Chapter Twelve
Little Suspicions

It was an early Friday morning. Neji was comfortably sleeping in his room, enjoying a well-deserved break after his previous week of missions. The entire Hyuuga household was all peacefully sleeping.

But it wasn't going to last.

"Udai Soul Crusher!"

Neji had only a fraction of a second to react, and it was just not enough considering he had only just opened his eyes. A foot collided with his chest, knocking the breath out of him. His assailant flipped and landed lightly next to the bed, and watched with an amused expression as he gasped for breath.

"Good Morning Neji Hyuuga!" Chi declared when he had sufficiently recovered.

"Today is sunny with a slight chance of clouds at mid-day, but that should clear up by this afternoon. Which means today would be the perfect day to put in a good word for your friend, Chi, and get her out of Konoha for a light B-Rank mission."

"It's your punishment, just deal with it."

"Why are you so cold?" Chi said pouting at Neji.

"You just kicked me in the chest first thing in the morning, and you're asking me to do you a favor."

"Yeah…"

"Why would I do it?"

"Violence is a sign of affection in the Land of Water."

"Violence is a sign of violence in the Land of Fire."

"No pleasing some people." Chi said with a sigh. "Just think of your fellow chuunin struggling to get by on a day to day basis because she has to baby sit kids. You know I hate kids."

"I'm a jonin."

Chi frowned at Neji for a moment then grinned. "Sure you are."

"I am."

"Prove it."

"I'm going on an A-rank Mission tomorrow."

"Foiled by the A-rank." Chi said, pretending to faint.

"Anyway, you deal with worse things than kids normally. Think of it as a period of rest and reflection."

"Funny thing… that is exactly what your uncle said when I told him."

Neji frowned, "You told my uncle."

"Well, I bumped into him this morning and he was wondering why I was around more often, so I told him the situation."

"You and he talk too much."

"Are you jealous, Neji?"

"Of course not. I just don't think it's proper that you're associating with someone so above you."

Chi laughed and grinned. "Baka." She looked serious. "One day I'll be the leader of my clan. And as such I will be required to be on good terms with the leaders of every clan in Konoha." She smiled again, "Strangely enough that also includes your clan. So suck it up branch member."

Neji face grew stony. "You should go. Lady Tsunade probably has a mission for you."

Chi tilted her head slightly to one side, dead serious again. "You have to let it go Neji." Neji didn't even move. Chi sighed and smiled, "You're killing me here. Come on. Seriousness just gets people down, and I am already feeling down enough because of the kids."

"You never used to be this heartless Chi."

Chi became serious again. "I know. Comes with the job."

Tsunade stamped the last page of the mountain of paper work she had been making her way through that morning. Shizune lifted the page and added it to her outbox.

There was suddenly a knock at the door.

"Enter!" Tsunade called and the door swung open.

"Tsunade-hime, you have to stop making me do these D-rank missions, they are killing me." Chi said falling on her knees. "It wasn't even my idea!"

As if on cue, Chi was hit over the head by a jonin who had just arrived at the scene.

"How many times do I have to tell you to never tell on your friends?"

"Ibi-sensei!" Chi yelled launching herself off the floor and attaching herself to Ibiki's back.

"Hello Chi." Ibiki said apparently ignoring the fact she was now clinging to his back. "You wanted to see me, Hokage?"

"What good timing. I wanted to ask you about Chi."

"Ibi-sensei… please don't tell her about the ramen shop incident."

"Ramen… shop… incident?" Tsunade said, sketchily.

"What ramen shop incident?" Ibiki asked Tsunade.

"The one Chi just talked about."

"She didn't." Ibiki said with a frown. Chi looked dead serious too and shrugged.

"You haven't been into the sake have you Hokage?" Chi asked, leaning over Ibiki's shoulder slightly.

The Hokage frowned and chose to ignore Chi's comment. Truth be told she had already downed half a bottle that morning, paperwork really took it out of her.

"Ibiki, could I have a word to you alone?"

"Of course Lady Hokage."

Chi nodded, jumped off Ibiki's back and stepped outside closing the door behind her. The Hokage turned her attention to Ibiki, her face completely serious.

"This is very important, Ibiki. I need you to tell me everything you can about Chi's S-rank mission."

As soon as Chi was outside she spun around, closed the door then pressed her ear to it.

"Dammit… bloody Ibiki using his sound blocking technique." Chi cursed under her breath before taking a seat outside the door and looking sulky.

Suddenly the sound of a battle cry and someone swooping through the air was heard. Chi dodged the attack and pulled into the ready stance.

"Nice try, but you'll need to be more discrete then that to take me out, Lee."

"I felt it was best to give you some warning."

"The best fights are the impromptu ones."

Both shinobe went to throw kicks at one another when a third party intervened.

"Is it possible for me to see the Hokage without having to break you two up in the future?" Neji said flatly.

"Neji, come to cross skill with me!" Chi declared pulling into a ready taijutsu stance very much like Lee's.

"Is 'idiot' catching?" Neji said flatly, rolling his eyes.

"Just messing with you." Chi said, slamming Neji across the back. He looked at her oddly.

"That was the lightest hit I've ever got from you."

"It's early and I'm tired." Chi said sulkily. Neji rolled his eyes at her.

"Oh good, you two are already here… oh it's you." Tenten said, spotting her two team-mates and Chi.

"It's me!" Chi declared, stepping forward towards Tenten. Neji inhaled deeply as though preparing to say something.

"Well isn't that wonderful." Tenten said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I like to think so."

Neji released his breath and shook his head. Chi could tell he was wondering if she had picked up on Tenten's sarcasm.

"You have a high opinion of yourself."

"I like to think having a high opinion of yourself insinuates high self-esteem. Something a lot of people are lacking these days." Chi said with a smile. "Tenten if you have a problem with me I would prefer you just tell me what it is. I don't want to be your enemy."

Tenten turned her nose up slightly. "Uh huh."

Neji noticed Chi's face darken slightly.

"Chi, you can come back in."

"Coming Ibi-sensei!" Chi piped-up, turning and practically skipping through the door.

"Ibi-sensei?"

"Alright Chi, I'm sending you on a diplomatic mission."

"Aw… Lady Hokage… diplomatic missions and I don't work well together. We have this hate-hate relationship."

"Funny… you told me there was no-one you couldn't work with when you first got back."

"Well, I left out diplomatic missions."

"Too bad. You have been selected for this mission on the basis of your previous expertise."

Chi became very serious suddenly. "I'm a chuunin."

Tsunade studied Chi for a moment before grunting, "This is a chuunin level mission."

"Oh… that's alright then. You should be careful how you throw around the term diplomatic mission. I was getting worked up there."

"You will be accompanied by Neji, Lee and Tenten."

Chi nodded, smiling to herself slightly.

"Alright then."

"One more thing, Chi."

"Yes?"

"I'm putting you in charge of this mission. Don't mess it up."

Team Gai, minus one Gai, plus one Chi, were making their way towards Suna at rather a leisurely pace. Neji had been mildly surprised when Chi didn't start zipping around saying how bored she was, and Lee hadn't made them try to reach the town in record time. Not so surprisingly Tenten was looking as down about the choice of team leader as Neji felt.

"Why would the Hokage put a chuunin in charge of a jonin… it doesn't make any sense." Tenten said, for the third time.

Chi, obviously sick of hearing the same line over and over finally spoke up, "Unless said chuunin is clearly superior to afore mentioned jonin."

"This is clearly not the case here." Neji said flatly.

Chi narrowed her eyes at him.

"We don't have anything to go on for comparison, since you refuse to fight me."

"He's a jonin for a reason."

"I got sent on a five year mission for a reason." Chi said, with a self-satisfied glance at Tenten. "In any case, the point is irrelevant. I am the leader of this team, and no amount of arguing will change that."

Tenten huffed and turned her nose up and Neji could have sworn Chi looked smug.

"Lady Hokage."

"Yes Shizune."

"The list of names Ibiki gave us… They're all dead."

"I know Shizune."

"What can that mean?"

"… Chi Udai isn't everything she first appears to be."