Denial is not only a river in Egypt, so I will gladly write stories with an alive Neji. This is a somewhat strange setting: AU and yet in the same world.
Please enjoy!
Chapter 1: Female in the cage
Hyuuga Neji did not like being a branch member. He admitted it was better now than it had been, now that his Uncle had gotten his act together and took over the care of his nephew from his late brother, but the Hyuuga were a traditional clan in a traditional village. This meant they could do quite whatever they wanted really and even if his close family, his Uncle and his two female cousins, behaved quite well towards him, this did not necessarily mean the rest of the Main House of the Hyuuga did.
Neji was faced a bit too often with sneering faces and scoffing people who quite liked treating him like the dirt beneath their soles and Neji knew it was only because of his Uncle's protection his seal was not activated more often.
The Main House often found him too arrogant for just a Branch: even if technically he was now the head of the Branch House. Likewise, the branch members of the Hyuuga were weary of him: a battle hardened fighter for the elite forces of Konoha while often they were no more than in service of the Main House.
Neji found it difficult to find comradeship with them, even if he'd never tell them that and he would protect them from hell and their masters.
His cousins also had not quite time for him: Hinata was being prepped as the next leader while her younger sister, more skilled and fierce than her older sister even if she missed the political tact, Hanabi was getting prepared for being the next prized champion of the Hyuuga. Neji was supposed to be Hinata's bodyguard, but the gentle girl had assured him, once she was no longer too frightened of him, an effect of a rage-filled attack on her life during a spar, that he did not need to be with her all the time.
It left Neji with a lot of free time and alone. He chose to spend that time training his mental power, still aware he could not go too far from Hinata. He spent many hours on the front porch of the Hyuuga meditating while his dear cousin was in the rooms behind him, skillfully disarming her elders.
A reluctant respect came to Neji for that skill: something he had no patience whatsoever for; despite his trained mind, he was more likely to grab the nearest weapon and drive it through the stuffy old Hyuuga of the council of his clan.
It was a silent morning, still somewhat early, when Neji found himself in such a position. Despite the time, he had no intention of falling asleep on the wooden boards of the mansion, warmed as they were by the sun.
Meditation was not sleeping, no matter what his hyperactive friend said. Neji could appreciate the sun which would be glaringly hot later on the day and birdsong of the waking birds. He heard the murmurs of the council and his cousin behind him but he could not hear the words: a small favour for his disposition and general wellbeing. All in all it was a good, quiet morning.
For a moment. A loud yell, a woman's voice scared the birds so much they flew up in one big swarm. A few male voices were arguing loudly as the woman yelled again. Neji could not hear what she was calling but he was disturbed enough to open his eyes.
Further on in the yard, a few of his distant family members were struggling and flashes of colour were seen through the sea of whites and blacks his family preferred. He contemplated on what to do. It was not often strangers were brought into the compound, even less unwillingly. And seeing the efforts of the males, the present female did not define willing.
But before Neji could make a decision on who to help, the woman was dragged off to some side buildings Neji had no business to be around. His active mind pondered for a moment on the fact he had not seen the female with the loud voice before when the shoji doors behind him opened and he was subject again to the disapproving cold eyes of the council and an apologizing Hinata.
The occurrence was quickly forgotten when Hinata asked him to train her that day. Neji did not note he never saw the female again.
…
He was roaming the grounds one day in fall when one of the less familiar buildings came into view. Hiashi, Hinata and Hanabi were working with some other Main-family members on some techniques that belonged only to the Main branch. Once, Neji probably would have been upset and angry by it, but Hiashi threw him an apologetic look, as much as the stoic Hyuuga are able, and he knew those techniques would find their way to him sooner than later anyway.
Meanwhile, his usual front porch was off-limits to him. So Neji found himself kicking up leaves while trekking over the expanses that made up for his family home. They were rather large after all. The Branch Family lived further on the grounds and Neji had always thought these particular buildings were storage when a branch member exited from them.
She probably was a cousin twice removed but Neji walked towards her. He was unsure if the tensing was because of him or the circumstances, was she not supposed to be there, but the single plate in her hand was nothing but suspicious and he found himself curious.
"Good afternoon," he addressed her.
The female bowed her head down, as was a habit by branches to cover the seal. There were not a lot like him who held their head high, and even he covered up the seal on his forehead. "Good afternoon," she murmured docile.
"What are you doing here with these utensils?" he asked bluntly. As leader of the branch family he really did have some responsibility towards them, even if the Main-family stood above him. The girl winced however and seemed to doubt on what to do. It stayed silent until Neji took somewhat pity on her. He had an inkling if she was scared like this, she probably had been scared into silence.
"I will discover on my own then. Run along," he stated. His cousin did not need to be reminded and bolted away. Neji faintly mused to himself that it could be some effort to keep her involvement from whatever happened here.
He scoffed. The village did not need to fear the Hyuuga. The practices were turned towards their own. This secretive behavior at an almost abandoned building piked his curiosity and he marched over towards the door.
The girl had probably been frightened so much she had forgotten to lock the door and faintly amused, Neji removed the key from the lock. He had no idea what it'd be good for and opened the door.
It was dark inside and it took some fair moments for his eyes to adjust even with the light from the door. When they did, Neji saw a stone staircase down. That was all that was in the room and he wasted no time going down. The door fell closed behind him.
He had not been aware the Hyuuga had hallways beneath the compound. He was aware of an archive room beneath the main property but that was all he knew of. Neji did not consider himself a curious man, but this was very strange so he went down the stairs. He considered using Byakugan momentarily but something told him he was not originally supposed to know of this place and he did not want to spark any interest by using chakra.
Depending on who found him, it could get very ugly very quick and he was not aspiring the mind-shattering headache that was paired with the activation of his seal (and the lasting sickness, but he had an idea that the Main-Family did not know of this particular effect). Therefore, a little more than blind, Neji made his way down the stone stairs, carefully noting the significant drop in temperatures.
Whoever kept this place, also kept it rather cold and Neji was confused on the practice. His hand guided him on the wall downstairs and when the wall stopped, Neji actually stumbled foreward, having reached the end of the steps apparently. The dark continued on and Neji's lips pulled in a fine line on what to do now. He did not know what the location looked like and he still wasn't about to chance using his doujutsu. He already made a fool out of himself by losing his footing.
"You usually don't come here, do you?" a voice suddenly came from the dark: female, Neji's mind supplied, young. He was tense, with an unknown person within the Hyuuga grounds. The female laughed mirthlessly: "You seriously don't have to worry. I won't be going anywhere," she quipped.
Neji hesitated and then, his mind made up resolutely, turned around up the stairs. He did not know what was going on and he began to suspect he was better off not knowing.
"Come back any time!" the woman called after him cheerfully and if the devil had chased Neji, he couldn't have gone faster out of there. With a pounding heart he closed the door to the building but kept the key on him: what was going on?
He had no time to ponder it as he quickly made way to the yard where the Main Family had just finished. Neji threw a sharp look at Hiashi and Hinata and decided to keep the female's presence to himself.
Despite hs decision not to contemplate the voice in the door, Neji slept uneasily that night.
…..
Although he had decided he wanted no part in his family's secret business or whatever it was, Neji found himself standing before the locked door of the faroff building again, in the evening some days later. The unfrightened voice had not let go of him and Neji found an inexplicable desire to quench his curiosity, something which rarely happened.
Silence had already fallen over the compound, one that only appeared over the usually silent clan at night.
Neji removed the key from the inner pocket of his robes and swiftly unlocked the door. He entered and carefully closed the door behind him. He was not sure who would be passing these structures at night but he wanted to take no risks. Again unsure about the use of chakra, he felt his way down. This time he landed a lot more gracefully on the lowest level and he stood there in silence, waiting.
It probably was not long but it felt like an eternity before the voice came. "You came back?" the female voice remarked. "I was wondering if you would the way you ran with your tail between the legs last time." She sniggered and Neji felt somewhat incensed but held quiet: he would not give his opponent any information on him before he knew who he was dealing with. This meant an even tighter reign on his control.
The female quieted after a few sniggers and sighed: "Smart not using that special eye of yours, Hyuuga," she commented. Neji had a feeling she was also smirking. She sounded quite amused. "They have special ways of noticing when somebody activates chakra in this place. I have a feeling you are not supposed to be here."
Neji released a breath. "Why?" he replied, despite himself.
The female giggled but it was not malicious. "To which question, Hyuuga?" But Neji did not answer her, feeling as if he had a disadvantage already. She sighed, "I will answer you, since you are obviously a great conversationalist."
Neji knew an insult when he heard one and he frowned in the dark. "This is Hyuuga property; one obviously must be a fool to enter these grounds." Silently, Neji agreed with her, but it felt more than that. "And you are not supposed to be here or you'd have lit a flame already."
Distracted, Neji looked around but he saw nothing, let alone a place he could light a fire. "Should I?" he asked.
The woman laughed softly again. "Not necessarily. Lighting that flame never means good news for me and you'd alert the wardens by doing so." Neji hoped his escaped gasp was not heard by the woman but his companion in the dark was probably more used to it by using her ears by now. "Does this surprise you?" she asked, sounding honestly curious.
Neji doubted on how to answer but decided in the and on "Wardens?" as a question.
A metallic tap a little ahead made Neji aware of heavy steel in the dark. "Wardens," the person told him seriously. "Didn't you think a clan like yours wouldn't have dungeons?" Honestly, Neji had never thought about it. Within Konoha, the Hyuuga were sufficiently respected and feared enough to never be attacked from outside and from the inside, the branch seal was enough to keep everyone in line.
Thinking further about it, having dungeons seemed logical, but he was confused on the use of them. "Who are you?" he asked. No matter why the Hyuuga had dungeons: if she was in there, she was for a reason.
"Well, aren't you getting personal all of a sudden," the female asked mockingly. It was silent for a moment and then Neji heard a clang. It sounded as if the female captive had thrown herself against her bars. "Hey. What's your name, Hyuuga?" she asked.
Neji raised a brow, even if she couldn't see it: she was asking after his identity now? "You should give your own first," he commented.
The female was silent for a bit and then laughed. "Say, are you a Main House or a Branch Member? Give me something to work with." Neji found he had enough of this frustrating female specimen and turned back up the stairs. "Hey Hyuuga!" the woman called. Having heard his footsteps apparently. "Don't expect me to give away my identity that easily when it is keeping me in here!"
Neji did not acknowledge her words,, but suddenly he was not quite sure if her staying locked in was good or not. She had not said why she was in there, or what the Hyuuga wanted of her. He had no idea if her getting out of the dark meant she would walk away with her life.
This is meant to be a short story. I think about 3 chapters long maybe. The idea had been in my head for ages, now I am trying to work it out.
