{ AN: Sorry if there are spelling?grammar? errors. This is a long chapter}

DANZO

He couldn't believe his agents continuous failure to incapacitate or kill the damned Nara girl. He ought to have found a way to stick her with a seal when she'd still been doing his bidding. His reluctance to brand an ANBU agent of her nature, one so loyal to her hokage and the jounin commander had been a huge miscalculation. However he had no idea the influence of a mere seduction agent would grow to this extent. In fact, with the missions he'd assigned her she shouldn't be alive. It was illogical really, he'd been banking on her death as a mission collateral. One he'd easily be able to hide, midst claims of it being a confidential mission.

The Nara girl was quickly turning into a nuisance. It was always annoying that she held the favour of the Nara head, his shrew of a wife and their genius son, which had prevented him from pulling her into ROOT as an orphan. Her mother's younger sister, the Yuuhi woman, was an influential jounin of the leaf, with an absurd amount of sway with Sarutobi's youngest. Further she was close friends with both the Inuzuka mutts, and had been on a team with one of the Cryptology department's best. Inoichi's daughter, the future Yamanaka head, was her protégé giving her ample standing in social circles among the lower clans.

However all of these clans had poor political standing in the Leaf despite their servitude towards the village, so he'd not been wary of sending her on yet another suicide mission towards Orochimaru's blasted warden. What he'd not been wagering on was her surviving and claiming the attention of a noble clan. He was already on thin ice with the Aburame, for laying eyes on the heir. Torune was a fair compromise, but it was unfortunate he was under the Aburame's scrutiny. While the Uchiha were currently not a problem, he'd avoided conflict between the Hyuuga and Akamichi the best he could, stealing only the bastard children of ninja whom had no idea of their parenthood.

Now with Ayaka potentially marrying into a noble clan, things were looking bleak. Although no official announcements had been made, a few of his spies had noted that the Nara and Hyuuga heads were in the midst of negotiations. If Ayaka were to become a Hyuuga by marriage it would mean an end to his direct pursuits on her life. A kunoichi of such political standing was difficult to kill under normal circumstances, but as a member of the Hyuuga? It was impossible. She'd surely be permanently removed from the ANBU roster and with the Akatsuki being as active as they were now, it would be a matter of time before she revealed one of her unsanctioned missions. Tsunade was not as sentimental as Hiruzen had been. The moment the fifth hokage got any real evidence of ROOT, Danzo would need to flee.

Luckily, the Hyuuga were a bloodthirsty bunch of traditionalists. Ayaka was bound to have offended the likes of several elders with her antics around the clan's prodigy they'd probably wanted to pair with one of their heiresses. Perhaps, he mused, the clan's bloodthirsty elders might do his job for him. If not, Neji Hyuuga had been well known for his display of cruelty in the Genin exams. Perhaps, there would be an opportunity to frame the young Hyuuga for the Nara's death.

AYAKA

Despite their pleasant stalling in the shower, Ayaka was well aware she was about to face down the Hyuuga head, the Jounin commander, and worst of all the wrath of Yoshino. Although she would wager Yoshino would likely only let loose on her in private. The odds had never been in her favour however she wasn't going in alone. Neji might be a stick in the mud with a serious obsession about fate but by presenting his mother's kimono to her, he'd openly dared the Hyuuga to challenge his choice of fiancee. The gesture symbolically laying claim to the red eyed Nara in a way that almost made her smirk.

Still as Ayaka dressed she accented her look, tying her headband to her arm, picking up her katana and helping herself to Neji's stash of weaponry. He had a fair collection, no doubt the influence of Tenten, and Ayaka couldn't help but gleefully pocket Kunai, explosive tags, shiruken and ninja wire. She stole a pair of bandages, looping the wire against them onto her arms. She channeled raw chakra to her skin preventing them from cutting into her as she admired her look in the mirror.

Neji who'd already gotten dressed eyed her warily as she slipped a dozen senbon into the pouch fastened to her right thigh. She'd already hidden the tags in her sleeves and the kunai and shiruken in the folds of her kimono. Neji's mother had clearly been a kunoichi, the kimono was filled with pockets and seams making her task of carrying an armory with her much easier.

"Are you planning to go to war on your uncle or mine, hime?" he asked sarcastically as she fastened her katana to her side. Ayaka shot him a serious look, noting that Neji was entirely unarmed save for a few kunai. She supposed with his gentle fist the Hyuuga prodigy was always armed, however Ayaka knew in her experience as a jounin that one should never rely solely on one's signature moves.

She snorted at Neji motioning that she was ready to leave the safety of his bedroom. Leaning towards the Hyuuga, she smiled as he stiffened.

"Perhaps I'm going to take them all on, Hyuuga sama."

YOSHINO

Things were uncomfortable in the Hyuuga complex. Hiashi had been quick to summon and inform them of her nieces antics when he'd discovered both his eldest and Ko, highly intoxicated trying to enter the Hyuuga gates at an absurd hour. His activated Byakugan had strayed to check on his nephew, and had surprisingly found him highly occupied with her niece.

Still Yoshino, with her quick temper had instantly demanded to know why the Hyuuga boy was taking liberties with his fiancée this early in the game. Hiashi had sputtered out that it was clearly Ayaka that was taking liberties with Neji, which Yoshino had faked complete offense to, despite knowing that Hiashi was probably right given that Ayaka wasn't one to easily seduce and that Neji wouldn't have stood a chance against her whims.

Shikaku had barely diffused the situation, stating that he'd seen the pair earlier the previous day. He'd informed a grim faced Hiashi that he'd left Ayaka in Neji's care and that the former seduction agent had been highly upset. Given that Hiashi now had to accept that Ayaka had every reason to be in his nephew's company, Yoshino was questioning why the two had chosen the Hyuuga compound to return to when they'd surely be spotted in their promiscuity.

Was it mere teenage rebellion? She doubted it. Ayaka was accepting the marriage, surely, with her antics last night and yet she'd done it in a means neither clan would have approved of. A power play, perhaps? Shikaku had said she'd been rather upset. As she pondered it, her thoughts were interrupted by the approaching chakra that was pulsing heavily. Reserves like Ayaka's were rare for women, and the girl was advertising that she was no mere pushover to either clan by announcing her presence with her vibrant chakra. It was a pity her injuries would dampen her range of ninjutsu usage to whatever she could manage with one hand.

Comparatively, Neji's chakra, also unmasked was constant and unchanging. In a contrast to Ayaka's vibrancy, it was cool and calming. They were an odd pairing Yoshino mused as the door opened, and her jaw dropped as Ayaka walked in, Neji trailing a few steps behind her niece.

Dressed fully in one of the most regal battle Kimono's Yoshino had seen in a long while, Ayaka looked like a princess ready to go to war. The Hyuuga symbol on her back and leaf headband on her arm clearly displayed on her arm, Yoshino couldn't help the small swell of pride she had in the younger woman. It was not every shinobi that could exude confidence like the couple in front of them.

Ayaka looked ready to go to battle should anyone dare question her actions and Neji gazed at the room coolly. His body angled in such a way that he'd be able to protect her niece should anyone dare to attack her. Hiashi looked offended and Ko had backed off into a corner. Shikaku was avoiding eye contact with everyone. Yoshino sighed loudly, gaining the attention of the room.

"You two are troublesome, "She murmured, stealing her son's favored word.

NEJI

"You two are troublesome. "

Yoshino's words broke the silence, and suddenly everyone was yelling. Hiashi was on his feet arguing with Yoshino about Neji's virtue, much to his mild mortification. Yoshino had snapped back that they were engaged anyway so the Hyuuga head should just get over it. The two glared at each other before turning towards Ko. Ko, for his part was overwhelmed by the two people yelling insults at each other, yet directing them towards him as if he were to mediate the verbal spar settle into the gentle fist style warily. Uncertain if Hiashi had lost his mind, it seemed Ko was prepping to intervene if things got physical.

Then Shikaku told Ayaka he was disappointed in her and Ayaka had erupted in undiluted rage. Now they were all watching as the two Nara jounin argued.

"I chose him!" Ayaka snapped, glaring at Shikaku.

"You could have acted like an adult and waited, child." Shikaku couldn't keep the exasperated tone out of his voice as he stepped towards her.

"I'm not a child old man. You know that!" Aykae stepped forward, her hand twitching towards her Katana.

"Someone is trying to kill you. You shouldn't be fornicating with your guard, fiancée to be or not." Shikaku closed his eyes now, clearly anticipating the response he would get.

"I am a capable kunoichi." The words left Ayaka's lips quietly, as she strolled towards Shikaku. Neji was transfixed on the sway of her hips and the way she'd suddenly had every shinobi in the room silent.

"I am not a child, Shikaku. Sooner or later you have to realize it. Shikamaru's a genius, but right now he can't lead the Nara. He feels too deeply and does not act in the name of the clan. He loves a Suna princess. Look me in the eye and tell me I am not the current heir to the Nara Clan." Ayaka's vermilion eyes were ablaze and Shikaku was visibly pained. Yoshino looked severely sullen. Neji was surprised, he'd known that Shikamaru's infatuation with Temari would have severe implications he was only just understanding why Ayaka had thrown the fact in Shikaku's face the previous day.

The Nara were loyal to the Leaf. To accept an outside princess would make Shikamaru's claim as an heir illegitimate. Temari outranked him severely, first as a jounin, and then politically as both a daughter and a sister to two Kage. Politically, if Shikamaru wouldn't cease his relationship with the Suna princess it would be a nightmare for Yoshino and Shikaku without a spare heir.

To his surprise, it was not Shikaku who spoke but Hiashi.

"You'll be a Hyuuga when you marry, you won't be a Nara." Hiashi's voice interjected with confidence and suddenly Shikaku let out a laugh.

"She outranks your nephew if I name her heir, Hiashi. Neji would be a Nara, as would their children." Shikaku glared at the Hyuuga head who immediately sputtered about how he'd never allow it angrily and that Shikaku would never name Ayaka his heir over his son unless she defeated him in battle.

Suddenly Neji's head was spinning as he realized what Shikaku had meant. If he was adopted into the Nara, his curse seal could not be utilized by the Hyuuga clan without legal recourse been taken. Further, his potential children, should they inherit the Byakugan would be Nara by birth right. They wouldn't be subjected to the seal. He almost didn't hear Yoshino as she murmured words that suddenly left the room icy.

"She would need to prove herself in combat Shikaku against you and perhaps Shikamaru should he oppose her. She issued a claim to lead, as is the right of any jounin of the Nara."

The two Nara Jounin glared at each other. Each stood tall, on guard and ready to fight. Suddenly Neji realized why Ayaka had stocked up on weaponry. She was still injured, and although it didn't significantly affect her fighting style she was challenging not just her clan head but the Jounin commander.

Shikaku was a man that had lived, breathed and survived battle. His scars were memoirs to battles won. He didn't lack experience on a battle field despite his reputation as a tactician. He was a formidable foe to any man, a legend of two shinobi wars and a third of the legendary Ino-Shika-cho. His father had told him, when he'd been a child, of how Shikaku could read the flow of battle and predict strategies for against entire platoons. Many a man had fallen victim to his honed battlefield tactics.

Yet, Ayaka was clearly not a man. She was fire and passion and full of the youth Gai sensei would often brag about. She used her entire body as an arsenal, avoided predictability and was quite obviously a heavy hitter in her fighting style. She had experience in the depths of ANBU and was well on her way towards making a name for herself. Unlike Shikaku she was well equipped to take on a battlefield without a team. Oh, she was definitely a Nara with her strategic move at arming herself this morning. Neji's father had thought him many things in his youth. One phrase, casually stated in battle tales stood out to him.

"Never underestimate a motivated Nara."

Neji shuddered at the reality that there were two highly motivated Nara, in front of him.