Disclaimer: I do not, in any shape or form, own this.
Pairings: OC/Sakura/Neji...eventually NejiSaku...slight SakuSasu. NaruHina, ShikaTema...
Ratings: T (though it might change)
Summary:
Shirogane had been appointed to solve the problem of the Hyuuga clan and had to shoulder their current issue. With his solution in play, would he succeed to successfully have Neji lead the main house while stopping himself from falling in love with Tsunade's prize student at the same time?
Neji, being konoha's number one icecube and most seek male specimen, would he finally admits that he is a man with needs?
Sakura, having a chance away from Konoha, would she abandon her mission in search for her long lost love? Or would she train under her new teacher instead and abandon old fantasy and prepare for new ones?
KITSUNETSUKI SHIROGITSUNE SHIROGANE
"Whatever shall we do about our clan, Hyuuga sama?" questioned the black haired man with pale eyes, donning white hakama pants and a blue haori, looking passively at his lord.
"What is there to be done? Neither Hanabi nor Hinata seems to take any interest in taking over the clan." There was a slight frown in Hiashi's face as he looked over the councils faces.
"You are aware that someone has to continue to govern the Hyuuga clan, it will be such a waste to see a clan as powerful as Hyuuga to crumble without a leader." The man wearing matching clothes as the other one spoke, his eyes a pale shade of blue, his hair pale silver.
"Yes, I'm sure we are aware of such a fact. But we are currently facing a problem," another pale byakugan eyed man spoke murmuring his words that they were almost didn't pass through the ears of all of the men meeting.
"What of this existing problem?" The pale blue eyed asked everyone, though his eyes never leaving those of the clan leader.
No one had spoke, the pale eyes of all the byakugan user couldn't help but look at the tatami mat or their legs as they sit on it. Suddenly the traditional room they were preoccupying seem cold as chills run through the spine of the Hyuuga clan members, shuddering emotionally that they would have a weak head for the clan because of one blasted seal.
"Juin," Hiashi uttered.
"Hn," blue eyed snorted. "Is there anyway to get rid of it?" He asked hoping for a resolution.
"I'm afraid there's no existing solution to reverse it once it's done," Hiashi informed.
"Well then, we just have to ask the Hogake for some help about this juin issue were having," pale blue eyes sighed, hoping the great sucker could help them out with this one.
"If there was a way to reverse what's done, don't you think we would have done so already," fumed a Hyuuga, frustrated that the council personnel would even waste the precious time of the hokage for something that couldn't be resolve.
"Then let me ask you this, if you knew there was no way to reverse what's done, why the heck did you people follow through with this unlawful way of limiting this clan into two-half's to begin with, and what's worse you choose to make a servant out of the other?" He snarled, glaring at the Hyuuga that spoke as if everything is trapped to how things flow.
Hiashi could not help but stare at the man that spoke such words; it struck such a cord on his nerves, since he was responsible for the juin just as much as the main branch sitting next to him.
"Forgive me for my churlishness, Hyuuga sama. However I won't give up on this issue so easily. If none of your daughters would be clan leader, it's only right that Neji claims that right. He is an exceptional shinobi, I believe he is deserving of such a task, do you not think so Hyuuga sama?"
"His skills are exceptional, but with his juin he will be vulnerable to any main branch that will be against his ruling. It won't be wise to let him suffer that fate, Shirogane sama," Hiashi spoken dreading the fate that Neji have to injure if he become clan leader with the juin to be his burden.
"That's why I propose that we ask the hokage's help in this matter, surely there is a solution somewhere." Everyone was silent.
Well, I suppose since I'm the only one who's so enthusiastic about this whole matter; I'll be the only one hoping.
However, he wasn't the only one hoping, Hiashi found himself silently praying that the hokage could help to rectify the whole Hyuuga issue also.
"Let me get this straight Shirogane, you want me to find a cure to Hyuuga's juin?" The hokage stare at him in disbelief, her cheeks have a faint tint of red from drinking, and pointed to herself as she repeated Shirogane's request.
Shirogane nodded and mentally gulped.
The hokage laughed, running her red nailed fingers on her hair. "What makes you think I'll do it?" She glinted at the albino guy.
"What makes you think I haven't thought of what's in for you Tsunade," he responded smirking dropping the formalities.
"Well…"she slurred a bit, giving the effect that she was thinking.
"I know that you're having a slight problem with a certain cherry blossom at the moment, I'll gladly help you, you know," he smiled looking at Tsunade as she started to drink in his little gamble.
"So, I can deal with Sakura by myself; thank you very much. Plus she's my apprentice not yours," Tsunade huffed, looking at her walls, silently fuming that he thinks she is incapable of keeping her apprentice in check.
"Sure, but you do know that the certain cherry blossom is getting a little out of hand with her devotion to Sasuke, right! I can help you with that, I'll have her where you'll want her to be," he sheepishly pointed out.
"True, that girl is unbelievable strong nowadays. It's only a matter of time till she decides to run off herself to get the Uchiha brat back herself." Tsunade contemplated out loud. He couldn't help but smile since Tsunade was buying his bag of tricks, and the sad part is he wasn't even done yet.
Sakura knocked and entered her shishou doors.
"So do we have a deal?" She heard a cheery soft masculine voice spoke.
"Deal!" her shishou gladly responded. It left her wondering what was going on in the room.
"Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura called out, looking confuse at her shishou and a tall man she had never seen before. He stood there clad in traditional garbs of kimono that Samurai usually wore for battle with matching daimyo's signature kimono jacket.
"Ah, we we're just talking about you Sakura," Tsunade cheerfully said smiling through her teeth as she saw Sakura walking in.
"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura didn't like the look that Tsunade is giving her and couldn't help that today's training will be something she couldn't bargain out of.
"Haruno, Sakura, I'm assigning you a three year mission." Tsunade said so fast that Sakura thought she heard wrong.
"Ninmu?!" Sakura repeated in disbelieve. A mission at this moment! 'But I'm not even done learning souzou saise yet!'
Tsunade knew that Sakura was silently fuming, but she knew that once Sakura have mastered everything and if there are no sightings of the Uchiha brat, her little intelligent apprentice would start looking for him herself. She hated to admit it but Shiro-kun was right.
"You've heard right Sakura, a mission." Tsunade waited till Sakura drunk the words that came from her mouth. Looking at her as she was having an inner battle, she couldn't really blame her. It's been such a while since she had a mission.
Sakura trying to gain her composure after hearing such shocking news, tried hard to straighten her face and prepare to hear what her shishou have for her.
'SHANARO!!! IT'S ABOUT TIME SHE GAVE US A MISSION. A THREE YEAR MISSION AT THAT.'
'I appreciate the thoughts, but could you make it a little less loud, you're giving me a headache'
'Yeah, yeah, I got yah. But you hardly get excited anymore, besides this could be an opportunity to see Sasuke-kun'
At the mention of Sasuke, Sakura froze, thinking things over, she knew inner Sakura is right. It could be her only chance too. She has to accept.
'Maybe you're right.'
'I'm always right, I'm you, you know'
'Uh-huh, yeah right.'
'O--k, so maybe I wasn't always right, but you know that…'
'Yeah, yeah, I get it already. I just can't wait to hear what this mission is going to be.'
'A long one at that'
'Wait! A LONG ONE?!'
'Duh! Weren't you listening? IT'S A THREE YEAR MISSION'
Sakura now knew that she had her eyes as big as saucers at the moment; she couldn't believe that inner Sakura had listened more intently than she did. But it wasn't that, that shock her. It was the fact that she's going to have a lengthy mission doing who knows what at the moment. But she had to do it no matter what, the mission could possibly lead her to Sasuke-kun, she just have to go with this mission and accomplish it no matter what. She failed the first time, she'll make sure not to fail the second time.
She looked serious, finally accepting that this mission isn't going to be one of those ordinary one to three days mission. It will require dedication and hard work, and she's willing to provide just that.
Tsunade sensing her determination smiled.
Unbeknownst to Sakura, Shirogane was having the time of his life. He couldn't believe that he had convince Tsunade so easily about the Hyuuga's little problem through this cute pretty apprentice of hers. She was quite amusing to watch, changing expressions in her face; he could tell that she was having an inner battle.
"Haruno, Sakura," Tsunade started looking passively at her. "You're mission is to undergo training under Kitsunetsuki, Shirogane; he would be your sensei for three years. He would mold you to a perfect kunoichi under his careful watch as you both travel from village to village to fulfill the mission inscribe in a scroll that I'll give to him."
Sakura took her time digesting the information. For starters, she didn't even know this Kitsunetsuki guy…could she really trust him to be her sensei? Heck, couldn't she just have Kakashi-sensei train her instead?
"Hai," Sakura was reluctant with her answer, but she knows she had to do it; besides she might actually learn some useful things during her three year mission.
"Well, then it's settled, Shirogane knows the mission in detail, he would brief you whenever it's necessary. You're mission will start in a weeks time, Sakura. Dismiss." Tsunade informed and sighed once Sakura was out of her office.
"You better take care of her Shirogane, or I'll have your pretty little neck in a silver platter," if looks could kill, he was pretty sure he would be six feet under the ground by now; it didn't change the fact that he would be surrounded by a large crater either, if she had her way with him. Though it'll take more than her inhuman strength to put him in his grave anyways.
"I'll take care of her, Tsunade; you have my word and my honor too."
"Good. Now about Hyuuga, Neji"
Shirogane was walking through the streets of Konoha, it's been such a while since he had the chance to anyway. Since he joined the council three years ago, it's been nothing but paper works and talking to clan heads.
He didn't expect the feud in the household of Hyuuga to be the one he had to take care of. He couldn't help but let a soft laugh that it was thanks to Naruto that he is under this mess anyways.
He didn't know Naruto personally, only enough to get by. He knew he was a loudmouth orange clad ninja with the rank of a jounin. He also knew about kyubi like the rest of the older people over there. Though he wasn't really that old, he's still in his twenties after all, and he would certainly get angry if someone says other wise. He's an albino not an old man.
He could feel a sigh of relief being release from his throat as he glance around the streets and saw the blossom that he'll be spending three years with. Tsunade had entrusted her to him, he'll make sure to make a fighter out of her, while he was at it anyways. His curiosity for what the pink hair chuunin could accomplish had increase tremendously after seeing her train alone in the woods or healing in the hospital when he walks by.
He wasn't spying; he just accidentally stumbled upon her way. If it's fate, so be it. Now if its destiny…well, he certainly didn't knew enough to call it that.
"Hello there cherry blossom," he smiled sheepishly as he tap her from behind, he felt her sudden surprise when her shoulder tense a little.
Sakura just smiled and turn around to gaze at the man that was in her shishou office just an hour ago.
"Oh, my apologies; Tsunade hime didn't introduce us yet, I am Kitsunetsuki, Shirogane, your sensei after this week is done for," he introduce himself and courtly bowed.
"Haruno, Sakura," Sakura bowed to her sensei, "a pleasure to be your student."
"Now, now, don't say that yet. You don't even know what I'm capable off yet," he shrugged a little bit and laughed softly.
"If Tsunade-sama gave me a mission to train under you, then there's no need to question my sensei's capabilities is there." She stated.
"You sure have a lot of confidence in her," his smile not failing. I wonder will you have that confidence in me also after I train you dead hard.
"She is hokage after all, and with me being her apprentice I know enough not to ask why she want things done, only to get them done," Sakura pointed out in a huff disliking his lack of formality when it comes to her shishou.
"Acting like a true shinobi already, good, that's all you'll need anyways," he murmured and push behind her loose hair behind her ears and lean in to whisper something to her.
'I'll see you in a week's time, Sakura Chan," and with that he left without a trace, disappearing right in front of her, without any indication of movement for a hand seal. Sakura was in awe and at the same time flushing, no man in konaha had dared to whisper or act so innocently but at the same time seductive.
Sakura is seriously contemplating what would happen to her in this mission, especially being with her sensei that has a tone that could knock her unconscious. She felt as if Sasuke was there again, she felt like a silly fangirl again. Though, she would not, under any circumstance, run all across Konoha just to chase after him. She's still loyal to Sasuke after all. The sad part is she's the only one that's loyal to Uchiha, Sasuke. His fan clubs crumble and scattered after his betrayal. Most of the girls that used to be loyal to him are pinning over a certain tall, long dark haired Hyuuga.
She supposed she can't really blame them either. Hyuuga, Neji, like the rest of their generation had been training like a possess ninja since he left, though unlike most, he already made it to Anbu.
Sakura continue walking to her path, her destination is her home. A home that was only occupied by herself; her parents long left her to journey to the after life.
Unaware of her surrounding and her thoughts having a mind of there own, she was flustered at the fact that she won't be near Konoha for three years that she wasn't looking where she was heading or walking on. She was too busy in her own little world to notice that she had stop and fell backwards. She was too busy to even recognize that colliding with a wall toned chess hurt.
"Watch it, Haruno," a masculine voice warned.
"Huh?" Sakura looked utterly baffled, as her gaze catches the deadly Hyuuga, Neji glare glaring at her. 'Not good'
'Not good at all.'
She could feel her cheeks inflame. Utterly embarrass that she just collided with the second icebox of Konoha.
'Correction it's the first icebox of Konoha not the second.'
'Correction accepted, now how do we get ourselves out of this situation?'
'Erm…We fight ourselves out?!'
She felt the byakugan user's eyes on her. She knew she was panicking.
"I'm so sorry for bumping into you; I swear I didn't do it intentionally. You see I was distracted and…"
"Hn," he cut her off and extending his hands towards her.
Sakura didn't know whether to take it or not, she was still pretty confused. But she didn't want to be rude to him so she took it and he help her back to her feet.
"Arigatou," Sakura smiled softly, thanking his courtesy with a courtesy bow.
"Hn," He shrugged it off as nothing and continue his way, aware of the cherry blossom petal haired following him.
"Is that all you can say? Hn," Sakura was fuming and she loosely imitated the famous sound of the ice cube.
"…"
"I swear all the people I know that keeps saying 'Hn' is so…so…so…ARGH!" Sakura was frustrated and was clearly loosing her self-control. "Is that even a word?" she asked the passively walking byakugan user.
"…"
"Now, you're just ignoring me," Sakura sighed and hang her arms into the air, nodding her head negatively. "At least I know I won't miss the 'hn' and the silent treatment for three years," Sakura mumbled.
Neji heard it, every word of it, and he stop abruptly making Sakura bumping to him again; but before her body meet up with dirt again he held her wrist and pulled her up straight to his chess.
"Um…this sure is awkward, thanks for not letting me face the dirt Hyuuga-san," Sakura was embarrassed, it's been such a long time since someone held her close like this. It wasn't exactly a hug but there sure is contact.
"Repeat what you just said," Hyuuga demanded.
"Oh! I said THANK YOU, you arrogant jerk," Sakura mumbled the last part, Neji still heard it though, Sakura should know better that a ninja's ears is train to hear the tiniest things even if they have to strain there ears for it.
Neji ignored the arrogant part, "Not that, the one before that."
"Huh?" Sakura think for a while then it hit her, "oh you mean me not missing the way you are for three years."
"Three years?" Neji asked.
"That's right!"
Cliffy…I feel evil all of the sudden. . Anyways please be gentle with me it's my first naruto fiction and I'm not a great writer so please forgive my grammar. If there's a grammar mistake that's totally annoying feel free to add it in the review and I'll fix it quick.
Oh before I forgot!
Japanese vocabulary
Shishou-master(the teacher kind of master)
Juin-the hyuuga seal (I'm not entirely sure about this word, but as I heard it in the anime, I heard juin too, so I'll just stick with that)
Hai-yes (ok generally this word means yes, though there are some cases that it means more that just yes, but for now I'll just use that translation)
Ninmu-mission, duty
Souzou saise-creation rebirth (tsunade's techinique)