How the Irons of Love Bond

Nine Fetters, The String Is Forcibly Red

The new school week began without Sasuke being present in homeroom. But that school day went on without him, like all the others. Sakura and Ino were situated on each side of Sasuke's usual seat in the classroom. When they glanced from Sasuke's empty seat to each other, they blinked. Had he gypped again? Was he being "too cool for school" again? Either way, the former most likely led to the latter.

"I wonder where Sasuke is," Sakura sounded curious, placing an inquisitive finger on her chin. "I know it's Monday and everything, but he's skipping out on homeroom again?"

"Or maybe…maybe…!" Ino suddenly panicked, flailing her noodle arms about. "Maybe he's trying to avoid me! No way can this be happening—why? Why? Why—Oh no!" She made the face of a screeching banshee before freezing in place. To that, Shikamaru's hand slid down his face.

Sakura puckered her lips. "It's not always about you, Ino-Pig…" Sakura managed to mutter without Ino hearing her.

"All right, now! Settle down!" Iruka came in with a nearly booming voice. He came in with books and folders, ready to start the day with his usual yet unpredictable lecture. "It's time for class!"

Sakura listened in for roll call. Sasuke's name came a little later into the roll, after Kiba's but before Naruto's. Once his name passed, without a response, her expression became serious as she stole a glance at the closing door. 'Maybe something important came up?'

In an "upperclassmen" classroom, Tenten and Rock Lee scoured the seating arrangement for Neji's profile. Although, and unbeknownst to them, Neji was also absent. Tenten had been torn between seeing Neji that day and not seeing him. With what she had seen the week before, it didn't surprise her that she wouldn't want to. Not wanting to entertain those fresh memories, she let them be. Class was starting, anyway, and it was going to be a long day.


"Bring me the impure child."

A meeting had commenced in the Hyūga Clan's Main Compound. The Conference Room shoji depicted a judgment scene: A seemingly guilty person bowed in deep respect to a goddess-like figure. She was white from rabbit ear to hidden toe, stunningly beautiful, and balancing a bushel of apples in one hand and kunai in the other. She sat in the midst of bamboo shoots, tall and uncultivated. Her face seemed to be of curiosity, as if wondering which the person would choose to make the fire behind him go away.

In a sense, a similar allegory appeared to take place, as well.

"Hazukaki-sama, the child is not well. Please allow him to recuperate for just a while—!"

"This cannot be deferred! Bring the impure child to me—this instant!"

The Hyūga Elder had placed himself at the head of the room. It was a modest rectangular room, like most of the others. Nothing distracted from the serious atmosphere. Floor pillows seated five people, including himself. Slightly behind his shoulder was his son, Hiashi. The father-son leaders noticed two seats were empty. Something about it made Hiashi a little uncomfortable; he blinked.

"…You came alone?" Hiromasa began, a bit confused. He gave each pillow a pensive blink. "Where is your clan's Head?"

Sasuke Uchiha glared away from the two Hyūga. His eyebrows tightened their cinch. "What Clan Head? The only member left is me."

"What of your older brother? He was present for this arrangement, as a witness."

"I don't know." The Uchiha's nighttime gaze made him look impatient. "So let's get down to business, shall we?"

Neji screamed in pain. A brutal clamp had latched itself to his lower stomach. Thrown into utter confusion, Neji couldn't make sense of the pain. It was a new, and terrifying, sensation. It was occurring in an untapped place in his body. And it was rendering him helpless. He shrieked there, on the floor of his room. Sweat blasted from his pores. His head swam around in circles. His hands couldn't grasp anything within reach. He'd knocked over a water decanter; its contents splashed across his bedcover.

"Neji," a man's voice had yelped.

"Agh! Please help me!"

"Neji-kun, don't cry, we're here now!"

"It hurts—I can't move! Haah!"

A small scroll was presented to him by Hiashi: The successor had knelt in front of him. He set it to the right of Sasuke. In that moment, a questioning look from Sasuke made Hiashi huff a little.

"Young Uchiha," Hiromasa began again, "You were young when your father and I signed this document, but I will summarize what the essentials are as you read this text for yourself."

That was his son's cue to roll out the parchment. Instructions and conditions were explained as the Uchiha read them to himself. It was as if Hiromasa explained—as he read—what everything meant and who it pertained to. According to the Elder's verbal addendums, some parts of that agreement had become annulled by both sides. In regard to Sasuke, both his father and brother were made absent, and unable to accept or challenge any of said annulments. It was up to Sasuke to use his own discretion. But one of the changes the Hyūga made both excited and confused him.

"Wait. The wedding condition has changed? If Hinata-sama is not the one who'll marry me, then who is?" He was able to mask it fairly well, however.

Hiashi looked unwilling to answer. His featureless eyes kept themselves low towards the floor. A hesitance had entered his countenance. It manifested as an embittered grimace.

Somewhat puzzled by it, Sasuke slowly redirected his eyes from him to the man behind him. He blinked. An antsy tingling simmered under his heart.

Hiromasa shut his eyes, gave a sigh, and straightened his back. "It can no longer be my first granddaughter because she is still underdeveloped and has lost her placement as the Clan's heiress." After another breath, "It cannot be my second granddaughter, either. She is strong and skilled, but her age bars her from courtship, notwithstanding matrimony…"

"…Neji-kun, please bear with it just a bit more—we're almost there."

But the boy couldn't even respond to it. The pain had amassed in that one spot. It'd crippled him to the point of being unable to walk or even stand. So a pair of Lesser Hyūga had to carry him. Fearing he'd fall unconscious somehow, the first Hyūga coached him to stay awake, updating him whenever they entered or exited a new room. Though the thirteen-year-old was clinging to his awareness by a thinning thread.

"Neji-kun, stay with us! It's just up ahead!"

Those young eyes bleared. Pain bled into his awareness even further. It shot up and down his spine. It threatened to cut off his legs. He couldn't hold on; the pain was too great. It overwhelmed him easily. It was such a scary pain. Like something was trying to crush him from the inside.

"Neji-kun? Neji-kun!"

"In all honesty, this change was made rather suddenly." Hiromasa knew his son could feel his gaze on him. "So preparations for the transition have begun."

Something clicked in Sasuke's head. But he have to keep his wits about him. "Wait. What preparations, if I may ask?"

After his son gathered the scroll and took his place behind his father's shoulder once more, Hiromasa's eyes leered over to the double doors. They narrowed. "We are preparing your future bride."


"Ahh! No! Let me go!"

Four Hyūga women were straddled over each of Neji's limbs, ensuring restraint. He wriggled underneath each of them, but none of them were letting up. An almost menacingly vengeful quality had entered their eyes. Which seemed even more empty than usual.

"What're you doing…?" one of Neji's escorts struggled to his elbows. A fierce blow to the chest knocked the wind out of both of them. "No…Neji-k…" Unfortunately, too much wind was knocked out. The man's outward reach was all for naught.

"Please! Please, somebody! Help me!"

An eerie glow came from a hand that suddenly appeared over Neji's stomach. Its palm bore a symbol similar, in shape, to a triskelion—featuring three stylized rabbit tails. They joined at the tips to create an odd Y-shape in the middle. The ring around it flared like a will-o'-wisp.

"Sealing Jutsu…" Hazukaki raised his hand over Neji's lower abdomen. The greenish glow brightened as he tightened his aim.

Neji froze in place. Tokuma couldn't watch anymore. He'd thrown his eyelids shut and refused to open them. To look in Neji's eyes. Despair soon settled there. It was expelled as teardrops. "No…Tokuma-san…but why…?" His reach was all for naught, as well.

In a maniacal tone, the older Hyūga shrieked the name of the jutsu: "Curse of the Rabbit Goddess!"

Never in Neji's life did he imagine himself screaming bloody murder.

How the Irons of Panic Bond…