the Aburame would use the kidaichu in Shino's body to repopulate the species.

��Every few months, the clan implanted a new species into his body. Each bug had it's own needs regarding how much chakra it ate, when it ate, and so on. Every hour of the day, at least one species of bugs would be feeding off Shino's life force.

His hard-earned muscles melted off his frame. His stamina dropped in half. By age 20, a cloak of fatigue pushed his shoulders into a perpetual hunch. His father had never had these problems – he'd been able to host all of the bug species and raise Shino and work as a full-time jonin, all without letting his body wither into a skeleton. But Shino was half the man his father was. He could be a good ninja or a good host, but not both.

Shino, not willing to admit his failure, wanted to stay on the field. His clan duties were a priority, certainly, but he wanted to be more than a chakra farm for bugs. He wanted to contribute to the village as a person, as Shino. His father, worried for his health, demanded he quit working altogether and rest at home. The two of them came to a compromise in which Shino took on a civilian job at the Academy. It would allow him to prioritize his chakra for the bugs, but also have a life outside the compound.

After retiring from the field, Shino's body recovered to a manageable weight. However, he never returned to his old strength. He doubts he ever will. Thankfully, his green jacket hides his physique. The material hangs stiffly from his shoulders, making Shino look bigger than he really is. The pants are also intentionally baggy. The only pieces of clothing that genuinely fit him are his shoes.

He walks to the small kitchen down the hall. His breakfast consists of eggs, vegetarian sausage, toast, and a protein shake. He buys the shakes from the Akimichi clan, who use it for rapid calorie recovery. The protein powder sticks to his tongue, making everything else taste like cement, so Shino always drinks the smoothie last. He'd prefer not to drink it at all, but whenever he skips it, he gets dizzy halfway through the morning.

Shino slides open the door to his porch and carries his breakfast outside. His cottage is located in his clan's compound on the outskirts of the village. It takes him a forty-minute train ride to get to the Academy, but the long commute is worth it as long as he can come home to nature.

The fog rolls in through the trees like an ocean tide. Dew settles on the plants in his garden. A dozen ladybugs gather under the tomato leaves, hiding from the damp. Shino breathes in the cold, clean air.

Most of his colleagues are probably starting their day watching television or reading the news on their phones. But Shino likes to rest his eyes, so instead he admires the ultraviolet patterns on his silverweed and chameleon flowers. The flowers look plain to the average person, but with his clan's special eyesight, he can see their true beauty.

After breakfast, he ties up his hair and puts on his visor. The colors in his vision immediately dim, and the ultraviolet disappears altogether. It's a pity that he can't look at Konoha in its full glory, but if he went into the city without his visor, the neon signs would give him a migraine within the hour.

He grabs his book bag, locks his cottage, and walks to the train station. He arrives just as the train pulls in. Shino squeezes his way to a crowded car. An old woman shoves him aside as she grabs the last seat. He barely has time to grab the hand straps before the train shoots forward.

He sends the woman a pointed stare, but she's already absorbed in her phone. When he was a child, Shino could have walked in here and had two seats to himself - the other patrons would have been too disgusted to sit near him. These days, nobody recognizes the symbols on his jacket. They don't know who he is and they don’t care. Being a nobody feels a little better than being a nightmare, but only a little.

Nobody talks on the train, but it's still flooded with noise. Shino can hear the rap music leaking through a man's headphones, the tapping fingers on a teenager's phone, the gurgling of a cranky infant. The sounds crisscross through his ears, making it hard to hear his own thoughts. He tells his bugs in his chest to hum at a C sharp. Their buzzing doesn't drown out the noise, but it does give him something to focus on.

The train runs through a corridor of skyscrapers. Even with the visor on, all the flashing lights disorient him. He closes his eyes. His body was built for a dimmer, quieter world than this. Sometimes he feels like a bug in a storm, flying through winds meant for larger creatures.

He opens his eyes at the exact wrong time. The train leaps from the shadows of the buildings, and the daylight nearly blinds him. The rails run above the fog, so Shino has a clear view of the village below. Mist floods the streets so that only the colored rooftops show. Courier ninja leap from building to building, disappearing into the fog when they've found their destination.

One hill rises above the fog. It shows the homes of movie stars, entrepreneurs, and of course, the Hokage's family. Hinata's home sits at the top of that sunny place, glowing with the glory of domesticity. A purple dot moves through the garden, which can only be Hinata herself. She's watering the plants, surely, protecting them against the harsh sun.

Nostalgia rips through him. When they were children, he and Hinata spent almost every day together, sparring in the fields, tracking down criminals, eating around a campfire. Kurenai said Team 8 was meant to become Konoha's premier tracking team, so Shino and Hinata worked themselves to the bone, preparing for a future that never came. He used to wake up every morning to watch Hinata's eyes flutter open and her nose crinkle as she yawned. Now he would finish the week without seeing her face.

He didn't resent her. Team 8 would have split apart even if she hadn't left to marry Naruto. All of the old genin teams dissolved in the end. Team Gai fractured due to Neji's death. Team Asuma cracked when Shikamaru became the Hokage's assistant. Even the legendary Team Kakashi fell apart after all the members got married. It was natural for people to go their separate ways as they grew closer to their dreams.

Even if Hinata had stayed, Shino could only have delayed his clan duties for so long. What would those extra years on Team 8 have bought him? More experience for a job he wouldn't keep? More memories to miss once he was alone?

…A chance to confess, maybe. To tell Hinata about his impossible, foolish love for her. Shino had hinted at his feelings through compliments and favors, but she always misunderstood his intentions. His monotone voice and unexpressive face had made even poetry sound dry. But perhaps, given enough time, some of his emotions could have made it through.

Hinata would have rejected him regardless. But at least she could have acknowledged his feelings, made them real in some way. At least Shino would have been able to banish the 'what ifs' from his head. Instead his attraction faded after her marriage, withering into a vague fondness, until Shino wondered if he truly loved her to begin with.

The track curves, and Hinata disappears from his sight. The train rolls into the station, squealing as it jolts to a stop. The car doors open. The passengers pour outside, then disappear into the mist.

Shino walks under a boulevard of trees. The fog turns his fellow pedestrians into silhouettes. There aren't many people on this road, and the ones who are here do not talk to each other. If he keeps his eyes on the ground, Shino can pretend he is alone. Even the illusion of solitude helps him decompress from the noise of the train.

He reaches the Academy after a few blocks. There are no office buildings in the area, so sunlight shines on the school unimpeded. The fog rolls out of the shadows, washing in through the large gate. Inside the yard, sunlight burns through the fog. The mist evaporates rapidly, but still it glides forward. By the time it reaches the main doors, the fog has sunk below the children's ankles.

Shino sees a few of his students sitting in the shadow of the gate. Boruto, Shikadai, and Inojin are playing that ENS game, the one with real people on the cards. Shino hates that game. It teaches the kids to see people as objects, trading their parents and teachers like the daimyo used to trade mercenaries. Even worse is when the cards show martyrs from the last war, such as Neji Hyuuga or Muta Aburame. Perhaps Shino is old-fashioned, but he thinks it's disrespectful to sell photos of the dead for profit. That's why he's banned kids from trading the cards on school grounds.

Shino is about to scold the boys when he hears his name in the conversation. Boruto tosses a card into a pile by his feet. "Frickin' Shino-sensei. Why's he keep popping up all the time? I've got, like, 30 of him."

Inojin throws more cards into the pile. "He's a C-rank like Aunt Tenten. They don't call the cards 'common' for nothing."

Shikadai leans against the brick wall. "Who cares about his rarity level? His stats and his ability suck. He's useless."

Shino balls his fists. There's no need to get upset. The kids are talking about his card, not him.

Inojin peers at one of the fallen cards. "But the real Shino-sensei is actually way stronger, right?" Shino feels a rush of affection for the otherwise caustic child.

Shikadai snorts. "I doubt it. He's probably just like the card says." Boruto and Inojin snicker. Shino's affection disappears.

Shino's hive buzzes in his chest. His ribs vibrate. A few anxious bugs leave his body, crawling out his collarbones and down his arms. He's grateful for the long sleeves to hide his lapse in self-control.

Is this really what he spent all those years training for? To have his accomplishments forgotten? His clan's abilities insulted? Shino still has the kidaichu. Even with his diminished chakra, he could kill an opponent with one touch. Had the card company taken THAT into account when they ranked him?

More bugs skitter up his neck. Shino takes a deep breath and orders the bugs back inside his body. He needs to regain control. It's just a card game, after all. There's no reason to feel…to feel…

What is he feeling? Anger? Shame? Sadness? He can't put a name to it, but if his bugs are reacting this much, it must be something strong.

Shino wants nothing more than to turn around and ride the train home. He wants to brew himself some tea, meditate in his garden, and then nap the day away. But he can't run from his own students. He has an important job to do. The children need him.

…Shino tells himself that, but he knows it isn't true. There are plenty of teachers in Konoha. Most of them could do the job better than him. If he quit tomorrow, the children would likely be relieved to have a competent teacher.

The truth is, he needs them. If Shino quit his job, he'd lose any reason to leave his house. He'd lounge in his garden every day, letting his bugs drain all the chakra they pleased. His clan members would bring him groceries from the city. They'd probably cook for him if he asked. He wouldn't need to comb his hair or keep in shape – his only responsibility would be to stay alive until his father died.

Shino doesn't want to spend his life merely existing. He wants to be remembered. He doesn't have the strength to accomplish anything on the battlefield. He doesn't have the charisma to win himself a wife and make a family. And to be honest, he doesn't have enough personality to keep himself in his friends' thoughts – he has to use teaching as an excuse to call them up.

But he can still throw a kunai. He can do basic algebra. He can read from a textbook. Any adult can do those things, of course, but few are willing to pass on the skills. Even someone like Shino can become vital to a child's education. The kids may not respect him, but they will remember him, if only because of time they spend together.

That's enough of a legacy for Shino. It has to be enough. He has nothing else.

Shino strides through the gate. The boys see him and scramble to hide their ENS cards. Shino steps on one of his own cards, crunching his face beneath his sandal. Sunlight blazes down on his face, but he refuses to close his eyes. Like the fog, Shino will keep moving forward until he has nothing left to give.

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