Midsummer Afterglow: Readers! It's been forever! I'm glad to be finally updating this story! There is so much to say regarding this chapter but the most important thing is to be prepared for a lot of reading! It's my longest chapter ever, at 24 pages long in word document! ^_^ I feel very proud of this chapter and I hope you all enjoy it! This chapter is extremely important so I advise you all to read through it completely focused because much of what happens in the scenes below, will be important as this story begins to reach its rising action! Another thing is that this chapter introduces two new characters, one of which is from Naruto. (I will address more about him in the authors note at the end.) Anyway, I also want to apologize for having very little of Hina/Neji in this chapter but I had to bring back the other characters and get the plot moving once again. But don't worry, for any who miss him here, Neji comes back as a POV in the next chapter!

Well, a quick shout out to new readers and subscribers! Thank you so much for reading this story! ^.^ I don't have time to mention each one of my new readers by name and I know there is probably a lot I am forgetting to mention about this chapter but I won't rant any longer. I put a lot of time and effort into this update so I hope you guys enjoy it!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

Cursed Seals

Haruto came to a sudden halt, as he noticed that he was nearing his destination. The infamous Hyuga clan, of the Hidden Leaf, all but stood out like a sore thumb from amongst the grouping of dense forest which surrounded it. His legs felt dangerously weary, as if they might buckle beneath him if he, but take one more step. Nevertheless, he had not come so far to simply give up. There was a job to do, and it was his duty to fulfill the wishes of his employer.

Crouching upon a sturdy tree branch, Haruto rubbed the back of his calves with his calloused hands. Like the rest of his body, his legs were no longer willing to carry him so far without repercussions. Though the ache in his calves stung, Haruto did his best to ignore it. Meditating on the feel of the sapphire stones, around his neck, Haruto recalled what it was the feudal lord had promised him, if he oversaw this mission without fail.

A single day away from his duties; one day of freedom, to cherish without remorse, was what he craved more than anything. He had sworn his life to the service of the feudal lord back when he knew it was his only option. But now, he regretted that he had done so. There were other ways he could have gone about staying close to the ones he loved; but in a village as large as the Hidden Cloud, he might never have been able to keep track of their movements so easily.

That was the incessant problem with ninja who made it their profession to always be on the move. There was never time to stop and really live. Without his connections, Haruto might never have been able to see Mayu or Ryuu again. As it was, he hardly saw them anyhow. Whenever he made an effort to keep watch over them from afar, his work, under the feudal lord, would take him away from the siblings who meant so much to him.

Haruto felt a pang in his heart, as he slowly stood, grasping the trunk of the tree for assistance. Most of what he could remember from his childhood was dark and despairing. It was not until he found Mayu and Ryuu that his life changed for the better. And yet, all in a single day, everything he treasured had been swept from under his feet. That was also the day he had lost his ability to fight. A ninja who could not be used in battle was useless. And so, this is what he had become in order to keep a shred of his dignity.

Shin had been right; he was no more suited to be a messenger boy than he was suited to be a part of Mayu and Ryuu's lives. Right now though, this form of service was all he had left, besides for the hope that this mission would be executed to the tee. Haruto no longer excelled in anything but following orders and staying invisible. With this in mind, he was adamant on using these skills to his advantage.

He had come to the Hidden Leaf to make completely sure that things were going as planned. The feudal lord would not accept anything less than perfection; and unless Haruto readied the group of hunter nins for the upcoming massacre, he would be once again tossed aside without a thought. This was his one chance to begin anew, and even if his body refused to comply, his mind would drive him forever forward. Like an arrow, strung to pierce its target, Haruto too must hit the enemy straight on.

In order to do so, he required intelligence on the inner workings of the Hyuga clan. He needed to uncover any plans the elders might or might not be harboring and then use his newfound knowledge to gain a better perspective of how best to send off Shin and his group. The key was to always keep one step ahead of the intended target and by doing so Haruto would surely sniff out any Hyuga who might already be onto the feudal lords' plan.

The scrolls sat side by side upon the low table, staring back at him, silent and unmoving. For the last hour he had been observing them, not sure what to expect from two inanimate objects, but hoping that somehow they would manifest answers to his endless flow of questions.

His nights had been restless of late and the closer the day of the mission approached them, the more he found himself unable to sleep. There was simply something that continued to gnaw at his brain; something that did not allow him to let go of his every instinct to call off the mission right away. He could not do this though. It was already too late to even be considering it.

He was the clan's highest person of authority and his orders were considered final once issued. Even if he were to try to go back and change his decisions, time would always be against him; time, and his own pride that is. If there was ever one thing that never failed to get a man into trouble, it was his pride. For some ungodly reason, whenever duty and honor called, men were so drawn by their instincts to prove themselves that all sense of logic and reason flew right over their heads.

He was no stranger to this truth and though it continued to stare back at him through the bodies of the two, foreign scrolls, he never blinked, not even once. A challenge had been thrown right in his face and yet, rather than weighing his options first, he had accepted it without question.

How many foolish decisions would he make before a harbinger of death came for him? What right did he have over the lives of the people serving under him when he had no right to even his own life?

These were only two of a line of questions which had invaded his mind over night. He was a leader, a role model, and more importantly, a man. Could anything be more taxing?

The main elder folded his hands beneath his chin and gazed at the identical scrolls before him. There was nothing on their outer appearance that really bothered him, except for the broken seals, which clearly projected the symbol of the Hidden Cloud.

Two seals, hidden beneath crimson red tassels and broken by his own hands, yet still they gave him pause. The messages written inside the scrolls were of little significance to him. The first was the invitation sent by the feudal lord, the second, a set of welcoming words prepared for the protector of the clans' heiress. No, there was not a single thing worth being suspicious of in that respect. No obscure meaning lay behind the formal address in either scroll; but if the only notable characteristic had been the messages contained within the scroll, then the main elder would not have been able to be called worthy of his title.

To understand what it was that made these two scrolls very different from other scrolls, which had been sent to him by lords and other such high ranking officials in the ninja world, one had to really examine every inch of their appearances, both inside and out. In one of the top corners of both scrolls, there stood out a perfectly shaped blotting of black ink. At first glance the inked spots would seem nothing more than stains, but they perfectly covered the whole of the space, within which they were contained, that the main elder had begun to puzzle over how and why this could be.

Depending on who had penned the messages - it was obvious that only one type of handwriting was used to compose them - there were a matter of ways in which a slip up such as this one could occur. One way, to explain the outcome is as so: perhaps while dipping their pen into the inkpot and dragging it back over the scroll, the author of the message failed to realize that he or she had forgotten to shake off the excess ink before using their pen to write, thus allowing for said ink to spill onto the scroll without noticing. A second explanation could be that, while after composing the messages, the author had left the ink spots as a signature of his or her own that could appear separate from the feudal lords' signature without drawing too much attention. A third explanation could be that the ink spots were placed on the scrolls purposely in order to signify that they were not forged and indeed products of the feudal lords' message center.

The main elder had considered every one of these explanations and even concluded that perhaps one of the three were indeed true or partly so, but no matter what explanation he had been able to concoct in his mind thus far, he could not find satisfaction in any one of them.

Hinata and her party were preparing to leave for the Hidden Cloud. Now that the heiress was assumed to be almost fully recovered, time was short. No matter what obscure meaning the two scrolls held, the main elder would not be able to decipher it here and now. Any progress he might have made was negated by the lack of energy he was experiencing. The longer he poured his strength into puzzling out the Feudal Lord's tactics, the wearier his mind became.

Coming to a halt in thought, the main elder brought his hands up to the sides of his face and began to message his temples thoroughly. His head ached rather fiercely and there was no fast cure for the sudden ailments his body succumbed to whenever he was under great deals of stress. The last time he had felt so uneasy was when his younger sister had begged him to allow her son a chance to become the heiress's protector.

During those moments when Hinata was given leave to choose whichever man she felt suited her best, the main elder had been on total edge. His nerves had been shot and it had not been until Hinata spoke Neji's name, that his fears were put to rest.

Brining Kazuko's son back into the equation had been a mistake on his part, but at the time, with his sister pleading before him, he felt helplessly touched. He knew what she had been through as a girl and back then, when she had begged him to speak up for her, he had not. He had left her, the desperate and frightened child, to face the wrath of their father alone.

The sliding door stood open, revealing the, brightly lit, outside of the compound. The sun had risen into the vast expanse of blue sky above and white clouds gathered round the giant orange ball, like a pack of animals encircling their prey. The weather had been rather odd as of late. One minute a storm had passed through the village, whipping up all sorts of cold winds and heavy rains, and the next minute, the damn sun was shining like no such thing had ever occurred. Seiichi had never fully understood why it was the world operated in such a delusional manner.

More often than not, the seasons played tricks on each other while the universe simply watched; and the ones who always suffered from their antics were the miserable beings caught in the trap of life. While the sun, moon, and stars all got to escape the world for a while, Seiichi never did. Every time he felt like he just might succeed in getting away, a supernatural tug on his ankle would bring him right back to reality. Reality was never what he hoped it would be. The constant disappointments he contented with pulled him ever deeper into a hole of unrest. He had very little hope invested in this world and none whatsoever invested in people.

It was however, hard to ignore the fact that survival depended on relying on others and as much as he detested this, his mind argued that it would be in his best interest to do so. A sudden sound from behind him broke Seiichi's train of thought. Turning his head slightly, his eye narrowed as his mother casually made her way towards him.

"You still haven't spoken a word about last night," Kazuko relayed to him dryly. Her slow movements were agonizing to Seiichi's lack of patience.

"What is it you want to hear from me?" He replied curtly.

Seiichi was disinterested in whatever his mother might wish to discuss with him. Her entire presence made him cringe in disgust. He loathed the image of her, as it reminded him so much of the main elder. The only difference, being that his mother was a lot softer on the eyes than the aged fool was.

"Brooding like this won't change anything Seiichi. Don't you think it's about time you picked yourself up off the floor?"

Kazuko's lips broke out in a mocking smile at her own words and Seiichi hated her all the more for attempting to tease him like he was some sort of docile child, in need of her light motherly touch.

"And I suppose you expect me to just waltz right out of here with this abomination marring my forehead?" He asked sarcastically, not even entirely expecting an answer from her. But, being the woman his mother was, she replied regardless.

"I expect very little from you Seiichi, but at the very least, you ought to look in my direction without carrying that ridiculous pout on your face."

Seiichi's nose scrunched up at Kazuko's words. Was she still teasing or was she insulting him? Whichever it was, he would not let her best him with words alone. Bringing his hand, precariously, to his brow, Seiichi dabbed two fingers against the branding he had received the night before.

"This clan makes me sick," he retorted angrily. Seiichi was furious inside and though he was trying to maintain his cool, the longer his mother stood there, pitying him, he found it harder and harder to do so.

"You've been repeating that phrase for years; isn't it time you chanted something different?" Kazuko probed almost sweetly. Though in truth, every drop of her tenderness was laced with poisonous ridicule.

"If I keep re-iterating it then perhaps it is became something needs to be done to change things'" He told her angrily. There was only so much of her nonsense he could handle. Any more smart comments from the woman and he would make sure she never used that mouth of hers, in front of him, again.

"Something will be done Seiichi," Kazuko said then, her manner turning from light to serious. This was at least a bit of a relief for him.

"But first," Kazuko started sedately. "You need to quite sulking like little kid."

At this, Seiichi fumed. Then, his insides clenched, as did his hands. "Did you not do this because he ordered you to?"

Kazuko lifted her head a bit higher and her gaze traveled right over her son's head. "Whatever you may believe, my brother is not responsible for your fate. As an elder, he must follow protocol."

Seiichi scoffed and slammed his fists against the wooden paneled floor. "And does protocol state that half bloods be subjected to the same regulations as full bloods?"

"You have always been a Hyuga Seiichi…If you only came to accept…"

"I am no more a Hyuga than you are a mother Kazuko!" Seiichi spit out furiously. He was angry at Kazuko's lack of sense. How dare she try to convince him that he was anything more than a pawn to her brother!

"That is all…that is the only thing I can accept in this life," He stated, this time, lowering his voice a notch. He wished for nothing more than to make sure the twit of a woman kept her damn mouth closed, but it was still far too early in the morning for him to be fighting with Kazuko.

Seiichi settled on scowling in his mother's direction, but his glare didn't seem to phase her one bit.

"You disappoint me Seiichi. Were you not the one who came to me for answers? Well here I am, willing to give you some, but you refuse to listen."

At this, Seiichi felt his heart begin to pound tepidly within his chest. Indeed, he had come to her for answers, but after not receiving any in his first attempt to crack her, he had silently and resignedly admitted defeat.

"Then you know something Kazuko?"

"I know something, though if it's not what you hope to hear, do you still intend to hear me out?" Kazuko questioned, carefully positioning herself between Seiichi's seated form and the outside world. His mother's short dark hair framed her face stylishly and for the first time, Seiichi sensed a hint of authority in her tone of voice. He was afraid of what it was she was hiding from him.

"Go ahead; tell me what it is you want me to know," Seiichi ordered, not unkindly. There was an odd look in his mother's face that made him curious as to what sort of message she might have locked behind those pale eyes of hers.

"If you wish to walk your own path Seiichi, you must first prove, by any means, that you are capable of doing so," Kazuko told him sincerely. Her fingers drummed against her thigh rhythmically and a faint frown appeared etched onto her pear shaped face.

Even from a distance, Seiichi could see a red ring around his mother's neck. Memories of the previous night entered into his head and though his mind was plagued with the sound of her rasping breaths, he felt not a tinge of guilt for hurting her. In fact, the mark his hands had left upon her skin, almost gave her a rather humbling appearance. Kazuko spoke proudly but deep inside, she knew where she stood with him; and this fact made Seiichi's blood boil with anticipation. He was the one in control here, and yet, she continued to defy him for whatever it was worth.

Chuckling inwardly, Seiichi closed his eyes and pursed his lips. "How can I," He asked calmly. "While I have this bloody seal embedded in my skin?"

"Something this trivial cannot keep you from living. As long as you have air to breath and a heart that beats, nothing can stop you from attaining the life of the man you seek."

Kazuko watched him for a reaction, but Seiichi gave her nothing to observe. He was certainly surprised by his mother's acclimation. The man she had mentioned - Shin was it – could he possibly be the one whom Seiichi had promised to extract his revenge upon? Perhaps Kazuko was lying; she had a knack for doing so, even with him, and Seiichi could never quite tell whether her words were true false.

"This seal gives the main family power over me; there is no way I can operate freely now, without one of them stripping me of the byakugan."

Seiichi's breath caught in his throat as his mother strode right up to him and knelt to his lowered level. Kazuko gazed intently at the symbol on his forehead and he sat, still as statue, wondering what it was she was studying.

"Don't be ridiculous Seiichi," Kazuko began, as her hand came up to gently brush away the beads of cold sweat that had accumulated on the sides of his face. "I would never allow my own son to be subjected to the control of the main family."

Seiichi felt Kazuko's warm breath tickling his skin. She was so close to him, that he could even smell the remnants of her subtle perfume. As her hand came to stop just below his chin, Seiichi inadvertently gulped. The touch of a demon had descended upon him.

"What are you saying Kazuko?" Seiichi mumbled out nervously, biting the inside of his bottom lip.

Kazuko smirked and then leaned forward to place the kiss of death upon his forehead. As she retreated, her hand slipped to his shoulder and she leaned in again, placing her mouth near the lob of his ear.

Whispering softly, she said, "The seal I have placed on you is nothing but a mere substitute of the original."

His eyes widened instinctively and the entire room suddenly felt too small for comfort. His entire confidence began to shrink beneath her touch, and when Seiichi finally spoke, his words came out like a desperate plea, "A substitute?"

"Tell me Kazuko, what the hell have you done to me?"

A strange noise beckoned him from his hiding place amongst the ferns on the forest floor. With the sun already breaking through the clouds, Haruto knew that he hadn't much time left before he needed to retreat. He had been keeping silent and watchful for a good two hours, and yet, nothing remotely interesting had occurred within the confines of the clan. Haruto wondered if any of the Hyuga men or women were early risers and if they were, then how was it he hadn't even heard a pin drop in the last 120 minutes?

Perhaps this clan was strict about keeping silent in the mornings? Or better yet, because they were so very good at detecting the presences of others, they were forced, by the elders, to remain indoors until a certain point of the suns rising.

Haruto silently laughed these thoughts off as he once more prepared for another thirty minute watch. With very little to go on, he was hoping that the noise, which had caught his immediate attention, was more than a simple stirring of the trees.

It was then, that Haruto's wish came true. Coming out from behind a single story compound, was a group of men, each attired in the formal clothes of elite ninja. As they made their way passed him, Haruto felt a surge of confidence burst forth from his mind. Here was certainly an interesting undertaking. It couldn't be everyday that a group of elite Hyuga ninja strode through the clan as if preparing to meet up with an official.

And indeed, this is exactly what happened. Haruto, getting on all fours, crawled across the ground, silent as a spider, following the group of made up ninja. The group walked in single file and each one looked past the one before him, as if the person weren't even there.

Haruto had never before seen such a display of discipline and he had to admit, the very sight intrigued him greatly. If this was the way the Hyuga clan operated, then perhaps they might just put up a challenging opposition against Shin and his group.

Creeping closer to a corner compound, in which, the group of Hyuga ninja had just entered, Haruto removed a shuriken from his pouch and deftly carved, in the shape of an O, a symbol into the wooden wall. Once he returned to Shin, he would inform him that this marking would signify that within this particular compounded one of the Hyuga officials resided. Since this was his first time in Konoha, Haruto needed to be overly cautious. With his awful sense of direction and due to the fact that every compound was built to mirror the ones around it, he would never know which one was which unless he made some sort of physical note.

Satisfied with his work, Haruto closed his fingers around the hilt of the shuriken and brought his hand down to his side. Keeping the small weapon close to him, he certainly felt more comforted. Honing in on the thin walls of the compound, Haruto leaned the left side of his face against the wooden panels. From inside muffled voices began to break the morning silence. Closing his eyes, Haruto drowned out the entire world and focused every bit of his hearing on the voices sounding within the enclosed walls.

The decision to send scout ninja out ahead of the party had been in the forefront of his mind since the last he had convened with Hiashi and his sister. The moment he had opened the second scroll and seen the identical ink spot, his anxiety had increased and his fears had materialized. He had spoken to Hiashi already, and had commanded him to inform Neji of the group, which would be released before them.

The road was a dangerous place for any traveler, but when that traveler happened to be the heiress of a clan, the danger on the road became immensely grave. There were many rogue ninja who roamed the roads outside villages, just hoping to come upon small parties they could ambush. If Hinata was ever captured on her way to the Hidden Cloud, a ransom would not even be issued. The byakugan would be all any ninja would take from her.

On one hand, Neji would be by her side, but Hiashi had convinced the council to send his youngest daughter as well and that would only hindrance the party. On the other hand, Kazuko's son would be accompanying them as well, but the main elder did not trust the boy. He looked too much like his mother and acted so plainly like her too. He never appeared defiant before the main elder, but Seiichi was more or less a rebellious child. Neji had best keep two eyes on him the entire time.

There were far too many ways for this escapade to fall apart. Hinata was not ready to make official visits to the homes of lords or Kages. She had no training to fall back on except for the few experiences she had been privileged enough to recall to memory. Hinata's father had hosted many officials over the years but his children had been told to tend to themselves during those times and were kept from appearing before their father's house guests. At the time, that had all been for the best; but now, Hinata would be the guest of honor in another officials home and she would need to present herself as the head of the clan; and still she was only a child.

The whole damn prospect of sending her to the Hidden Cloud had been infuriating from the start. If he had had the choice to send Hiashi in her stead, the main elder would have in less than a heartbeat. Hiashi had dealt with the feudal lord on occasion and was no stranger to his sly mannerisms and cheap tactics.

Long ago, the Hidden Cloud had presented a very similar invitation to the one they had received for Hinata's welcome; but back then, the feudal lords' intentions had been malicious. During that time, it was not the main elder who spoke for the clan, but his father. Like his sister was now, he had been just another member of the council, learning to watch his father and absorb every bit of information which would later aid him when he took over his father's position.

Before any mishaps occurred, the entire prospect of being invited to the homes of the feudal lord, all the way in the territory of the Hidden Cloud, had been an exciting one. The Hidden Cloud was a foreign place to himself and to his sister. They had felt secure inside the walls of Konoha but there was something delicious about the unknown. There was simply something that drew the both of them, foolish children though they were.

Tapping his fingers gently against the wooden table top, the main elder sighed, waiting patiently for Hiroshi and his men to arrive. He had told them to come early, but as usual, they were running late.

Although Neji and Seiichi were formidable ninja in their own class, the clan did not rely solely on two young boys to protect them. Whenever certain, S class, missions were issued, the main elder always kept in touch with older, more experienced Hyuga men. Hiroshi had been a good friend from the old days. Like the main elder, Hiroshi was getting on in years but he kept his skills polished and refined. Ninja like Hiroshi, never knew when best to call it quits.

The main elder was drawn from his meditation as the door to his room creaked open softly. It was about time.

The first to step inside his view was Hiroshi himself, followed by his six companions. The main elder knew their faces well, and as they each made their way into the morning light of the spacious room, they bowed respectfully, then lined up, three on either side behind Hiroshi, fanning out to form a rather perfectly shaped V.

"No matter how many times I summon you and your men to an early meeting, the hour you choose to arrive is always inconveniently late," The main elder stated, sternly.

He knew how easily Hiroshi lost track of time, which is why he had ordered him to come an entire two hours earlier than necessary. As was expected, Hiroshi arrived exactly two hours after he was supposed to and the early morning hours were fading away.

"I hate to make a pattern of my lateness but I'm afraid it is practically unavoidable this late into the game," Hiroshi replied amusedly with an emphasis on the word late.

Nothing ever seemed to dampen the man's spirits. Whatever darkness Hiroshi found himself in was easily penetrated by his own inner light and optimism.

"Fair enough," The main elder agreed contentedly. "Then perhaps next time you might be persuaded into arriving only one hour late rather than two."

"I'll do my best," Hiroshi promised earnestly.

As nice as it would have been to sit down and reminisce over past experiences, the main elder held in his urge to chat with Hiroshi and instead got right to the point.

"I'm sure you have an idea as to why I have called on you?" The main elder inquired, curious to see whether or not Hiroshi had a clue as to what his mission would consist of.

"Well the gossip running about the main family is that Hiashi's little girl is finally taking some responsibility off the older man's shoulders," Hiroshi confided a bit snidely.

The main elder pursed his lips in response. People certainly had their eyes on Hinata more than ever and it looked as if, regardless of the love and respect they held for Hiashi, Hinata had yet to prove herself, to them, to be an efficient member of the clan.

"Is that so?" "Well the opinions of our clansmen are hardly the issue here," The main elder told Hiroshi, his tone of voice darkening.

The main elder was well aware of Hiroshi's tendency to judge unfairly. Back when Hiashi had first taken his place as head of the clan, Hiroshi hardly spared him a single word of praise. It took quite a lot to impress the older man. In fact, the six men standing on his two sides, all went through a lot just to be able to stand where they were.

"I expected as much." "So then there really is more to be wary of," Hiroshi commented dryly. The grave expression on his face gave away the fact that he had feared this was the reason he had been summoned.

"A lot more," The main elder confirmed. "The past has finally come back to drive us out of our comfort zones."

"You believe this situation to be similar to the one back then?" Hiroshi asked, his eyes coming to land on the two scrolls which sat before the main elder.

Very little escape Hiroshi's notice.

"I have a feeling that it may turn out to be an exact replica; although, I am not sure of anything as of yet."

As the main elder spoke, not a single trace of worry appeared on the faces of Hiroshi's men, and their pale eyes bore intently into the straight back of their leader. The main elder was always impressed by how well trained they were. Hiroshi was one of the veteran ninja among the Hyuga and those he had chosen to work under him followed after his own self disciplinary attitude.

"The Hyuga are all the same and yet not the same," Hiroshi said then, a tinge of reproachfulness lacing his deep voice.

The main elder looked up at the disgruntled man. Hiroshi's pale face was now speckled with different sets of wrinkles. They were not exactly noticeable, but under the right light, he appeared so much older than he actually was. His shoulder length brown hair had strands of gray appearing near the roots and the traditional ninja getup he was sporting, gave him an austere look.

"Meaning what Hiroshi?" The main elder prompted seriously.

"Meaning," Hiroshi began slowly, as a strangely twisted smile broke out on his face. "That despite the similar backgrounds our techniques originate from, we all handle the enemy differently."

The main elder missed the way Hiroshi always chose to speak in riddles, which he would never leave unexplained. It became apparent, after getting to know him, that in order to get a single point across, the man always gave, whomever he was conversing with, a chance to guess what it was he was trying to say before he came out and bluntly said it.

"A fine point," The main elder relented. "But you forgot to mention one thing."

"And what is that?" Hiroshi questioned, his wicked smile now tucked away. He stood as still as a statue, while his eyes searched the main elder's face for some sort of clue that might reveal what point it was he had failed to voice.

"That no matter how an enemy is dealt with, one way or another, the Hyuga will ensure their demise."

Hiroshi simply nodded his head in agreement. He knew, better than anyone, that to let an enemy get the better of you meant sudden death. The Hyuga clan had not survived through so much on battle prowess alone. Unlike other clans which had perished, the Hyuga had persisted. Hiroshi spoke of the Byakugan and the Hyuga techniques as if they were trivial to survival but the reality was that the Byakugan and the gentle fist were everything to the Hyuga. It was even rumored that the noble Uchiha clan had techniques which first derived from the Hyuga's and from what the main elder had witnessed through his many years of duty only provided him with more evidence to support this claim.

Taking a moment to observe the six characters standing like frozen body guards, behind Hiroshi, the main elder spied a Hyuga boy he had not seen in quite a while, Tokuma Hyuga. The dark hair and the identical long bangs which framed the sides of his face, gave him a homely look. The only facial feature which drew attention was the boys' large pale eyes, which stood out more than the rest of his features; but what was even more noteworthy was the striking resemblance he shared with Hizashi's son.

There was something unsettling about the boy. The main elder approved of Neji, but having a Neji look alike waltzing around under Hiroshi's nose and his own, was very discomforting. It seemed that the older he got, the more the younger generation aged as well. Slowly they were taking on the appearances of the mentors who came before them.

No matter how much the past scarred and damaged, the future had a way of invading and putting things to right. The main elder only hoped that the present would prove to be just as reliable.

Memories of the night before flooded into her mind unbidden. When Hinata had found that she was alone in her own room, her entire body had ached with a longing she had never experienced before. Somehow, over just one night, Neji and she had become two halves of one whole and unfortunately, she had fallen asleep so comfortably inside his arms without fully having a chance to let the beauty of that fulfilling moment sink in. Hinata was now wondering how she had slept so soundly without Neji's warmth if right now she was simply dying inside because she wasn't next to him.

Even now, as she sat so alone upon her futon, Hinata could feel Neji's lingering touch so clearly. Like an invisible blanket, his love was wrapped around her, keeping her safe.

Hinata turned her head to see that rays of precious sunlight were filtering through her screen door. She certainly had slept longer than usual and after last night, she was sure that this would be the last she would ever sleep so peacefully. Now that she had tasted the fruit of love and happiness, there was nothing in the world that could ever match the joy she felt building up inside her. Neji was becoming her anchor to this life and without him Hinata was so much like a withering flower, desiring the suns captivating light.

Sitting up groggily, Hinata yawned and rubbed her eyes. Her blueberry locks tumbled down to her chest and Hinata instinctively brushed them behind her head. It was tough to wake up when her mind was muddled with memories of Neji. Besides for allowing her to fall asleep in his embrace, he had taken the time to carry her all the way back to her own room just so she might be more comfortable. Little did he know that her every comfort remained with him alone.

Sighing wearily, Hinata forced her body to move and made her way from her futon to the wash room. She quickly splashed cool water on her face and dabbed at the falling drops of water with a white towel. It had really been quite a while since she had taken to fulfilling her morning routine one step at a time. With all that had been going on recently, from getting sick, to winding up in Neji's room for the night, Hinata had been disregarding the way she used to live when it was only herself and Hanabi who vacated the main compound. Ever since Neji had become a part of the mix, things around the place had changed.

Hanabi and she were both very much aware of another presence in their home and as unsettling as it might seem, they both were more concerned with making Neji seem at ease rather than finding a way to keep from being inconvenienced due to the sudden intrusion. Not that having Neji in their home had been anything of the sort; but in a subtle way he had certainly invaded the main compound and his heavy presence was entirely having a powerful effect on everyone, including Hiashi.

Who would have thought that someone from the branch family would so easily break the ice wall that seemed to have surrounded Hiashi and his kin? Hinata never understood why her father was so averse to change but now that her relationship with Neji had progressed so quickly, she was beginning to see why Hiashi was so afraid of anything that might threaten to reconstruct his idea of order. What Hinata herself was suffering now wasn't what she bargained for when she had accepted that she would need to have a protector always shadowing her life.

Falling for Neji had never been a part of the equation. Somehow, in the same way that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, Neji and she were brought together to fulfill a purpose. What the purpose was remained unclear to Hinata.

But, now that Neji had taken the next step, she needed to do so as well. She had believed she had been taking her position seriously, by attempting to be a leader like her father was, but she had failed to realize that she could never be her Hiashi. He was a leader unlike any other. He was intelligent, patient, and level headed; Hiashi never blinked, not even in the face of danger. There was no doubt inside his spirit and even when he made mistakes, he never let guilt cloud his future judgment.

Hinata though, was different. She did not have the same qualities her father or even Neji possessed. They were leaders of a different kind and in their own way, they had proven to be worthy of their positions. Hinata had observed both men objectively and whenever she tried to compare herself to them, the task was too impossible to be carried out. Her greatest weakness, the reason why she had fallen so ill, was because she had stressed over the slim control she had over her own character. When Neji had begged her to think outside the box, she had closed her eyes to the bigger picture. She had been afraid to acknowledge that change was a very normal part of a person's existence and without it, the precious order, that she clung to so desperately, had all fallen apart.

The only person, who had stayed beside her through it all, had been Neji; and if it had not been for his effect on her life, Hinata might never have come to acknowledge any of these vital flaws in her disposition. She was aware that her feelings for Neji ran deep, but she never once thought that perhaps they ran a lot deeper than either Neji or she had realized.

A light pounding against her door broke her concentration on these thoughts, and Hinata placed the used towel on a second rack, that was stationed beside the washroom door, and made her way out into her room once more. The tapping ceased for a moment and then began again. Unsure of who might be wishing to see so early, Hinata cautiously walked towards the sliding door. There was a small ember of light beginning to spark inside the pit of her stomach but Hinata ignored it. There was a certain someone she was still aching to see but knowing her luck, he would not be the one seeking her out at this hour, after the long night they had spent together.

Stopping at her door, Hinata sucked in a nervous breath and released it slowly as she pulled the screen open. When her eyes met his, she instantly felt her knees growing weak.

"I'm sorry to wake you," Neji started, with a tiny hint of a smile in his eyes.

Hinata, still shaken up over the intimacy they had shared, simply nodded her head, a bit dumfounded from seeing the one man, who to her, had become the epitome of perfection. Neji smiled back at her, causing a surge of butterflies to swarm through her insides and Hinata felt irked that she hadn't had time to prepare for his untimely arrival. After all, she was still in the clothes she had been wearing during the night.

"Hiashi sent me to get you," Neji stated apologetically. "He would like to speak to the both of us right away."

Hinata felt her grip on the screen door slacken a bit. Her father wanted to see them? Why?

Regaining her composure, Hinata suddenly turned a serious gaze on Neji and asked, "Did my father say what he wanted to talk to us about?"

She could not help but to feel a bit worried. It had been a while since her father had formally summoned her. But at least this time around, Neji would be by her side and as he was her sole anchor to reality, Hinata felt a bit less anxious.

"Not exactly," Neji told her hesitantly. "I have a feeling though it might have something to do with the mission."

Hinata nodded again, though this time fully aware of what was going on. Despite how happy she was just to see Neji, for now, her clan duties still needed to take priority over her feelings for him.

Sighing to herself, she smiled up at Neji and said, "I understand. I'll be there in ten."

Hinata made to turn away and retreat into her spacious room, when all of sudden she felt a hand wrap around her wrist. Her heart skipped a beat at the unexpected contact, but nonetheless, she remained calm. Looking back up at her cousin, she felt a wave of affection wash over her entire body.

"About last night," Neji began half stuttering over his words. "Last night I…"

Failing to speak his mind, Neji bowed his head a bit in defeat and a bit in embarrassment. Understanding his predicament, Hinata placed her other hand above his own and instantly he raised his head and his eyes settled on her face.

"I know," She told him gently, wanting to ease his nerves. "Me too."

Neji was obviously trying to apologize for allowing things to move so quickly; but honestly, Hinata was happy they had both given in to their desires. After all, there was still much that they had saved for another time, another place; and the unspoken words that lingered between them seemed to manifest and become so much clearer as Neji slowly leaned closer and pressed his lips against hers.

He had thought it might be a good idea to inform the Hokage of their current situation, involving the Hidden Cloud, but that had been done once before and it had failed to provide the Hyuga clan with any security. The Hokage was busy running a village; the elders could hardly expect her to take interest in every clan related matter. The main elder, despite telling the council a different story, had thus chosen to keep the entire mission out of the hands of the Hokage. The Hyuga would find their own way to deal with the Hidden Cloud, as they always did.

Though if the situation happened to take an unfortunate turn for the worse, then he would have no choice but to involve the Hokage and her lackeys. To be very honest, he hoped no such thing would occur because being forced to speak of these matters with the Leaf's Hokage would no doubt become a very tiresome affair. For the moment, the most he could do was rely on Hiroshi and his men to pave a safe path for Hinata's party. The Hidden Cloud was far; in fact, it was too far. If anything went wrong, it would be a while before word made it back to the clan.

But, akin to the man his father was, the main elder refused to go to anyone for help unless there was no other possible way to resolve an issue. The Hyuga were a formidable clan, and if they were seen 'begging for aid' every time a difficult predicament arose, the village would surely wonder what it was that made them so well renowned in the first place. Besides, the clan was well manned and could easily defend their own. In the past his father had easily handled matters without ever losing a single hair from his head and the main elder meant to do the same.

"There had been one slip up though," the main elder recalled darkly. "Yes, there had been one single matter which had somehow been overlooked."

Placing his hand firmly upon the table, the main elder pushed himself up off the floor. His bones had been more or less deteriorating over the years and it was only a matter of time before he would be unable to rely on their support. Having had to sit and wait two hours for Hiroshi's arrival had been taxing on his frail body.

Bending over carefully, to retrieve the two scrolls, the main elder wondered how it had come to be that such a grievous mistake had escaped his father's notice. Back then, nothing, not one thing could occur without his father knowing of it first. No man dared to move or breathe unless his father gave them leave to do so. During his father's time, men followed orders, or people died.

How much the times had changed since then. Now, foolish and selfish men took matters into their own hands, believing that if they operated without orders, all would turn out just fine. Sadly, despite the changing ways of men, the world did not follow that same change. Every action was still followed by a reaction and unless one knew exactly what they were doing, they would be unprepared to face the repercussions which resulted from their recklessness.

The main elder had seen it happen before back when his father had been the one to play the feudal lords twisted games; but now that he had been singled out as the lead player, an air of uncertainty grew around him and clouded his mind. The rules that had to be followed during his father's time held little to no value now, leaving him with no real way to determine which moves would be acceptable to play and which ones would only bury his victory in the ground.

There was very little that his skills as a ninja could help him with. More often than he liked, games such as this one, were completely based on strategy. If a person could not tap into their cunning side, they would be considered the loser before ever having a chance to test their opponent. People like his sister Kazuko were better suited for such political nonsense.

How unlucky men like himself and Hiashi were. The branch family never understood why it was they were forced to carry such a heavy burden as the cursed seal but the oddly bold face truth was that, they were rather blessed. Because they accepted the cursed seal, they had no reason to fear going into the afterlife. No matter how they met their end, they would never be responsible for placing the Hyuga clan in danger; but those of the main family were the ones truly cursed by fate, for they did not have a seal to hide behind. Everything they were was on exhibit the moment an enemy came face to face with them; and unless they could triumph over their opponent or hold their ground long enough for aid to reach them, they would be left fighting to preserve no longer their lives, but the precious Hyuga bloodline limit.

A cold chill crept up his spine as the entire room seemed to drop in temperature. There was very little he knew about the cursed seal except for the purpose it had been created for. And now, his mother was suggesting something so far-fetched, Seiichi had no clue how to thoroughly process what she was telling him.

"Relax Seiichi," Kazuko began as she stood up and moved back inside the confines of the room. "I have not done anything to you."

Seiichi released a set of pent up breaths he hadn't even known he was holding. It was hard enough to find his voice, let alone words to speak.

"Then this mark is not the cursed seal?" He asked incredulously.

From across the room, Kazuko sighed, knelt down, and began to shuffle through a set of old and tattered scrolls that were scattered about on the floor. They had never fixed the mess he had created during the night. Seiichi watched his mother's every move. Her slightly bent figure was bathed in the early morning light and though he had never taken notice of it before, Kazuko seemed to have grown thinner than when he had last seen her. The sides of her waist had caved in and even her arms and legs appeared far slender than they usually did.

"When you were still a boy I knew this day would eventually come and so, I made sure to prepare for it," Kazuko confessed solemnly, her hands sifting through the same set of scrolls as if she hadn't already gone through them.

Seiichi could tell that she wasn't really looking for anything; in fact, she was simply attempting to keep herself occupied so she wouldn't have to look him in the eyes as she spoke.

As Seiichi kept silent, his mother took the hint and continued, "For decades the Hyuga have been marking their own with the cursed seal. Protecting the secrets of the byakugan is our greatest responsibility; but truthfully, the utilization of the cursed seal was just a way for the main family to keep a tight control over the branch family."

Seiichi's head snapped up at this statement. He knew full well what the cursed seal was meant for; this entire story was known by every Hyuga whether they decided to believe it or not.

"Why did you refer to this seal as a substitute for the original?" He asked, hoping to have her shed some light on what he was actually interested in.

"Perhaps substitute was the wrong word. The mark on your forehead is a counterfeit seal. It was made to appear and react identically to the original but it does not pose an actual threat to its wearer."

Kazuko began to gather the lose scrolls into a small pile around her feet. The ones which had become unsealed during their fall to the ground were tended by her first. With deft fingers, she rolled them back up again and tied the leather tassels around them to keep them from unveiling their private contents.

"Then it won't have an effect on me even after it's activated?" He asked curiously. It would be hard to convince him without any evidence. Seiichi needed to be sure of Kazuko's explanation before coming to accept it as the truth.

"The cursed seal was designed to internally destroy the brain cells of its victims; the most this artificial seal will do is give you a severe headache," Kazuko assured him.

Seiichi shifted under the rays of light streaming into the room. He had been able to ignore the sun through most of the conversation but now that he was feeling more vulnerable, his body was beginning to recognize the familiar prickles of warmth that slowly seeped into his chilled hands and feet.

"Then, will it respond to the same hand seals as the original?"

Kazuko paused in her work and turned to face him. Seiichi held his mother's intense gaze. "It reacts in the exact same fashion as the original, yes."

Seiichi recalled the pain in his head that had plagued him when the seal first began to embed itself in his skin. It had been such a shock that he had blacked out a bit, but other than that, upon waking, he hardly even realized the seal was on his forehead. Perhaps his mother wasn't just spouting a bunch of nonsense. This thought brought small smile to his lips.

"Tell me Kazuko," Seiichi cooed softly. "How did you come to know of this counterfeit seal?"

Kazuko took a moment to clear her throat which had gone dry overnight. "The counterfeit seal was created long ago by a member of the main family. By the time the elders discovered its existence, the man was already dead. Since then, this seal has been kept hidden from the clan."

"Then it is a forbidden seal, and yet, the elders kept it?" Seiichi questioned, surprise lacing his deep voice.

"Counterfeit seals do have their uses Seiichi," Kazuko reminded him, as if it should have been obvious to him why the elders had decided to keep a seal that had been made to challenge their authority.

"That's highly unlikely. So why did it never occur to you to mention this to me before?"

Gathering the pile of scrolls, Kazuko held them tightly to her chest as she stood up from the floor. There was a hint of fatigue in her stride, as she made her way over to a wooden chest that stood alone in the far corner of the room, and now Seiichi realized why she had been moving so languidly earlier.

"It was unnecessary to do so until now. Telling you earlier would have only further complicated our relationship," Kazuko stated resolutely.

The hem of her kimono brushed against the floor as she walked and every now and then, her feet would poke out from underneath it. Her clothes had become rather loose on her smaller frame.

Seiichi thought it might do Kazuko some good, if he lightened the mood. "So all this time you had a trick or two up your sleeve; I find that incredibly amusing mother."

At this, Kazuko stopped dead in her tracks. Seiichi, knowing how that single word would affect her, chuckled to himself silently. He had hit the nail dead on the head.

"Your mood seems to have improved Seiichi," Was all Kazuko could muster; even with her back turned to him, it appeared that she was at a loss for words.

"It has," Seiichi relayed happily. "I feel my confidence returning as we speak."

"I may not have been much of a mother to you when you were a boy Seiichi, but I am still the woman who gave birth to you. It's time you put some trust in me," Kazuko informed him calmly. From the back, Seiichi noticed a slight shake in her shoulders.

His mother words had certainly grown on him; and for the first time, Seiichi felt that he ought to humor her, even if only for a little while. Pushing himself up off the floor, Seiichi willingly made his way to his mother's side.

Placing both hands a top her shoulders, he leaned in slightly, towering over her as he did, and said, "I believe you're right Kazuko. After all, you have proven to be very useful to me."

His touch surged through his mother's body and without even realizing it, Kazuko released a shuttered breath. Seiichi clasped her shoulders tighter, physically relaying to her that it was alright for her to be nervous. Seiichi, more than anyone, understood just what Kazuko was feeling at this very moment. He had never shown her any affection, nor did he ever plan on doing so, but times were changing and even if the world turned against him, there was one person whom he could rely upon not to.

"Am I nothing but another tool to be used at your leisure?" Kazuko asked him timidly, her voice shaking as she did so.

Seiichi took a step closer to his mother and gently spun her around to face him. "Don't jump to conclusions so quickly Kazuko; you are so much more than that."

Kazuko gazed into his eyes and Seiichi could have sworn that she trembled beneath his touch. Whatever his mother was thinking was beyond him to infer, but Seiichi was content with the knowledge that his every word was impacting the very depths of her weary soul. Smirking daringly, he wrapped both arms around the small woman before him and brought her close to him.

In his arms, Kazuko remained still as a statue. "You are my most important tool," Seiichi said then, as he placed his chin upon one of his mother's shoulders.

"Without you mother, I'd have been unable to escape this cursed fate."

Haruto slowly began to back away from the compound. After what he had heard, he knew he could stay no longer. The main elder was starting to suspect that something was off, just like the Feudal lord warned Haruto that he would. Haruto had been right to come as soon as possible. If the main elder was sending out a scouting party then Shin and the group would need to be told of this right away.

Concealing his presence, Haruto quit the spot he had been vacating and made his way away from the main elder's compound. Most of what Haruto was able to hear, was troubling him. The main elder had spoken briefly of the past; the past which had concerned one of their own. Haruto simply could not understand why the main elder was able to confide such information to his leader of the scout party.

If he was able to do so, then perhaps that man, Hiroshi the main elder called him, had been present back then as well. As far as Haruto knew, very few in the Hyuga clan had any knowledge about the Hidden Clouds dealings with the Hyuga in the past. Any and all of what had occurred during that time was simply kept hushed up by the elders. Haruto had never before been able to fathom how it was possible that things had gone so terribly wrong back then, but after meeting with Shin, he had been able to piece together a little more of the puzzle.

Unfortunate as it might be, the new generation would be forced to pay for the mistakes made by the very men and women they looked up to. The Hyuga were a formidable clan. In fact, they were hailed to be, after the annihilation of the Uchiha, one of the strongest in Konoha. As much as Haruto needed to support the Hidden Cloud, because it wasn't exactly his native land, he pitied the Hyuga clan. The main elder was not at all naïve man, nor was he unaware of the consequences that could possibly surface by accepting the invitation to the Hidden Cloud. His real weakness was his pride. His pride was working so strongly against his better judgment that it would not allow him to pass up the very challenge that his father had been unable to combat.

Suddenly, as Haruto was nearing the forest that surrounded the clan, he sensed the presence of another Hyuga. Quickly and silently he ducked behind a rather oddly shaped bush. Crouching behind the oversized foliage, Haruto perked his head up slightly to see who it was he had sensed. About one hundred feet away from where he was hiding, a young girl stepped out of a large compound. Immediately after her sandaled feet had touched the brown earth, she was followed by taller man, who looked to be a tad bit older than her.

Haruto knew he wasn't supposed to linger but for some reason, as he looked on at the two making their way across the small dirt pathway, he felt drawn to the girl he had first laid eyes on. She was more on the short side and her long midnight blue hair fell neatly across her shoulders. Beside her, the man, who, in Haruto's opinion, looked very familiar, stepped into line with her and deftly took hold of her hand. Right before escaping his view, the pair turned to each other and Haruto all but gasped when he saw the face of the girl. She was the Hyuga heiress, Hinata.

Haruto was speechless; well thoughtless was more accurate. He would never have guessed that someone so fragile looking could be the heiress. He had seen pictures of her from when she was a little girl, since those were the only photographs the Hidden Cloud had of her, but to see her all grown up was entirely mesmerizing. Haruto had no idea how a young thing like her could be inheriting Hiashi's position as head of the Hyuga. The man who was walking with her looked so much more apt for the job. Although, the way he was holding her hand suggested to Haruto that he was more likely someone who had a very special interest in the heiress more than anything else.

The feudal lord certainly hadn't mentioned anything about the heiress being betrothed already. Perhaps this turn out had happened rather recently. Haruto bit his bottom lip and looked around. When he was satisfied that he was quit alone again, he resurfaced and made his way around the bush and set on towards the forest once more.

He still felt slightly irritated about the main elder and the man he had been briefing but most of Haruto's focus was now on the Hyuga's famous heiress. Despite appearing small and dainty, the blue haired girl was no doubt a beauty. And from the way he had been drawn to her presence, Haruto guessed that there was so much more to her than met the eye.

Haruto rounded one last corner, preparing to leave the way he had entered, when all of a sudden he again heard some noises. The sound of a wooden door being slid closed echoed inside his ears.

Instantly he froze and remained still as a statue. He had worked so hard to stay invisible. If he was seen now, his entire mission would collapse without him having done much at all. Silently, Haruto mumbled a prayer that whoever it was that had made the noise would simply pass by without noticing him. He couldn't fail, not now, not after he had come so far.

Haruto squeezed both his eyes shut and balled his hands into fists. He had an urge to grasp the sapphire stones around his neck. It was always something he did when he felt nervous or afraid. But being the man he was he knew that the mission was his first priority and in order to go unnoticed, he needed to stay perfectly immobile. He had been foolish to have left his hiding place so soon. In fact, it had been completely stupid of him to have stayed so long in the first place.

As he stood frozen in place, a bee decided to buzz by him and Haruto, upon only hearing the sound of the animal, instinctively scrunched up his nose in response to the annoying insect invading his space. Then, without warning, the presences he had felt faded from the surrounding area and once again, he was alone. Haruto thought that was weird. He had not imagined the sliding of wood on wood, nor had he mistaken the feeling that people were nearing his direction.

Haruto released the breath he was holding and popped open his eyes. The area was devoid of people and not a single thing seemed out of the ordinary. Just as he thought this, he heard it again, the sound of wood sliding against wood. That was when he saw them, an older women and a young boy, making their way towards the forest. Immediately Haruto made a dash for it. If he made it their before them, he would still have the perfect chance to escape.

As he sped away from the confines of the Hyuga clan, an eerie image began to form inside his mind. The short memory he had gained of the young boy's face, the one he had gazed at briefly before darting from the scene, played over and over inside his head and it dawned on Haruto then that the dark haired youth had looked oddly and alarmingly familiar.

Where had he seen that face before? And why was it that seeing that face chilled him straight to the bone?

Following his mother's lead was something he had never done before. Throughout all the time they had grown to accept each other, Kazuko had forever been the one to step in line with his every plan. Seiichi was fascinated by how determined she was to make this time different from the rest. After having been given his full attention, Kazuko had jumped at the opportunity to influence his plans and was now taking him away from the clan compounds in order to find a more private area suited for their plot making.

Seiichi kept a watchful eye on his mother's movements. Kazuko was beginning to lighten up and if he wasn't mistaken, which he rarely was, he would almost admit that she looked to even be excited. This was certainly not what he had expected but then with Kazuko, Seiichi knew very well what to look forward to and what to avoid even thinking of.

As they made their way further from the clan, Seiichi noticed that the sun had risen to its full height in the sky. Such a disappointing thing truly, but there was little he could do with his limited power to put up a fight against nature. Not all things were out of his grasp though. Unlike so many of Kazuko's failures, Seiichi could not afford to lose this chance he had been allotted. He had come this far using his own intelligence to guide him but now that there was more at stake than just his own goals, Seiichi understood quite well that having his mother offer him her wise advice had been a fine thing indeed.

Hinata had only factored into his plans briefly but according to what Kazuko had brought him out here for, she was going to be a bit of an obstacle that would need to be overcome. More and more Seiichi felt his body tingling with eagerness. His mind had spun a web of ideas that led him to believe that Kazuko was about to ask him, her own son, to put an end to the Hyuga clan's young heiress. He wasn't sure he was prepared to do so, but could tell that his mother solely intended to chance that.

They came to a stop just below a grouping of overgrown trees. High above them, a green crown, made of perfectly formed leaves, sheltered them from the rays of light that threatened to penetrate the shady canopy the forest was providing. Kazuko settled herself on a flat stone that sat idle beside one of the trees and Seiichi moved to sit on the ground next to her.

"I understand why it is you wanted to go to the Hidden Cloud Seiichi, but the time for seeking revenge is not now," Kazuko stated sedately.

"What do you know of my goals Kazuko?" After sharing that one mother to son moment back in Kazuko's room, Seiichi had instantly reverted to calling her by her first name.

"When you brought that forehead protector to me, it was easy to infer exactly what you had in mind. I've already revealed to you the name of the man you are seeking; but take my advice Seiichi, wait on extracting your revenge just a little bit longer. There is more to be won here than peace of mind."

Seiichi listened intently to his mother's words and he was certainly contemplating them. Though Kazuko boasted of knowing what he sought, there was one goal which his mother had not perceived. It was true that Seiichi had wanted to go to the Hidden Cloud to find the man that had murdered his father, but he had also meant to do one other errand while he was away from home. Two men were his targets. One he planned on punishing, the other, well he simply wanted to question him.

Nothing extremely dangerous lay ahead of him, but now that Kazuko was asking him for something he hadn't originally planned to do, his job was beginning to look a lot more complex than before.

"How do you expect me to deal with the entire party? Swaying Hinata into a trap is one thing, figuring out how to ensnare Neji and her sister along with her is another," Seiichi relayed calmly. His dark bangs fell into his face as he then bore his eyes into the ground. It was easier to think when his eyes weren't focused on any one person, place, or thing.

"There are a number of ways to get rid of potential witnesses, but for this plan only one witness must perish," Kazuko told him matter-of-factly.

"Firstly, you must separate Hinata from the group. Do whatever you must to draw her away from her guard dog. Then, when she least expects it, turn your gentle fist against her. After you have done so, warn Neji that Hinata has run off. No doubt Hiashi's warnings will spur him to go after her. Once he is out of ear shot, go to Hinata's sister and subdue her by rendering her unconscious. Mind not to actually harm the girl, you will need her to wake before you return."

The entire plan was far-fetched. Kazuko couldn't actually believe that this simple set of instructions would achieve all that she wished for. Surely Neji would see through such a lie and foil the entire operation before Seiichi even had a chance to properly complete the mission his mother was sending him on.

"Why should I do this? I have nothing against Hinata. I only used her to get to your brother. I needed a valid reason to join this trip to the Hidden Cloud and she provided me with one. Besides, I care nothing for this clan."

At this, Kazuko's gaze darkened and her small hands balled into shaky fists. The forest floor seemed to fall under her shadow and all around them the suns light appeared to have been blocked out for good.

"Once this mission is over, you will have nowhere but this clan to return to; I suggest you learn to appreciate it more," Kazuko warned him sternly. Her brows knitted together from her frustration made her appear older than she was.

Seiichi disliked the authoritative tone in his mother's voice. She had spoken back to him plenty of times before but she had never had the courage to play the role of his parent. Yet, here she was, her spirit on fire and her face sour with disgust for her son's disapproval of his clan. This sight was entirely thrilling to behold.

"There is one other I might return to if I cannot come back here," Seiichi challenged daringly. He knew his mother's motives were in his best interests to comply with but he saw no reason why he should agree to do her will right away.

"Don't be foolish Seiichi. You will never find him," Kazuko spat out irritated. She stood up erectly and began to pace back and forth.

"And even if you did," she began exasperatedly. "What do you expect will happen? Do you believe he will welcome you with open arms?"

Seiichi sat still as his mother scoffed and waved her arms about, gesticulating her annoyance with his mention of the man who had ruined her life once already.

"Do not delude yourself Seiichi! There was a reason he never came back for us and if you know what's good for you, you will stray from this path immediately!" Kazuko said, raising her voice unnecessarily.

Seiichi enjoyed watching his mother lose control over her words. Like a candle flame she was flickering in and out of a state of pure rage. Seiichi could feel how close she was to breaking and he wondered momentarily if she would. He came to a decision that it was time to quite pulling each one of her thread bear strings.

"When Neji goes after Hinata, what am I to do once he realizes she no longer breaths the same air we do?" Seiichi asked curiously, avoiding his mother's piercing gaze. He took to looking at the dirt again.

"Then you mean to go through with this?" Kazuko asked a bit stunned, her voice slowly beginning to soften and become gentle once more.

"I'm not promising to do so, but I will hear what the rest of your genius idea is. If I like what you have in mind, I'll consider it."

Kazuko stopped her pacing and walked back towards him. She nodded then and took a seat on the flat stone once more. "You don't have much time to think things over Seiichi. You must come to a decision before the party leaves."

Kazuko just loved to state the obvious. Seiichi didn't begrudge her for this though. In fact, this was one quality, about his mother, that he had begun to disregard. Looking up at Kazuko, he noticed that her pale eyes were watering a bit. Perhaps getting so worked up had taken a toll on her patience.

"Then tell me," Seiichi said then, his mind clouded with the image of his mother's liquid eyes. "What must I do?"

A/N: Hey guys! Okay so You've been given a little glimpse of the new characters: Hiroshi and Tokuma Hyuga. For those who are unfamiliar with Tokuma, I suggest you look him up on the Naruto wiki in order to find out what he looks like. Hiroshi is another original character and I'll describe him more when he appears in later chapters. What I am really excited about though is introducing another actual Hyuga! I've been meaning to do so for a while now, since this story does center around the Hyuga clan, but I couldn't until now.

Anyway, after so much reading I hope you guys aren't tired out or anything...I don't think the next chapter will be as long...but then again, that's always up in the air until I actually write it.

The next to update will be my new Neji/Hina story Bursts of Color Fade to Gray. If you want something to read in the meantime while this story is being worked on, then feel free to check that one out. It's an alternate universe story so it's very different from this, but equally enjoyable...well from the reviews I have received it seemed people are finding it a good read. hehe so sad that I'm advertising my own story... . Anyway another good thing is that my other story will include other Naruto characters besides Neji/Hina! ^_^ Yay!

Well until next time! Please review if you can! I miss hearing from my readers for this story! Sorry I'm such a bad author when it comes to updating quickly... :(