Author's Note - This takes place after the death of Neji's father, and when Itachi murderd his clan.

Chapter 2

"Darkness Within"

It was a terrible day indeed for the Hidden Leaf. A lot of people have been killed over the coures of a few weeks. However, it's even sadder for the two kids who expirenced so much pain, so suddenly. Neji Hyuga and Sasuke Uchiha. Neji's father was killed because of the 'Main Brach' and Sasuke's enitre clan was murdered by his older brother Itachi. They both are in so much pain. Pain that only one person could have understood, no one else. Naruto Uzumaki. He felt the same pain they did. He was willing to help Neji and Sasuke get through it, before darkness got to them first.

*Ring Ring* the academy bell rung. "All right class, take your seats" Iruka instructed. All the students were getting settled in. It had already been 20 minutes into class, then the door opened. Neji walked in. 'Huh? His eyes are... different... just like mine...' Naruto thought to himself. "Neji you're late" Iruka said angrily. "Sorry" Neji replied not caring. "Take your seat" Iruka demanded. The door opened again. Sasuke walked in. 'What the... him too?' Naruto thought to himself. "Sasuke! You're late too! What's going on!" Iruka yelled. "Sorry" Sasuke said not caring. "Just take your seat" Iruka demanded. 'Aw man! What's the matter with kids these days?' Iruka thought to himself.

Neji sat alone in the far left corner of the room he told everyone to leave me alone even Ino. Sasuke sat alone as well, but in the right side of the room. Like Neji, he didn't want to be disturbed not even by Sakura! "Neji, did something happen?" Naruto asked curiously. "No, nothing happened, i'm fine, leave me alone" Neji demanded. "No, Neji you're not fine, your eyes, they changed" Naruto told him "I know something happened, you can tell me we're friends" Naruto pleaded. "Well if you must know... my-my-my f-father... he" Neji bursted out of his seat and exited to school. "Neji...?" Ino whispered to herself. "..." Naruto was shocked at what had just happened. "Neji! Get back here!" Iruka yelled down the hall, but he had already left. Iruka let out a big sigh. "Naruto, Sasuke, can you go find Neji?" Iruka asked. "Yeah sure thing Iruka-sensai" Naruto answered. "What ever" Sasuke replied.

Neji was in a forest he'd found outside the village. 'Why? Why father? Why not me?' Neji weaped in despair. He kept thinking about all the great times he had with his father. He just kept crying. 'I hate the damn Main Brach! I'm gonna kill them all!' He was enraged. "Neji!" He heard a voice call out. 'Naruto?' He thought. "Neji are you here?" Naruto called out once again. "What do you Naruto? Just leave me alone!" Neji called out at him. "Ah ha! Found you" Naruto said in relief. "What do you want?" Neji asked angrily. "Neji your eyes... they're... they're full of hate..." Naruto told him. "You to Sasuke, what happened to you two?" He wondered. "The Main Branch killed my father... in order to protect Lord Hiash!" Neji told him clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. "You to huh?" Sasuke said softly. "What do you mean 'you to'?" Neji asked. "Itachi murdered our entire clan, even mother and father" Sasuke said so angrily his finally Sharigan awakened. "You guys... are just like... me" Naruto said "I finally get to meat someone... who knows how I feel..." Naruto said happily and saddly at the same time. They were all angry and sad, but a little happy that they're not alone. Neji kept his grudge towards the Main Branch, and Sasuke kept his grudge towards Itachi. They agreed to help each other fufill thir goals. "Truce!" They all agreed, sand went back to school.

"Finally!" Iruka yelled. "Do you know that we have 5 minutes of class left?!" "Nope" they all said. The whole class laughed. "Sit down!" Iruka yelled. All three kids sat with each other. After the bell rung, Iruka dismissed the class except for Neji, Sasuke, and Naruto. "You three, stay" Iruka instructed. "Neji why did you go running off like that? I should call you're fath-" "I don't have a father anymore, Iruka" Neji told him angrily. "Oh... I see... is there anyone you can go to?" Asked Iruka. "No" Neji said angrily. "What about Lord Hi-" "Do not speak of Hiashi in my presence!" Neji was now clenching his fists and had awakened his Byakugan. Iruka was fightened. "I-i'm sorry" Iruka said scared. "you are dismissed". All three boys walked out of school. "Alright guys, i'm going to find somewhere else to live. I can't stand the Hyuga clan anymore" Neji said. "i'll stop by your house later Naruto we'll train" Neji added. "Yeah, I gotta find a new house to" Sasuke said. "Are you gonna come over too?" Naruto asked. "Yeah" "Alright i'll meet you guys there" Naruto said. They all said their goodbyes.

As Neji was walking to find his house, he stopped on a bridge. He saw that the water was a rich blue. The wind made small waves occur, the sound was undescribable, but it sounded nice. He couldn't help but think about his father, and his hatred for the clan. He clenched his fist again activating his Byakugan. "I know you're there" Neji said "come out" "but... how'd you know?" Ino asked. "Because my Byakugan can see everything, and everyone" He noted. "Your Byaku-what?" Ino was confused. "My eyes" Neji told her. He turned around. "Neji your eyes, they're different... and no not just you Byaku-waht ever, but you don't seem like the Neji I once knew... your different..." Ino stated. "Ino" Neji said. "Y-yeah?" Neji took off the bandage on his forehead. "What's that?" Ino was scared. "Every member of the Branch House of the Hyuga clan gets this accursed curse mark when eres of the Main House turns 3 years old. I've had this curse mark since I was 4" Neji explained. "O-oh Neji..." Ino said. "The Main House treats us like slaves, if we disobey, threy can activate the curse mark damaging our brain cells" Neji went on. "Is that what's bothering you?" Ino asked. "No" "then tell me please Neji" Ino pleaded. "You wouldn't understand Ino... you've never expirenced real pain..." Neji said. "Well, if anything happened to you..." Ino said. Neji blushed. "Ino..." "so please tell me Neji" Ino pleaded. Neji sighed. "Alright, well... the Main House... killed my father..." Neji once again clenched his fists.

"W-what?" Ino was shocked. "How can they do such a thing? Why would they do such a thing?" Ino went on. 'So she does understand...' Neji thought to himself. Ino ran to give Neji a hug. "Thank you... Ino..."

The End

Author's Note - what'd you guys think? Don't worry next one will be when they're older.