The Unknown Truth of the Past

I thought I'd start in on a one-shot series. This is gonna be a few chapters long though, so WHAT one-shot? Heheh... anyway, it was SUPPOSED to be a one-shot, but it was too long... oh well. A three/four-shot then. Who cares, eh?

Name: Kaede Hyuuga (nee Edagawa)

Age: 13-24

Hair: Mid-back length, bright orange, bangs, the hair in front of her ears is chin length and flipped out

Eyes: Brown

Personality: Lonely, aggressive, short tempered, likes kids, cares deeply about her friends and loved ones

Height: 4'11"-5'4"

Weight: 77 lbs-105 lbs

Bust: 34 B-34 C

Body: Skinny and small

Before becoming a Genin, she was already out of control. She fell in with "bad kids," and spent her days doing "bad things." Some people cried or begged, but she still beat people senseless…or they beat her.

"Look at that."

"Dear God."

Kaede slowly opened her eyes. Where was she? Images flashed through her mind… the flashing knives, the blood, the pain… 'Ah, now I remember,' she thought. 'The fight last night… ugh what are those women blabbering about?'

She raised her head a little and glared at the two women staring at her. Yes, she must have been quite a sight, lying on the cold pavement in a back alleyway, covered with blood and bruises. To her great annoyance, one of the women started to walk away.

"I'm going to get the pol – AH!"

Kaede had thrown her boot at the woman's head, barely missing her. She sat up, glaring at those nosy hags who dared to look at her. They cowered under her gaze. "What are you lookin' at, hags?" she growled. "Don't make me break your nose!"

One of the women shivered. "That's so scary…" she muttered.

"How on earth was she raised?" questioned the other.

Slowly, Kaede got to her feet, grabbing her bloody jacket from where it lay in a mangled heap nearby, slowly stalking off as the women looked on in horror.

Parents.

Well, she had them, but she came from a cold household, she would later say with a bitter smile.

Her dad was never home, and when he was, all he cared about was how much money he had and how he could make more. Her mom on the other hand only cared about her family's image. They never went out as a family, and rarely even ate together. She couldn't remember even being held as a child.

"Get out! You're a disgrace!"

Smack! Kakeru Edagawa had slapped his daughter across the face. She had just gotten back from the fight scene and was still covered in blood, although she had wrapped her arms in bandages and had one on her cheek. She hardly even felt the slap. She was cold inside, empty.

"In this world," Kakeru began, "There are people who are needed, and people who aren't. You're the latter, you ungrateful child. Never set foot in this house again!"

"Dear, please…" faltered Mai Edagawa, Kaede's mother.

Kakeru ignored his wife and stomped away, back into his office with his precious money.

Mai turned to face her daughter, tears running down her face. "Kaede…" she began, then stopped. She swallowed and tried again. "Kaede-chan. Why is this happening? Why did you turn out like this? Do you realize how angry your father will be at me? Do you know what they neighbors are saying? Why? Why are you like this?!"

During this speech, Kaede was slowing sensing the feeling coming back into her. Anger. Hurt. And sadness. She clenched her fist and with a bang slammed it against the door behind her. She looked her mother in the eyes, glaring, eyes filled with hate.

"Then you shouldn't have had me." She spat. "Yeah? JUST WHO THE HELL ASKED YOU TO HAVE ME?!"

She later told her husband…that it was like her body was made of broken glass. She couldn't trust anyone. Not her parents, not her friends… she only hurt them. She said that she liked to wander the streets at night. She'd stay out really late. Those nights on the road, she felt like laughing and crying. She felt like she could go anywhere. But at the same time…she couldn't move.

"Edagawa! What on earth are you wearing?!"

Kaede had, for once, shown up for training. Her sensei, Kazuaki, wanted to enter her team into the Chuunin Exams that summer, but frankly? Kaede just didn't give a damn. It wasn't like it mattered. Her sensei was very strict on his students not only being good shinobi, but looking the part as well, and today, Kaede certainly didn't look the part.

She was wearing a new street fashion. A long, black skirt, a white low-cut top, her black, blood-stained jacket, and a spiked choker necklace. Not only that, but she still had the bandages on her arms and face.

Kazuaki frowned as he looked her up and down. This outfit was completely inappropriate! "It's rare to have you show up for training at all, and now this? This…street fashion?"

Kaede shrugged. "Yeah…. So?"

Kazuaki's face reddened in anger. He grabbed Kaede's arm and started dragging her back to his house. "You're coming with me!" he yelled. "I'm calling your parents."

When she finally became a Genin, she hardly ever showed up for training. That's why it really was a coincidence that she met him there at all.

Halfway back to his house, Kazuaki changed his mind. This girl was dangerous, he should take her to someone higher up. Yes, that was the thing to do… and instead he drug her to the Hokage's office. Leading her in, he shoved her forwards, barely noticing as she stumbled over a chair.

The Third Hokage raised an eyebrow. "Kazuaki-san?"

"It's this…girl!" Kazuaki explaimed, jabbing a finger at Kaede. "She's a menace! She's hindering her team mates, who actually CARE about their careers! AH!"

Kaede had just snapped. Picking up a chair, she swung it as hard as she could at her sensei. He just barely managed to jump out of the way. Both he and the Hokage stared at her, horrified.

Kaede's eyes were wide and rather bloodshot. Her cheeks were red and a look of pure contempt was being shot at her sensei and the Hokage. "Shut UP, you nosy bastards!" she yelled. "Your squawking's not gonna scare me! GOT THAT?!"

As this was going on, a tall man with long, dark brown hair was on his way to the Hokage's office. He had just gotten back from a mission and needed to collect his payment. He walked through the door just in time to see a young girl with bright orange hair start screaming at the Hokage and another man. He quickly retreated into a corner to see what would happen.

Kazuaki's face turned bright red and he glared at Kaede. "You miserable – stop that!"

The Hokage edged his way around Kaede and went to tell his secretary to quickly call her parents, before things got too out of hand.

Kazuaki shook his head, fed up. "Fine! Just…stay in here until your parents arrive!" With that he slammed the door.

Kaede punched the door out of fury. "YOU CAN'T RUN FROM ME, OLD MAN!" she screamed. "YOU THINK YOU'RE SO HOT, BUT YOU CAN'T DO JACK! MY PARENTS SURE AS HELL AIN'T COMIN'!"

The man from earlier thought he should speak up now. "Hey." He greeted.

Kaede froze.

"What's making you so angry?" the man asked gently.

Kaede turned around slowly and stared at him, her eyes still wide and bloodshot. "…Huh? Who're you?" she asked.

He was silent.

Kaede glared some more, but gave up and walked over to a chair, placing her hand on it. Glancing back at him, she frowned. She was NOT going to give HIM a chance to lecture HER!

As he opened his mouth to say something, Kaede cut him off. "Don't even try it! You can take your preaching and shove it up your-"

"I'm not going to preach." Now it was Kaede's turn to be interrupted. "Just tell me what's so irritating."

"That's none of your damn business!" Kaede snapped.

The man shrugged. "Maybe not. But I'm curious."

Kaede spun around and glared at him, her eyes were back to the way they had been before…wide and hate-filled. She looked him in the eyes. "It's EVERYTHING, you prick! God, you're annoying! It's everything, okay?! EVERYTHING PISSES ME OFF!"

The man blinked. Kaede continued.

"Them! And them! And them! And YOU! EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING! I HATE YOUR GODDAMN GUTS!" She paused for breath. God, she hated how that man just looked at her, calm as could be, with those stupid pale purple eyes! Hated it! She clenched her fist tightly. "You just… you all treat people who are different like garbage. But you're all just as bad! QUIT TRYING TO ACT LIKE YOU'RE ALL FRIGGIN' PERFECT!" She slammed her fist down on the desk next to her, seeming to weaken. "Leave me alone. I wish everyone would just…go. Get out of my life. I'd be better off with you dead! Die! Go to hell! DIE!" Each death wish was followed by Kaede slamming her fist down on the desk.

The tall man looked on, calm as ever, even seeming to be amused.

Kaede took a deep breath and resumed her ranting. "You disappear! You fall apart!"

The man decided he should step in before she got herself all riled up again. "Really?" he asked. "I think you want them to care. You want them to look at you, don't you? All those people. You want them to need you. You want them to listen to you.To understand somehow. You want them to accept you. I think… you want them to love you."

Kaede was completely calm now. She stared at the desk. Her anger was being replaced with a different feeling…sadness. A sadness so great, it was threatening to overwhelm her.

The man continued. "You know something?" he asked, smiling gently, "I'm like that, too."

Kaede laid her head on the desk, blinking back tears. What was wrong with her? "Wh-why?" she managed to choke out. "Why did I… turn out… like this?"

The image of her crying mother flashed through her mind. 'Why did you turn out like this?!' she had cried.

"You're asking me?" Kaede continued. "That's what… that's what I wanna know. Why?" Tears were freely flowing down her cheeks now. She unclenched her fist and stared at her hand. The tips of her nails were bloody from where they had dug into her skin and the blood from the cuts in her hand was trickling down her white skin. "Why… did I…?!"

Where did she go wrong? What was her mistake? "I'm miserable," she sobbed, collapsing in a heap on the ground. "I feel so alone!" It was all she wanted. To love people…and be loved. She wanted to be happy. But she knew…she knew she couldn't change.

The man took a step toward her, a slight frown on his face. "You're…lonely?" he questioned. Suddenly he grinned. "All right then!" he said, grabbing Kaede's arm. Kaede looked up at him, mouth hanging open. Why was he acting…friendly towards her? He pulled her to her feet, still grinning. "Let's sneak out of here. Together."

For a minute, Kaede just let herself be drug down the hall, but finally, as she was drug down the street, she found her voice. "Huh? What're you-"

"Oh," the man started, seeming to remember something. "My name's Hizashi Hyuuga, by the way. Nice to meet you." He smiled at her.

She thought he was weird. At first, anyway.

"Hold on." They were at a ramen stand now, already seated. "Is this really okay?"

He shot a glance at her. "Is what okay?"

Kaede was trying not to look at him. "You're a Hyuuga. Won't you get your clan in trouble?"

"Don't worry about it." He replied, grinning. "I'm just a Branch House member. No one important."

"Oh…"

She couldn't tell if he was as gentle as he seemed. He could've been faking the manners. He'd run off with a girl he didn't even know. He'd brought her to a restaurant, calm as could be. He was nuts. Or at least acted it.

"Uh… why do you give a rat's ass about me?" Kaede asked, finally gathering the courage to look at him.

He looked back at her. "Well… why do you think?"

Kaede thought this over for a moment. "….. You think it might be interesting."

Hizashi smiled slightly. "Yes. I am interested. Miss…" he moved her bangs to the side. "…No-Eye-Brows."

Kaede blushed and swatted his hand away. That day, she only knew one thing for sure…. The ramen tasted good. "Hey! Watch the hands, Grabby!" she growled, turning away to hide her blush. "What's wrong with you?!"

"So sorry."

It stung at her wounds. But the ramen they ate was good. She narrowed her eyes… and said that with a smile.

Yes, this is a "one-shot" on Neji's mother, Kaede. She kicks ass. Oh, and the nickname "Miss-No-Eye-Brows" comes from the fact that she plucks them, so there pretty much not there. Come to think of it, my cousin does that too... huh. Yeah, anyway, R&R to tell me what you think. BYEZ!