Reading Ahead of the Lines – Chapter 11
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By the time Neji finally extracted himself from Hiashi's interrogation, Sakura and Naruto were already passing through the gate with the bodies of the fallen Sannin. He found Lee and Tenten in the group that had crowded around Kakashi, who was still leaning heavily on Gai's shoulder.
"We didn't expect to see you so soon," Tenten commented, examining him from head to toe. "And Lee was right. You look like hell."
Neji finally took a moment to assess his own condition and was forced to agree with his teammates. He looked like hell. His hair had fallen loose during the confrontation with Root, and his clothing was travel stained from the frantic trip back to Konoha. At least he had washed the blood from his arm guards the night before.
"Did you hear about the Akatsuki explosion?" Neji asked. When they nodded, he continued, "My team was sent to investigate, and then we were reassigned to follow Team Kakashi." He decided to take the high road and ignore Tenten's smug smirk.
"What's going on here?" he asked, changing the subject.
"We were in the middle of training when Gai-sensei noticed an emergency signal from the Village," Lee explained.
"We're still not entirely sure, but everyone was saying that the Godaime had died," Tenten interjected. "And then some old warhound declared himself the new Hokage. He has control of a group of ANBU called Root, and they are currently holding the Council hostage."
"So you all were meeting to organize an opposition?" Neji prompted.
"Yup," Tenten nodded. "They were waiting for Kakashi-sensei to return before making a move against Danzou."
"Why Kakashi?" Neji asked, remembering how Root had specifically targeted him.
Tenten and Lee exchanged glances before answering. "From the sound of it, he will be the next Hokage," Lee said solemnly. "Though I don't understand why Kakashi-sensei would be chosen over Gai-sensei," he added petulantly.
Neji bit back a dozen reasons and instead processed everything he knew about the situation. Sakura was right. Tsunade had known this would happen. She must have known there would be contention for her empty seat and made appropriate preparations including naming a successor.
For one, it explained why everyone was gathered around Kakashi as if awaiting an order. The silver-haired man certainly did not look like a Hokage at the moment, but already he had their respect.
"Alright, take me to where Danzou has the council," Kakashi said tiredly after hearing the situation from the other Jounin.
"You're in no condition for this," Uzuki commented from where she was being propped up by Shizune. "Leave it to ANBU." She gestured at the two dozen masked figures standing nearby.
"Well, maybe I'll leave the more energetic work to these fine shinobi," Kakashi said with forced lightheartedness. "But I want to be there when it happens."
Uzuki clucked her tongue in annoyance but didn't argue any more. She turned to a man Neji suspected was an ANBU captain and began issuing orders in a low voice. Surprisingly, the man didn't question her authority and quickly relayed the instructions to the rest of the squads present.
Three teams spread out around Kakashi and Gai in a semblance of an honor guard, and two more disappeared to scout ahead. The rest of the Jounin and Chuunin fell in behind the procession. Uzuki and the captain led the way back into the village and angled towards the Hokage Tower.
Neji caught a flicker of pink and red as Sakura turned a corner far in the distance, but before he could make his way out of the entourage, a man with a rat-mask appeared at his side.
"Hyuuga-san, Uzuki has requested your presence," the man informed him.
Neji glanced once more in the direction he had last seen Sakura, but obediently followed the ANBU shinobi towards the front of the formation.
As he passed Gai and Kakashi in the center of the group, his bushy-eyebrowed sensei called out, "Neji-kun! Kakashi tell me you defeated Uchiha Itachi. Well done, student of mine. I expect no less from my subordinates!" Kakashi barely managed to duck in time as Gai spun around in an elaborate pose and gave Neji a sparkling thumbs-up.
At one time in his life, Neji would have swelled with pride at the murmurs that Gai's announcement produced, but pride requires energy, and Neji certainly didn't have enough for that right now.
Finally he caught up with Uzuki, and the man with a rat-mask disappeared with a nod.
"I know you're tired, Neji-kun, but I need your eyes right now," Uzuki said with an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry, Onee-san," Neji told her, "But I don't have enough chakra left to use my Byakugan. Hiashi-sama is here, though."
Uzuki's pretty mouth twisted as she examined Neji. "That's not good enough, Neji-kun. The future of the Village could be determined in the next hour."
His eyebrows rose in surprise at her words. Hiashi was not good enough? The man was unarguably one of the strongest ninja in the village.
She pulled him to one side so the procession could pass by them. "Unfortunately, I'm worthless in my current state," Uzuki said with disgust. "So you need to be useful for both of us."
She placed a hand on either side of his face and stood on her toes so she could meet his eyes. "No one reaches Kakashi," she said evenly. "No one."
Neji realized her intention a split second too late to stop her. He felt chakra surge through his body like water through a desert, and Uzuki fell forward against his chest. He gently lowered her to the ground and activated his bloodline. Sure enough, she had used the last of her chakra performing her revitalizing jutsu. In fact, he was surprised she had even managed that.
Looking up, Neji realized the group had stopped moving, and Kakashi was walking towards them. The older man knelt in front of him with a barely suppressed groan and examined the unconscious woman. "Yuugao-chan, you are too reckless," he muttered under his breath as he lifted the woman into his arms.
With a nod to Neji, he returned to the center of the procession, and Neji hurried to the front where Uzuki had been walking with the captain. Then man glanced at him, noted his eyes, and grunted what could have been approval.
Not wanting to waste Uzuki's sacrifice, he began relaying the position of every ninja within 300 meters. He had difficulty telling the difference between Root and ANBU, but the captain knew exactly where his own shinobi were deployed and immediately began using his teams to sweep the area.
When they finally reached the Hokage Tower, Neji let out a clipped laugh. The captain gave him a guarded look, but Neji waited for Kakashi before explaining the situation. "There are three teams around the perimeter, one team on the first floor guarding the stairs, and two teams outside the Council's chambers," he told them.
"Is everyone alright inside the chamber?" Kakashi asked. "How many Root ninja are inside with Danzou?"
Neji couldn't keep the smirk from his face as he said, "Only Danzou is inside the chamber with the Council, and he's already dead."
"Are you sure?" Ibiki demanded incredulously.
"It could be a very elaborate jutsu, but I doubt it," Neji replied.
"Either way, we have to take out those ninja first," Kakashi said to the captain. The older man nodded and pulled a small whistle from his belt pouch. Within minutes, two dozen more ANBU appeared from the shadows.
In the end, Root was simply outnumbered. Kakashi waited patiently while the Root shinobi were either captured or chased away. Neji kept track of the fleeing ninja while Kakashi chatted amiably with Kurenai, who likewise didn't participate in the fighting.
Neji cleared his throat and interrupted Kurenai's recollection of the food cravings she had been having lately. "It's clear."
As they walked through the now-empty halls, Neji wondered how Danzou could have seriously thought his much smaller group of Root ninja could possibly be enough to take control of the village by force. He must have expected to be Hokage before any real opposition could form.
They reached the Council's chambers on the second floor, and Kakashi said, "Gai-kun, could you hold Uzuki while I see what's going on inside?"
"Of course!" Gai said with an over-sized smile. "It would be my pleasure to take care of the beautiful maiden in distress."
"Actually…," Kakashi hesitated. "Neji-kun, could you take care of Uzuki? I need Gai to watch my back."
Neji shared a brief, knowing look with Kakashi as the limp woman was transferred back into his care.
Straightening up and running a hand through his unruly hair, Kakashi knocked loudly on the door. "Sorry for the interruption," he called jovially.
The door burst open to reveal an older woman with a surly expression. "It's about damn time, Hatake," she grumbled.
An even older man shouldered past her to peek at the crowd gathered in the hallway. He spotted Neji and pointed a withered finger at him. "That's cheating! He has a Hyuuga with him!"
Neji had no idea how to respond, but was saved by the shortest old woman he had ever seen in his life. "It doesn't matter who he brought along, the deal we made was just that he had to come in person."
Another quavering voice piped up from inside the room, "Don't just stand there blocking the door. Let the man in so we can finish and go home."
An ANBU team proceeded Kakashi into the room, who followed hesitantly as if expecting an ambush. Neji crossed his arms and watched the conversation through the walls.
"Well, I suppose the first thing we should do is explain the situation," said a woman seated at the table. Delicate hair sticks pinned her gray hair in a tidy bun, and from the way the other council members ceased their grumblings, she was obviously one with authority.
She gestured at an empty chair and Kakashi fell into it with a sigh. "Now, as you may have heard already," she began primly, "Danzou arrived shortly before noon and announced the death of Tsunade-hime. Can anyone confirm this?"
Kakashi nodded silently, and she continued, "He demanded we immediately make him the successor and had the gall to threaten our lives should we not comply."
She sniffed with derision, and Kakashi said wryly, "Obviously you did not comply," as he glanced towards where Shizune was examining Danzou's body. "And from the looks of it, you did not comply several hours ago.
"Yes, well given the circumstances and given that we were all present, we decided to spend the time discussing who the next Hokage should really be, assuming Danzou's information was accurate," the woman explained. "There were some who were opposed to your youth saying that you lacked true devotion to this village."
She shot a haughty glare at the old man who had pointed out Neji earlier. "We agreed that if you came here to "free" us, it would demonstrate your commitment."
The old man grumbled under his breath before muttering, "He had a Hyuuga. He knew Danzou was already dead."
The woman slammed her hands on the table as she stood up quickly. The charms dangling from her hair sticks chimed as she said, "We also didn't realize that he would be on a mission and still he came. The criteria have been met. Hatake Kakashi is the Rokudaime Hokage."
The dissenter met her eyes defiantly, but his complaints faded away into silence all the same. Kakashi cleared his throat, and the woman transferred her piercing gray eyes to him.
"Excuse me, elder, but what if I don't…," he began.
"If you don't 'what'?" the woman snapped, interrupting his protest.
"Ah, perhaps you would like to think this over and meet again tomorrow?" Kakashi amended quickly.
"There's nothing to discuss, and we will have our hands full making this transition smoothly. Do not waste our already precious time," she replied coolly. Addressing everyone in the room, she added, "We will hold the funeral for the late Godaime the day after tomorrow. The day after that, we will formally announce Kakashi-sama as the new Hokage."
Gathering her shawl tightly around her shoulders, she swept from the room. Once in the hallways, she paused near Neji and unceremoniously instructed the ANBU team there to dispose of Danzou's body.
As the rest of the council members stood to leave, Kurenai asked the tiny old woman, "If Danzou has been dead for hours, who has been issuing orders to Root?"
The woman cackled and made a shaky hand seal. "Henge," she rasped and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Neji chuckled to himself when the air finally cleared and they were left staring at a perfect imitation of the old warhound.
The woman transformed back to her bent figure with a raucous cackle. "The old bastard assumed we would be helpless as babes, and it's his loss for the mistake. You don't get to be my age without a handy supply of tricks."
A bald man with thick glasses added, "We all spent at least some time in the Ninja Academy, though not everyone remembers as much as Umeko." The tiny woman cackled again and slapped Kakashi heartily on the back before leaving.
"It was my idea to tell Root to bring you back dead or alive," said the man who was against Kakashi's promotion. "I wanted to see if you'd be trussed up like a goose."
Kakashi just smiled and nodded as the old man turned to leave, and Kurenai gave Gai's foot a good stomp just as Neji's old teacher was opening his mouth with a large grin.
"Well," Kakashi said as he heaved himself to his feet. "Shall we go take a look at the Godaime's office?" Two ANBU disappeared with Danzou's body, and the rest of the procession filed back out into the hallway.
The Jounin and Chuunin still lingering around erupted into chatter as they tried to hear word of what had happened inside the room. Neji looked around for Tenten and Lee, but before he could spot them, Kakashi asked him to bring Uzuki to the main office. Kurenai, meanwhile, peeled off to start fielding all the questions.
Once inside the Hokage's office, the mood grew somber again. Everywhere they looked there were memories of the Godaime. Messy stacks of papers and folders, a chipped sake bottle, the remnants of a broken chair tossed in a heap in the corner.
Kakashi turned to the ANBU captain and gave a brief list of instructions. Set a watch for Yamato and his group and bring them here immediately, announce Danzou's death and offer a pardon to any Root member who still wants to work for ANBU, bring Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke here immediately, and find some spare blankets and pillows.
"There's no need to look for Naruto or Sakura," Neji interjected as he walked over towards the window. He drew the curtains aside and pushed the panes open just in time. He dodged out of the way just as an orange-clad figure came tumbling through the opening amidst a gust of cool evening air.
"Kakashi-sensei! Is everything okay?!" Naruto asked wildly as he looked around at all the people staring slack-jawed at his entrance.
Genma, who had just entered the room through the more conventional door snickered and said, "He could teach Anko a thing or two."
"I told you to wait, Naruto," said a tired, irate voice from the window. Sakura was perched on the sill and silhouetted by a spattering of stars in the cobalt sky.
She wobbled slightly, and Neji grabbed her arm to steady her. She gasped in surprise at the contact and he quickly pulled her into the room, catching her under her arms and steadying her against his chest. With her safe and back at his side, he released his Byakugan with a sigh of relief.
"You seem to be in the right place at the right time lately," she said with a small smile.
A man with a cat mask appeared with an armful of blankets, and Kakashi told him to just dump them on the floor. "I'd hate to burden the fine folks at the hospital, so we'll all just sleep here tonight while ANBU clears up any remaining problems," he announced to no one in particular, though Shizune pursed her lips in annoyance.
The subject was dropped when Anko burst through the door with Sasuke in tow. "I sealed Orochimaru's cursed seal," she announced proudly, spinning Sasuke around to display the handiwork on his neck.
A flicker of resentment danced in Sasuke's eyes, but Neji was impressed that the Uchiha was able to swallow being paraded around like a toy.
"Good, good," Kakashi said. "Very nice job, Anko. I want to keep my team here overnight until we're sure that Root has been taken care of, but I'll speak to you more about this in the morning."
Anko looked torn between preening from the compliment and scowling from the obvious dismissal. In the end, she gave Sasuke and Kakashi each a curt nod and strode from the room calling, "Sleep well," over her shoulder.
A few people followed Anko out as Kakashi knelt down to remove Uzuki's arm and chest guards. Naruto let out an epic yawn, which was the signal for everyone to grab a blanket and hunker down on the floor. Gai and Kurenai assured the tired group that they would stay just outside the room and excused themselves as well. Neji also moved to leave, but Sakura caught him by the arm.
Before she could say anything, though, Kakashi spoke up, "Neji-kun, you should stay here with us. I don't want anyone from this last mission getting caught in a misunderstanding with Root."
Misunderstanding. That was a nice way of putting it. Neji nodded and looked around for a blanket, but there were none left. Sakura tugged on his arm again, and he turned to see she was smiling.
"You can just share with me," she said with an impish grin. He couldn't help but smirk as she pulled him to one side of the room.
He sat down heavily with a sigh and leaned against the wall. Uzuki's jutsu had worn off just after Kakashi had met with the Council and his limbs felt like lead. He was amazed that Sakura and Kakashi had endured this level of fatigue for so long.
Sakura crawled next to him and pulled the blanket over them both. With a yawn, she voiced his thoughts out loud. "I don't think I've ever been this tired in my life," she groaned as she rested her head on his shoulder.
A whimpering noise caught their attention from the other side of the room, and they looked up to see Naruto watching them with big, watery eyes. "Sakura-chan," he pouted.
Kakashi threw a shuriken at the light switch, and the room grew dark with a dull thud. Uzuki, who had her head resting on Kakashi's lap, stirred but did not wake up.
"Team, I'm very proud of you," Kakashi said in the dark office. "All three of you have become truly talented shinobi, but I think here tonight, this is your first night as a genuine team."
"I'm proud of you, too," Neji whispered in Sakura's ear before kissing her temple. She snuggled onto his lap and buried her face against his neck. He could feel her lips move, but couldn't hear what she said. Pulling her body tighter against his own, he thought he had a good idea of what it was anyway.
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.'Sabaku No Annie'.: No, Uzuki is definitely reserved for someone else
NanbeiNoHana: I'm glad you like the way I'm portraying Sasuke. I figure, he's just incredibly scarred and emotionally stunted. We'll try to get him back on track!
KunoichiruleALL: So far the interview seems right on the money! I think I heard that we might get some Kakashi action, too, right? I hope so!!
Lady Light: I felt bad about Tsunade, but for some reason I really wanted to make Kakashi Hokage. And we all knew what would happen to Jiraiya…
Jay95: I figured if Anko can come back after being Oro's disciple, why can't Sasuke?
seguha: What's regent's week? Holidays already feel like a thing of the distant past for me. Hopefully I can crank out the ending of this story before life drowns me again.
icy-cold-refreshment: I'm glad you liked the chapter! I was worried that getting away from the NejiSaku fluff would discourage readers.
Da Cute Snowbunny: Sorry for the late update. I kind of hit a slump, but I read some of my old favorite NejiSaku fics and got back into the mood. I really do love this pairing…
pixiedust8831: I'll bring Sai back next chapter, but he's not really a big player in this story. Even though he's in Root, I think his loyalties are swinging towards Naruto and Team Kakashi anyway.
m00kie: Done and done
reikari: I'm glad you like the story despite lacking the NejiSaku goodness of Reading Beneath. I think I kind of fell into a slump, though, because I strayed too far from what originally motivated me to start writing fics – creating a really sweet NejiSaku relationship. I'm sure I'll be coming back to that before its over.
Dakishimeru: I'm not a huge fan of Sasuke either, but I figure everyone makes mistakes. We'll have a little more angst, but not too much. This side-story started off with plenty to go around.
AngelWing1138: LOL too funny!
Mayumi Crescent Moon: Sorry for the delay, but I really am going to try to push out the ending quickly. It's so close I can taste it!
Jemiul: Definitely more NejiSaku next chapter… I already have it planned in my head. Now time to write!
chaosdragon82: Thanks as always for the great review I'll be sure to add Sasuke's team in the next chapter. I hope to see more of them in the manga, too! Otherwise gathering them all just to follow him in the background would be a waste.
al2010: Thanks for leaving a review! I'm glad you like the way I wrote Sasuke!
yuki san1: Sorry for killing Tsunade :( I thought it was appropriate that she go avenge Jiraiya, though. I wonder what she'll do about it in the manga.
Yamibito-fangirl: I'll try to finish this fic up quickly, but you're right, there still isn't a lot of material to continue Reading Beneath. It's been what, 8 months in real time since Team 7 and 8 left Konoha?