Aya, gomen'nasai for not updating until now~ Honestly I was so distracted with my other store Melting the Ice Princess but this is a chapter just for you! Ah, think of it as an early new year's present from Me to You, my faithful readers!
Disclaimers: I do not own Naruto or anything made by Masashi Kishimoto. I do, however, own all of my OC(s) that appear in this story. Enjoy~
"My beautiful little cloud, why are you sitting all alone and not training with us?" An overly loud voice calls out to her, pulling her from the depths of her dark mind. When she looks up at the voice her eyes were slightly glazed over, enough that it caused a look of concern to pass through the group before it disappeared and she smiles softly.
"Gomen'nasai, Gai-sensei," She looks over her shoulder slightly in the direction that Shikamaru had left before looking back at Gai and smiling a little bit more. "Nara-kun just came by and informed me that your Hokage doesn't want me to train."
Silence, momentary silence before Gai and his little copy exclaims in shock, drastically getting their face close to hers as they shout questions at her about why. Tenten, understanding how it feels to have them in one's personal space, was trying without success to pull them away from the baffled young woman.
"Maa, Gai-sensei!" Tenten exclaims, pulling with all her might at the arms of her upset sensei. "Gai-sensei, Kumo can't explain if you're in her face!"
"But Tenten-Chan!" Gai whines loudly, chorused by a disgruntled Lee, "Our little cloud doesn't get the privilege to train with us! Isn't that so sad?"
"There must be a good reason!" Tenten exclaims loudly, it seemed that she was getting very irked with her sensei.
Finally the young weapon's mistress was able to pull her comrades off of the still bemused swordswoman, although it should be pointed out that she was only able to pull them away because they LET her pull them away. Tenten wipes the sweat off of her cheek with the back of her hand before shooting a glare at the quiet Hyuuga who was perched against a tree, an irritated scowl on his otherwise stoic face.
"Ah, Ano, Kumo-San, why does Tsunade-sama not want you to train youthfully with us?" The young swordswoman looks over towards Lee, noting how his eyes were shiny and wide as his hands were clapped together in front of his chest.
"Ah, Lee-san." She chuckles softly before shifting her eyes up to the sky and watching as a cloud made its way over the trees. "Would any wise leader want a person she does not trust to train with her people, possibly killing them and making it look like an accident?"
Her question caused the team to slip into silence for a moment, each looking at the other before resting their slightly guarded yet still somehow saddened eyes on the young woman who has yet to look away from the cloud. She knew they were watching her, she also knew that she had vowed never to kill unless she absolutely had too; but they didn't need to know that part.
"Oye," The Hyuuga's calm voice caused her eyes to tear away from the sky slowly and rest on his relaxed but still void of emotions face. He seemed to be the only one that wasn't weary of her, although it made her life a little easier and her heart a little lighter she wished he would be cautious of her like everyone else.
"Hai, Hyuuga-san?" Tilting her head slightly to the left she let her hair fall into her face before a gentle breeze pulled it back.
"When Tsunade-sama decides that you aren't a threat to us," He pauses a moment, his eyes narrowing as if what he was about to say was not up for discussion. "We will fight and you will show me your Genjutsu."
Her eyebrows raise in surprise before she starts to giggle; she quickly covers her mouth and closes her eyes to shield herself from the frown that formed on Neji's face from her reaction. She couldn't help it, his face was so serious when he declared their future fight that she couldn't take him seriously. A few moments later she was able to stop, wiping a stray tear that graced the corner of her left eye before smiling brightly at the now scowling with distaste Hyuuga.
"Gomen'nasai, Hyuuga-san," She couldn't quite contain the giggle that leaked into her voice. "Please, forgive me but… you're face…" Giggles consumed her again and she claps a hand over her mouth to muffle them.
"His face?" Tenten and Lee chorused with matching confused faces before they looked over at Neji's carefully blank face. "His face looks normal to me…" Lee muses to himself, crossing his arms over his chest and nodding slowly as if he was right in his thoughts.
"Hai, hai, Lee-san." Kumo giggles, placing her free hand against her abdomen. "But… his face was so… so serious! D-don't worry, Hyuuga-san… I'll… I'll fight you if your leader… deems me not a threat."
Although her answer was chopped from her giggling she noticed how Neji's shoulders lowered ever so slightly; he got the answer he wanted, he was going to fight someone who beat the famous Uchiha. For a few moments they held each other's eyes, she looking into his white slates and he into her emerald orbs; the other three looked between each of them, unsure as to what was going on before the young woman smiles, her eyes closing slightly.
"Hyuuga-san, please go easy on me when we do fight." He scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest as he sneers down at her.
"Obviously I'll have to; no one can match the Hyuuga power." His answer caused her to smile more.
"Obviously."
...
A few hours later the group was found walking down the street with tired expressions; after their little dabble Gai had thrown his team into "over-drive training" and practically talked the young swordswoman's ear off as he explained all about the youthfulness of it all. She was unprepared but not surprised when Lee suddenly stops in front of her, whirls around, and starts to talk rapidly about the wonders of Taijutsu and how he very much wishes to fight her. Right in the middle of his eccentric display of youthful vigor he was pushed away from her face by a slightly irritated Hyuuga.
"Shut up." Neji snaps, his eyes narrowed in distaste at the boy who now laid collapsed out on the ground. "You're giving me a headache."
"Neji!" Tenten gasps with shock before helping her fallen comrade up and dusting off his jumpsuit.
"Where are you staying tonight?" Neji asks Kumo, ultimately ignoring his teammate in order to stare at the swordswoman with a contemplating look.
"Mm, where in deed." Her hand, which had previously been resting inside her kimono like normal, slips out and scratches her cheek as she looks up at the sky. "I have already intruded upon Tenten-san's home so…"
"You will stay at my home." Neji states, turning around and walking down the worn road.
"Maa?" Her eyes tear from the sky to the retreating back of the Hyuuga before she jogs after him, her getas making a 'clop-clop' sound in her rush. "Matte, Hyuuga-san! You cannot just decide this yourself! Do I not have a say in this matter?"
He scoffs before turning around, a single eyebrow rose in question. "You wish to spend your night in Lee's home and listen to his 'youthful' talking all night? He snores."
She pales slightly, only enough for the Hyuuga to see but that was all he needed to know that he won this so-called argument.
"Come, my uncle will wish to meet you before dinner." He starts to walk off again and, after a single glance back at the group that didn't bother following him, Kumo rushes off in order to not get lost.
"H-Hai, I'm coming!"
...
They enter the large compound quietly; neither of them felt the need to fill the silence with useless talking. Although she's been in several compounds she was still struck with wonder at how beautiful everything looked. Slipping her getas off when they entered she picks them up before following Neji down the quiet hallways. It felt surreal, to be in such a big place yet see not a soul.
"Hyuuga-san?" She tilts her head slightly, picking up her pace in order to peer up at his face. "Hyuuga-san, I do not see anyone here, are they all gone?"
He rose an eyebrow at her, his eyes asking her if she was stupid before shaking his head and continued on. She comes to a stop and huffs, her cheeks puffing out in her irritation before she runs to catch up with him.
"It was a simple question, Hyuuga-san." She grumbles, her eyes catching his lip twitch before his face went blank.
"It was a stupid question." He corrects before turning a corner and nearly crashing into someone.
"G-Gomen'nasai, Neji-nii-san!" The young indigo haired maiden gasps, her white-with-a-lavender-tent eyes growing wide when she catches sight of the swordswoman. "K-Kumo-san!"
"Moshimoshi, Hyuuga-san." Kumo smiles, offering the young woman a small wave.
"Hinata-Hime." Neji greets stiffly.
"Hyuuga-san is a princess?" The swordswoman asks innocently, tilting her head to the side as she watches Hinata turn a deep shade of red.
"N-no I'm not. Neji-nii-san I-I've already told you, you don't have to call me th-that, I am not the heiress anymore!"
"Hinata-Hime, is your father in?" Neji asks, completely ignoring the ex-heiress' quiet demand.
"H-hai." Her soft voice showed that she had, for now, given up the argument that seemed long lasting.
He nods before motioning Kumo to follow him; the swordswoman smiles at the quiet konoichi before following quickly after the stoic Hyuuga. When she finally caught up to him he was sitting on his knees next to a door and, slowly, she sinks down to her knees quietly. He knocked on the door, listening quietly when a voice from the other side gave entrance.
"Hiashi-sama," Neji greets in the most respectful tone Kumo has ever heard from him. "I wish to speak to you about my mission and to introduce you to her."
She bites her tongue in order to keep a snarky remark to herself; how dare he address her as a mission.
"Yes, Neji, come in and bring her in as well." An emotionally detached voice called out and Neji looks back at her with eyes that clearly said 'behave.' Both of them enter quietly, Neji sitting in front of his uncle and she behind him, off a little bit to the left.
Hiashi was wearing a dull brown kimono, a darker brown sash around his waist as he sat behind a low table, a paper sitting before him as if he was reading that slip before the asked for entrance. His was quietly staring at her with those pupil-less eyes, scrutinizing everything about her while she did the same with him. Both wore emotionless masks and Neji had it in his right mind to remain quiet.
"Well then," Hiashi finally spoke after a pregnant pause. "Why don't you introduce us, Neji?"
"Hai, Hiashi-sama." Neji bows in respect before speaking again. "This is Rurousha, Kyoui-kumo; Lady Tsunade as informed my team and I that we must watch over her until she has decided to help us."
"A nomad? What does a nomad have that we do not?" From his tone of voice Kumo was well aware that because of her last name he did not find her important and, if she was honest with herself, she was glad he didn't know the truth.
"Aya," She suddenly spoke, causing two pairs of guarded white eyes to zero in on her. "They wish for me to help them locate Uchiha-kun."
"That traitor?" He demands, his eyes hardening even more as he slams his open palm onto the table.
"Hai." She couldn't help but smile smugly, her emerald orbs half closing.
"Excuse me, Hiashi-sama," Neji clears his throat, discreetly shooting Kumo an irritated glare before offering his uncle a slight bow. "Why she is needed is not the matter of which I wish to discuss with you."
"Oh?" Hiashi straitens up and stares at Neji, waiting for him to speak.
"Hai, Hiashi-sama," Neji was king at stoic expressions. "Rurousha-san has been placed on 24 watch and tonight she is to stay here, is that acceptable?"
Kumo wanted to say that there was no need, she didn't see the point in staying at a place with such an irritating person but she kept her thoughts to herself instead staring straight ahead with the best blank face she could make. The silence wore on before Hiashi frowns slightly.
"And where do you wish to keep her, Neji?"
"If possible the guest room that is next to mine but if not I am willing to give up my bed to watch her." He answers stiffly.
"Very well then." She almost let out a sigh of relief before he opened his mouth again. "She can stay in your room."
Ah, I think I enjoy causing drama... Gomen'nasai for not having Shikamaru in this chapter... even though its a story for him... but don't worry he's bound to be in it... in a chapter or two from now. I'm actually considering speeding up the Romance ... but I don't know, I'm still debating~