Flash Forward: Naruto Edition

Chapter 8 - Neji

Hey there, how you doing?

No, I'm not dead and neither is this story cancelled. It was just a case of e getting caught in whirlwind of my other stories and my sudden interest in Code Geass fanfiction that led to me not updating as soon as possible.

I sincerely apologize to you guys for having made you wait do long (since late November) for an update and I hope you guys are still with me. For those who are, thank you for your support. You guys are the reason why I'm still here.

Good news. I've almost reached the 1K mark on the number of followers and favorites and if this happens, Flash Forward will be my second story to have done so on . And if you're reading this on Wattpad, I've passed the 20K mark and this makes it my most popular story by a landslide on that site.

Fanfare and celebrations my friends, you've made the writer I am to today! I have nothing but love for all of you guys out there.

So without further adieu, I give to you, the Neji chapter...

Neji ignored the looks from his uncle, cousin and teammates as he walked towards the sealing array. He knew for a fact why they were looking at him like that. His abrupt shout about wanting to go next had caught them off guard, but to be totally honest, he had surprised himself as well. At the beginning of the meeting, he had already resolved into taking a turn into seeing his future, the hokage had ordered it after all. But he was not looking forward to it. I mean, who would want to see themselves living a destiny that fate had already decreed, as nothing more than a servant.

But those thoughts were quickly thrown out the window on the first future he had seen.

He had of course heard of Naruto. For a brief time, the boy had been in his class when he tried to pass the Genin Exams for the second time and had failed. From what Neji had heard, he had only passed this year on a technicality and was the year's dead-last.

Simply put, he was destined for failure.

Yet the boy had grown to become the village's Seventh Hokage and was extremely powerful, possibly even surpassing the First Hokage. An event like that was unprecedented and should not have happened, yet it had (or will happen? Time travel was confusing)

That had managed to shake his belief in fate, but the boy would have chalked it up to the boy being an anomaly. Yet, it happened again. The shy and weak-willed Hinata had grown into a being a confident mother of two who could stand proudly beside such a powerful figure.

Again that defied the wheel of fate.

With his belief being shaken at its core, Neji felt something he hadn't felt since the death of his father.

Hope.

Maybe... just maybe, there was chance for him.

A chance for what exactly? He had no idea but something... more.

Was he selfish for his thoughts? For hoping for a life beyond the grip of the Hyuga clan? For a family to call his own?

All he wanted, was to live a long and happy life...

... Fate was cruel mistress...

The seal once again glowed a brilliant blue as the boy pumped chakra into the seal. He took a step back as the kanji of the seal warped into a blank screen. He waited for a few moments for something to happen but was disappointed as the screen remained blank. His confused expression deepened when, instead of the vivid scenes of the future, the screen sputtered and fell apart, returning to their indiscernible kanji.