Chapter Thirty-Six

Voices of the Dead

Neji was thankful, because once again the Fourth was not in this memory. Neither was Baki. In fact, Temari and Kankuro were alone, climbing the cliffs above Suna. They had stopped beside a small cave and were peering into it.

"I don't see why we're doing this." Young Kankuro grumbled as he followed his sister into the cave. "The Eluue Vara are years away."

"Yeah, but who knows what they will throw at us." Temari replied. "Especially if we have to do it with Gaara."

Kankuro shuddered. "Him, take the Trials? Please Temari. He's not human. The Trials are for men!"

Temari slapped him lightly on the head "What have I told you about that pig talk?"

Kankuro winched. "Not to?"

"That's right. Stop it or I'll blow you off this cliff. Or just leave you in the cave."

"You know I didn't mean it like that!" Kankuro grumbled. "But you know what I meant."

"I know." Temari still looked peeved. "But you need to stop referring to Gaara as a monster."

"Why? He kills everything he sees for no reason at all? Have you forgotten Baki's sister? She just dropped a jug and that sand…" Kankuro shuddered.

"All the more reason for you to stop calling him names." Temari said tersely. "If he takes offence to jugs dropping what do you think he would do to name calling?"

Kankuro nodded. "Okay, a point."

"Eventually we are going to have to work with him, you know that. So you might as well break that habit before he breaks your spine." Temari grumbled.

"Gah, it's going to be awful!" Kankuro said. "Have you seen him recently? He acts as twitchy as a squirrel when he's not glaring at everyone! And the way he looks at you! Like he wants something! So far I've narrowed it down to the blood of virgins or the souls of the damned!"

"Kankuro." Temari looked strained. "He's our brother!"

Kankuro shook his head. "He kills people."

"So have we."

"Not our own villagers! Not innocent people! We've killed invaders and bandits, threats to our home! Gaara kills the people we are supposed to protect." Kankuro was glaring at Temari now. "He's no brother of mine! He would not kill our people if he was!"

Temari sighed. To Neji it looked like she was giving up. "Just stop calling him a monster, a demon and a fiend. Oh, and please no more of that 'crazy as a shithouse rat' phrase you are so fond of."

"Hey, it's accurate."

The two went deeper into the cave. Neji started to follow, but right before the entrance he seemed to strike something. A force, invisible, but like a wall in front of him.

"What is going on?" Neji muttered.

Some memories are too painful, or to precious, to share with another unwillingly.

Neji turned and blinked. There was a bird sitting on a rock. A bright red bird of prey, like an eagle or maybe a large hawk. Its eyes seemed almost sad.

Neji stared at the bird.

The bird stared at Neji.

Oh honesty, boy, are you not in the least bit curious? The bird said after a while.

"I…am trying to think. This is a memory. So far everyone here has been a memory. None of them have talked to me, and I have guessed this is because they are like a recording. But…now you…"

The bird laughed. It did not open its mouth, but seemed to transmit thoughts. I am not a memory, at least not like the ones here. I am a memory in the sense that there are people who remember me, but I am not around for them to remember any more. A living memory of the dead, if you will.

Neji blinked. "Are you a ghost?"

A long pause. Oh, I just can't think of anything clever now…yes that it accurate enough.

"Who are you?"

Karura.

"…"

Temari, Kankuro and Gaara's mother.

"So…why are you haunting him?"

I am not. I watch over all of my children. All of them.

"So…wait…if you are here and I am here…wait…"

Boy, stop overanalyzing. It will only hurt your head. Karura said.

Neji stared at her. "I haven't seen you here before."

Like I said, I watch over all of my children, but the other two need me as much as Kankuro does. Perhaps he needs me less. There is another watching over him.

"Who?"

The Wolf.

"Do you mean the thing that turned him into a monster?"

No, the one who turned him into a monster was not the Wolf. The Wolf simply watches what needs to be watched. She has no control over what others do with her Power.

Neji sighed. "Why can't I see what it going on in there?"

Come boy. Is there nothing in your past that you did not want others to see? Things so close to your heart it would tear it to pieces if another learned of it?

"I suppose there is.'

See, you understand.

Another long silence, then.

"If-if you watch over Kankuro and his siblings…then…

I cannot speak to him directly. Not as I am now. Just as the one that follows you.

Neji's eyes widened. "What?"

There is one with you. One who has always been with you, but you cannot see him. He watches as I do, and he…Karura stopped. It is not my place to say.

Neji was frustrated. This was just getting more and more confusing. And now the memory was fading out again, probably switching.

Before you go, let me say something else. Karura said. Tell my son that my brother lied. I never cursed Gaara, nor did I curse Suna. Yashamaru was disgusting snake, but none of us could see it until it was too late! I love all of my children, and what my brother said were nothing but lies meant to hurt my sons and daughter. Tell him!

Neji nodded. "Alright."

And Hyuga?

"Yes?"

Tell Kankuro his father is not here yet.

Another of Kankuro's memories. This time back in Suna. The boy was perched precariously on a roof, peering at a street performance of puppets. There were quite a few of the puppets: a young woman swopped and soared while controlling a big dragon puppet. A puppet that seemed primarily composed of blades whirled and spun like a whirlwind. More of the things danced and preformed for the crowd that had gathered in what Neji was assuming was a kind of village square.

Neji thought it was amazingly creepy, but Kankuro's eyes were wide and thrilled. He was practically bouncing with glee. Kankuro was watching the hands of the puppeteers very carefully. Most of Kankuro's concentration was focused on the signs the puppeteers were making.

Neji then noticed the small bamboo snake at Kankuro's feet. Carefully the boy crouched down and held his hand over the puppet. Little chakra strings formed and tried to stick to the little snake. Kankuro tried to move his hands like the adult puppeteers, but all he could mange was to make the thing's head wiggle slightly.

"Ya know, there are better ways to do that, mate."

Kankuro jumped a mile. He turned around, as did Neji. He remembered that voice. Sure enough, it was Sticks.

Sticks gave Kankuro an odd look. "You are Hajeem's son, yes?"

"Hajeem?"

"The Fourth. His name was Hajeem."

"Oh…I didn't know that."

"Most don't. He does not use it that much." Sticks said.

"How do you know it?" Kankuro asked.

Sticks yawned. "Most puppeteers have at least two masters. Those that teach them how to be a puppeteer and those that teach them how to be a ninja. I know Hajeem because he taught me how to be a ninja."

"But…my father hates puppeteers."

Sticks eyes narrowed. "Sometimes a master and a student do not end up friends."

Kankuro frowned. "Who was your puppet trainer?"

Sticks was now outright glaring at Kankuro now. "I would rather not say."

"Oh…" Kankuro stared at his little puppet snake.

After a while Sticks sighed. "Look, you are moving your hands wrong. Way to stiff there. Loosen up or your puppet will be just as stiff. Here…" Sticks leaned forwards and started to help Kankuro out.

"Kankuro, what are you doing!"

The reaction was immediate. Sticks jumped away from Kankuro like a man on fire.

Neji cringed. Him again!

The Fourth jumped on the roof with a snarl and drew his sword. He leaped in front of his son, and for a second Neji thought that the man looked like he was trying to protect Kankuro. The Fourth swung his sword, but stopped it about an inch from Sticks' nose.

Sticks did not move an inch. "Hello my Lord." He said in a voice that one might have used to address a rabid dog.

"What were you doing to my son?" The Fourth growled.

"Nothing, I was just showing him something." Sticks said, still acting calm.

"Dad, it was my fault. He was just showing me how to-"

"Be silent!" The Fourth turned on his son. "Do you have any idea what could have happened! Don't you know what they are capable of? Haven't you ever listened to me?"

While the Fourth was ranting at Kankuro, Sticks was backing away slowly. Then he jumped away towards his fellow puppeteers. As if they sensed something amiss they kind of formed up around him, and Sticks disappeared amongst his people.

The Fourth glared at the spot where Sticks had been.

"Dad, i-"

"Kankuro, I how many times have I told about the last great puppeteer?"

"Sasori, he killed people and used their bodies to make puppets. You banished him years ago for it."

"Yes, that man was taught by Sasori." The Fourth said "He is not to be trusted!"

"But if he is on Sasori's side…"

The Fourth laughed, it was an almost crazed sound. "Oh, he claims he knew nothing about it! And his order will protect him." The Fourth stared at Kankuro. "Why were you watching them?"

"I…I…"

The paranoid look came back to the Fourth's eyes. "You...why are you trying to learn their ways? How could you?"

"Father I-"

The Fourth was backing away from Kankuro now, giving him a look that one would normally give a poisonous snake. Before Kankuro could say anything else the Fourth was gone again, and Neji could have sworn he was muttering something about traitors.

"He's a paranoid nutcase." Neji muttered.

The last thing Neji saw of this memory was Kankuro's sad look as he watched his father walk away from him.

Kankuro sighed. Again he was in the Hyuga compound. He thought that if he ever had to go to the place in the real world he would be able to navigate around with little or no problem. The place was kind of a maze, but after a few nights of being dragged around the place as Neji sulked after his cousin was enough so that Kankuro had a basic idea of where he was going.

That was an advantage.

Maybe.

Apparently Neji had been called to his uncle's room. This was going to be unpleasant. Most of Neji's memories of Hiashi were. It was annoying. The man spent most of his time awkwardly ordering his nephew around and carefully not looking at him. Kankuro thought that must be the shame that was doing it. How could a man help kill his own brother and not feel shame when faced with that brother's son?

As he predicted, Hiashi looked mildly uncomfortable when faced with his nephew, who managed to perfect a nice bland facial expression.

"You will be attending the new semester at the ninja academy tomorrow." Hiashi was saying. "As a branch member you must be prepared to protect the family. The only way you can do this properly is to be become a ninja."

Neji nodded. Kankuro thought that the kid might be happy about this, seeing as how he hated the Hyuga compound and hated following his sister…er cousin around.

Kankuro yawned as the scene shifted. Kankuro guessed that this was the next day, at the ninja academy. Kankuro groaned. He could not think of anything more boring then following around a kid in the Konoha academy! It was bad enough observing them the first time!

While the instructor babbled on and on about using chakra, a subject that Kankuro had been taught when he was freaking five. How did Konoha mange to churn out exceptional ninja by not only starting later then Suna but by being so much easier on their young then the Sand? It made no sense to Kankuro.

Kankuro noticed a little kid sitting near Neji who kept screwing up his face in concentration as he struggled to follow the instructor. Poor kid was having a lot of trouble.

A few painful hours later the kids were released to a kind of recess, which Kankuro could not help but think of as pointless. The instructors just let them run around and play! They did not even try to incorporate their games into some kind of training, as Baki had done for him and Temari.

Really, how did these people produce the greatest ninja on the planet! It made no sense!

Neji, true to his solitary nature, found a corner to sulk in. A few minutes later the kid that had been concentrating so hard in class approached him, completely ignoring the glares Neji sent his way.

"Hello," the kid said. "Why are you sittign alone?"

"I want to be alone." Neji grumbled.

"Why?"

"I just do."

"Oh…you are a Hyuga. Am I right? My name is Rock Lee. Who are you?"

Kankuro started. Wait…this kid was Lee? Kankuro looked closer at the kid that was bugging Neji. He did not look a thing like Rock Lee. The bowl cut was not there. Instead his hair was long and braided. His Guyish green…thing was not present. Though now that Kankuro was paying attention he recognized the eyes…and the hairy black caterpillars above said eyes.

Rock Lee found a ball from somewhere and batted it towards Neji. "You should not be alone like this!" The boy grinned happily.

Neji glared at him and batted the ball away in disgust.

Rock Lee ignored the glare and tossed it back. Neji sighed and seemed to give in. He kept an annoyed expression on his face, but he was playing.

Kankuro chuckled.