The Wanderers
Chapter 30 – Neji – Necessary Tasks
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, the Hidden Sound would still be relevant.
***Previously-On***
After escaping the Hidden Village of Sound, the group was accosted by a warrior covered in white armour, bearing a frightening resemblance to the warrior from Kakashi's memories. After a short monologue, in which he confessed to compliance in the destruction of Konoha, the warrior dispersed the Konoha shinobi under orders from a mysterious leader, causing all of them to be sent to different parts of the world. Now, separated from their friends and comrades, each of the surviving Konoha shinobi are struggling to find each other again before they are found again by the group that had caused them so much grief.
While preparing to die protecting his friends Neji was amazed to see that the ten remaining Sound shinobi had surrendered to him. A short explanation, accompanied by his three short-term allies, and Neji got the picture. By killing Kabuto and removing the Cursed Seals from both them and the Sound Four afterwards, Neji had unintentionally demonstrated that he was a natural leader. The Sound Four had mixed reactions to his presence, but with Kidomaru and Jiroubo's assistance Neji was more or less dragooned into assuming leadership over the Sound remnants. Working under the assumption that he was the only one left, Neji decided to take the role and make it his own. After a few colourful encounters within the ranks, he helped his newly acquired subordinates destroy an army of bandits that was occupying a complex that they decided would be the place for their new village to begin. Neji experienced a few minor memory lapses, but seemed to be in control as he began making plans for the new Hidden Village of Sound, with him at the top.
***End Summary***
***Four Weeks after Separation***
Placing the heavy pack on the ground, Neji wiped his brow and looked over the results of their work. He wouldn't have thought it possible in just a month, but their village was more or less prepared for the next stage of Neji's plan.
Dropping his pack of supplies next to his leader, Zaku sighed and rubbed his shoulders. "I need a vacation."
"Quit your complaining, shithead." Tayuya resisted the urge to smack him across the head. Last time she had done that she had been attacked by his teammate Kin, the two of them had to be pulled apart by their Hyuuga leader.
Across from them Kidomaru led the rest of the Sound shinobi back into the village, each of sighing as they dropped their packs as well. It was the final set of supplies from the old underground village, with that they were almost completely settled into their new village.
Neji had allowed them to bring whomever they please into the village, so long as they didn't compromise the security of the village. Some of the older shinobi brought their families into the village, and with only a few fights between them they were getting along relatively well too.
"So who is going tomorrow?" asked Jin quietly. He had brought his wife to the village, a fascinating woman who had given him five children, all of whom looked nothing like either of their parents.
Neji breathed out slowly and turned around, regarding the seventeen shinobi that he had come to know fairly well over the past month. He indicated to the three unofficially promoted Jounin.
"Dosu, Zaku and Kin will accompany me to the capital. I would take more of you, but I don't want to intimidate the Daimyo."
Sakon let out a characteristic tsk, "What about the rest of us? Shall we play house?"
Neji ignored the barb and motioned to the others of the group. "Jiroubo, I want you to coordinate with the others and continue to fortify the village. If our meeting goes well, then our numbers may blossom rather quickly."
The large shinobi nodded his acknowledgement of the order quietly. He had been very receptive to Neji's leadership, which was a comfort to the young leader if nothing else.
"Jin, I have a mission for you to take Toriko, Mia and Fujiro on. I want you to meet me at the central hub in an hour. For now, you are dismissed."
"Yes sir" said Jin, giving the Hyuuga shinobi a quick salute before moving towards his home and loving wife. The others mentioned also broke off and went back for their well-earned rest, leaving Neji to regard his main seven shinobi.
"Is there a specific building you would like created first?" asked Jiroubo. He had spent much of the month remodelling the village to be more suitable location. It was fairly dull work, but after constructing a hospital building out of stone he had taken a measure of pride in his work.
Neji nodded in response, "It occurred to me that we don't have a dedicated armoury yet. When we get the supplies that'll be our main focus. Can you do that before we get back?"
The Earth-user grinned slowly, "With some help, it'll be ready, sir."
"Good. Now, Kidomaru, you know what to do?"
"Of course. I've almost got the second location worked out. I'll know by the time you return."
Neji thanked him for his hard work and dismissed both him and Jiroubo. It felt a little strange giving orders to the slightly older shinobi, but once he had been through the motions it was no longer a problem for him.
Before they could make a comment, Neji cut off the remaining members of the Sound Four with a wave of his hand. He had given the four of them the rank of ANBU of the Hidden Sound, and that had kept them happy, but these two seemed frequently angry at everything around them.
"Sakon, Ukon, Tayuya…" He had made it a point to mention both of the twins, particularly since Ukon was the more calm-minded of the two of them. "I had a very important task for you, one that is vital to the survival of our village."
Sakon and Tayuya stared at each other for a few seconds before looking back at their leader.
"Since finishing off the bandits here a month ago, I've had Kidomaru find the other bandits in the Land of Rice Fields."
He watched the smiles come across their faces, "Feel like flushing them out?"
Tayuya swore lightly, an amused yet satisfied word that would be entirely inappropriate in general conversation. "I guess we could do that."
Her grey-haired companion grinned and looked down at her, "Bet you I destroy more hideouts than you."
"You're on, shit-for-brains."
Neji sighed at the sound of the competition. "You can do what you like with the bandits, but no civilians."
"We know, we know. Have a little faith. We aren't the same as when we were affected by the Cursed Seal."
The two of them left the group, and Neji regarded his last three companions. Of all the Sound shinobi he had gotten closest to them, and they had proven to be very useful in advancing their cause.
"We leave in the morning?" Dosu sounded as disinterested as ever, but Neji had learnt to read the different tones in the sound-user's voice.
Neji nodded, "Yes. We'll need to secure the village first, but meeting the Daimyo is our top priority. With his support we can start to get missions, which provides us with a bankroll."
"What makes you think this'll work?" Zaku didn't mean to discourage his commander, but it was an opinion that several of their village had expressed to the Jounin recently.
"It's why Konoha was so successful. Not because they had the best shinobi, or the best field position. It was because they had the best connections with the right politicians."
"Why are you taking us? Surely you can negotiate on your own." Kin had changed her outfit slightly and now wore her hair in two long braids threaded with razor sharp needles. He wasn't sure why she had made the change, but he had seen her in combat and it certainly didn't hinder her movements.
Neji crossed his arms and sat down on a nearby stone step. "We aren't Konoha. We don't have the influence or the muscle to garner political favour. If the meeting goes south, I want my best people at my side."
They all smiled at the compliment, knowing that Neji wasn't the type to give out comments like that without reason. He had faith in them.
"You guys should get some rest. It's a long way to the capital, and we'll need to leave early."
They gave him a quick salute and left for their houses. Neji watched them go with a smile before looking over to where he had been living for the past month. He wasn't sure what the future held for him or his village, but if the next few days went well then they would be well on their way to establishing a fully-fledged shinobi village.
It took them two days to get to the capital town of the Land of Rice Fields. While they were in a relatively poor country, Neji had to admit there was a nice décor to the capital town.
They entered the town as the sun was slowly setting across the horizon. It was still warm enough to think it was still summer, but Neji insisted on wearing his Hyuuga robe whenever he could. His three companions wore their Sound forehead protectors with pride, and initially Neji had expressed an interest doing the same, but the other Sound shinobi had pointed out that as the leader it wasn't necessary. He figured it had something to do with presence, but didn't push the subject.
The town attached to the Daimyo's complex was very busy compared to their own village. People were moving and chatting between themselves from one stall to another. Neji noted with a small smile that you could never tell that there had recently been a war in their country, by how its civilians went about their daily business, moving from one stand to the next.
A few townsfolk stared at them while they walked through the town, commenting among themselves about what they saw. Initially Neji thought it was because they didn't see shinobi from their village too often in public, at least not in a positive manner. But it didn't take long for him to realise that they were staring at him.
"Do I stand out so much?" he asked quietly.
Walking in front of him with his arms crossed, Zaku turned his head slightly. "Well I wouldn't be trying to sneak into a dark room in that outfit."
The other two accompanying him let out a short laugh while Neji glared daggers into his subordinates back.
"I think it's the formation, sir. We probably look like a gang or such."
Neji grinned at Kin, "I did find a collection of cigars in my house the other day. Perhaps I should have brought them with me."
On the other side of Neji, Dosu rolled his single eye. "I thought we weren't here to intimidate him."
Their Hyuuga leader conceded the sound-users point and indicated for them to continue through the town. He'd tried to tell the three of them to relax on their trip, but they seemed to be constantly on the lookout for anyone that might dare attack them. Having seen how they fight, Neji had no wish to start a fight in a populated area. There was a good reason he didn't bring his new ANBU with him, despite how strong they were. He didn't want to deal with the inevitable collateral damage.
They reached the end of the town and looked up at the long laneway that led up to the Daimyo's complex. Neji stared up at the sky for a few seconds before looking back at his shinobi.
"How long do you think until our meeting?"
"Half an hour, maybe less" replied Kin with a yawn.
Zaku let out a scoff, "I don't understand why we don't just go in. It's not like he can stand up to us."
Neji shook his head slowly, "That's not the point, Zaku. We need to be working with the Daimyo, not intimidating him. It doesn't benefit us when he resents us."
"Fair point I suppose."
Kin gave the air-user a complementary smack on the head, which Zaku begrudgingly accepted without comment. "What are we going to do until then? I'm pretty hungry."
Her white-robed leader looked around the area for a little bit before his white eyes rested on a specific area to the east. He let a ghost of a smile come onto his face before turning back to his three bodyguards.
"Why don't the three of you go get some rest? It's going to be a long night, after all."
"What about you?" Dosu knew that he was up to something; he could hear it in his voice. It was a skill he had honed over years of working for Orochimaru. He could hear the slightest fluctuations in a speaker's voice meaning he was able to instantly tell if someone was lying or not, and if he concentrated he could hear to such an extent over extremely large areas. Neji often had Dosu cover him purely by sound, and the hunched shinobi got the feeling this was the same kind of situation.
Neji pointed to the area he had looked over previously. It was a tree-covered path leading up to a small shrine covered by cherry-blossom trees. "I want to pay my respects."
The other two of their group went to comment, but he cut them off with his hand. "Alone."
He could see they weren't happy, but they nodded their acknowledgement nonetheless. Zaku and Kin went back into town with the intention of have a bit of food together. Neji and Dosu shared a look before both shaking their heads. Neji had suspected it from the outset, and Dosu had figured it out well both the two of them even knew themselves. It hadn't progressed very far, but Neji suspected that given a little push they would come together.
"Are you going to be alright, sir?"
Neji bobbed his head slightly, "I just want to say a few things to the shrine, that's all. You should get your strength back too. I'll need you to start your mission once the meeting starts."
The hunched shinobi gave the Hyuuga a slight bow, "Yes sir, Dasaiamai."
"Go away now, Dosu."
oOoOoOo
Neji walked up the steps with his hands in the sleeves of his robe. He hadn't been to an ancestral shrine in many years, and with the destruction of his old home he hadn't felt like doing so until now. He knew it would be a bit strange not praying at a Hyuuga altar, but he'd felt a bit mellow since most of the construction of his village had been finished.
He grinned to himself as he kept climbing the steps.
I wonder what the others from Konoha would think of me acting all sentimental.
Neji reached the top of the steps quickly. While his mind was full of old memories of friends long gone he didn't notice that someone else was at the shrine praying silently until he was already there.
As a shinobi he had an unconscious habit of walking without making a sound, so the other person hadn't noticed his approach at all. Neji took a moment to look over the other occupant of the shrine, admitting to himself that it wasn't someone he would have expected at such a place.
Sitting on her knees with her head slightly bowed was a young girl that looked about Neji's age, though he could only see her from the back. She had a long set of silvery white hair that almost touched the ground from her seated position, and she wore a jet black kimono that contrasted her hair quite starkly.
Neji saw no reason to be cautious around such a person, so he quietly moved to the side and knelt down in a similar fashion, clasping his hands together while bowing his head at the shrine.
If the young girl was disturbed by his presence she made no mention of it, the two of them praying quietly at the shrine for a few minutes before Neji stood up slowly.
He went to turn around and leave, but the young girl turned slightly to face him.
"If you don't mind me asking, why did you come here?"
Being a reasonably good observer of emotion, Neji could sense the sadness in her otherwise pleasant sounding voice. He looked down at her with a response on his lips, but froze the moment he saw her face.
She had an attractive set of facial features, but Neji was immediately drawn to her eyes. She was staring at him with the fullest set of violet-coloured eyes, one that was both enticing and fascinating.
Despite himself, he gave her a short smile. "I don't mind."
He sat back down, this time facing the young girl. "I came here to honour my friends, who are no longer here."
The girl gave him a short bow from her seated position but continued to stare at him with her violet eyes. "I'm sorry for your loss. Were they good people?"
Neji couldn't help but grin a little while he looked at the shrine. "At times. Sometimes they could really get on my nerves, but I do miss them."
He noticed that she didn't seem deterred by his own white-coloured gaze, which was a rare quality in a civilian. Most of the time people were unsettled by his eyes, and Neji often used it to his advantage.
"What about you? Why are you here so late in the day?"
She sighed and turned back to look at the candle-laden shrine. "I…have my own reasons."
"Oh?" He didn't know why, but a part of him wanted to know why she had such a sad expression on her face. He only had a few minutes before he had to go back, but for once Neji let his instincts guide him.
She looked at him for a few seconds before turning away. "I shouldn't say. It wouldn't be proper."
"Isn't that the point of confiding in a stranger?" He could tell she wasn't convinced, but put his hand up anyway. "You don't have to see me again, and you'll find I'm good at keeping things to myself."
The girl looked at him with suspicion, but Neji knew what it was like to need someone to confide in. He'd been lucky in that, before his untimely death, Gai had been a welcome ear to Neji's misgivings, and once he had gotten past their fight Lee was also a reasonable confident.
"But I will understand if you don't wish to talk. I know what it's like to want your own space."
"It's…it's not that. I don't know how to say it, that's all."
Neji placed his hands in his robe's sleeves and smiled slowly at her. He couldn't quite place it, but something about her reminded him of someone he used to know.
It's not hesitation like Hinata used to suffer from…it is apprehension.
He stood up slowly from the ground and turned to face the steps behind them. "I apologise for intruding then. Have a pleasant night, young lady. I'll take my leave."
He went to take a step, but paused when he heard a slight change in her breathing. As a Sound shinobi he had been working on his hearing to bring it up to speed with the others, an appropriate ability for the leader of their village.
A tug on his robe caused him to hesitate and turn around; though he couldn't see her face he could tell by her body movements that she was uncomfortable. He sat back down opposite her and waited.
"I'm…scared."
Neji cocked his head slightly, "What are you scared of?" He made sure to use a soft tone, but there was something that told him he needed to proceed cautiously.
She let go of his robe and placed her hands on her black dress. "Too many things. War, people close to me dying, not enough food…"
Neji frowned slowly, "Those are normal. But I sense it's something greater for you."
"You see a fair bit, don't you?"
He smiled and pointed to his eyes, "These things aren't for show. Now are you going to tell me what's troubling you?"
"I don't want to be a prisoner."
Neji could tell that was the real issue by the quivering of her voice, but he wasn't sure how someone like her could be a prisoner. She was very beautiful in his eyes, though he reserved judgement on such matters until he truly knew her personality.
"I don't understand. Is someone threatening you?"
She shook her head slowly, "It's not like that. I…as a man you wouldn't understand."
"You'd be surprised at what I can understand. So you are scared of becoming a maiden?"
She frowned at him, but even that didn't disrupt her features in a bad way. "It's not like that at all. I've gotten to an age where I should start a family. But I'm worried that I won't be relevant once I'm there."
Neji crossed his arms and considered what she said. Having spent his entire life surrounded by women who were shinobi or planning to be shinobi, Neji never considered the role that civilian women played in society.
"Are you scared of being ignored? Or being abused?"
She glanced at him for a few seconds before looking back at the shrine. "Maybe both…I don't know." Her violet eyes slowly tracked their way back to his white globes. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
Neji smiled again at her and stood up slowly, "What can I say? I'm a good listener."
He turned around and took a step towards the stairs leading back to the rest of the village. Taking a step down the staircase he turned his head slightly so that he could look at her with a grim smile.
"Birds can only fly freely once they have broken out of their cage."
With that he left her to her thoughts, making his way towards the Daimyo's complex. He wondered if he should have stayed and talked to her some more, but he knew that his time was up. The meeting with the Daimyo was more important than talking to a pretty girl.
As he walked down the steps however, he couldn't get that pair of violet globes out of his head.
The others were already waiting by the time Neji got to the entrance to the Daimyo's complex. Both Zaku and Kin gave him grief for being late, while Dosu merely stood with a grin on his face. Neji could tell he was grinning even through the bandages. He shook his head to the sound-user and regarded the three of them.
"Okay, here is the plan."
He indicated to Zaku and Kin. "You two will accompany me into the meeting. I know this might sound rude, but I don't want either of you to say anything. We aren't here to intimidate him, but we still need to show presence."
They nodded slowly and acknowledged why Neji had asked them to act in such a manner. It was why he had brought them and not his ANBU. Besides Jiroubo, the other three wouldn't have been able to keep their mouths shut.
"So while we are acting as statues, what is shorty here going to be doing?"
Dosu glared at his male teammate, "I'm not short, I hunch. There is a difference."
"You're still short."
"Enough." If Neji didn't intervene he knew they would argue to the point of Kin being forced to break them up, and he didn't need the hassle.
"Were you able to make the exchange?"
Dosu nodded and gave Neji a small sheet of paper. The Hyuuga leader nodded as he read over the information before destroying the note. "This is good. Can you settle this by the time we finish our meeting?"
"Of course, sir. How much discretion can I have in dealing with it?" Dosu turned to face the town with a grim look.
Neji breathed out slowly and motioned for the others to accompany him. "As much as necessary. If you have to kill him then do it. But remember, we want this whole thing to work."
Dosu nodded slightly and disappeared without a sound. His other two bodyguards looked at him curiously, but he waved away their questions. There were some things that not everyone in the village needed to know, and their skills were useful in other areas.
"Let's go. We don't want to keep our host waiting."
oOoOoOo
It had taken a month to arrange the meeting with the Daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields. While he wasn't at the same level as the Daimyos of the Five Countries, the Daimyo was still a powerful political force in the world. It was a careful task of correctly placed bribes and even a few veiled threats to be able to get a personal meeting with the generally reclusive Daimyo, without him knowing the real purpose of the meeting.
Neji figured that when he originally created the Hidden Sound, Orochimaru had been fairly 'persuasive' with the Daimyo to let him begin a shinobi village, but he also figured that the relationship was strained at best considering the deceased leader.
The spear-wielding guards bowed in respect as they made their way through the complex. They seemed to stiffen at the sight of the shinobi forehead protectors, but Neji noted with interest that they didn't freeze up when he stared at them.
Surprisingly well trained guards. I'd be best not to underestimate this man.
A guard wearing a golden helmet halted them just before they reached the main house in the complex. He didn't quite threaten them to stop, but it was heavily implied.
"What is your business here?" he asked bluntly. Unlike the other guards he didn't wield a spear; instead there were two scimitars at his side. At first it didn't look like it, but Neji could tell he was an expert with such weaponry.
Both Zaku and Kin glared at the guard captain, but as Neji had instructed they said nothing. Their leader took a step forward and smiled.
"Blood flows freely when people find ways to disagree."
The captain's demeanour changed instantly upon hearing that, even smiling slightly. "Ah, so you are here. I wasn't expecting you to come today."
Neji stared at the captain with a frown, "Our agreement is still in place?"
"Of course." He moved slightly so that he was out of their way and bowed slightly. "You'll need to see the housecarl first."
The Hyuuga shinobi nodded his thanks and the three of them entered the house. It reminded him of one of the Main Branch's houses, but with less signage than the Hyuuga used to use. It was fairly large, and even at night it was bustling with house servants.
They seemed to be surprised by their presence, but before they could be questioned a large woman came out of nowhere and practically shoved them into a nearby room. Both Zaku and Kin adopted defensive positions instantly and moved to cover Neji, but he waved their concern away.
"Are you the housecarl?"
The large woman made sure that the room was secure before stared at the three of them. "I am Lord Yama's beloved housecarl. Do you three mind telling me why you are disturbing our household at this time of night?"
Neji hesitated at her tirade against them. The information he had gotten on her was comprehensive, but seeing it was another thing entirely.
If I don't succeed here, then our work will be for nothing.
He swallowed slowly and pulled out a small bell from his robe. The large woman stared at it with curiosity, but the moment it chimed she stood rigid and her eyes went dark.
Both Zaku and Kin stared at her for a few seconds before walking around her with fascination.
"What is this?" asked Zaku.
Neji grinned slowly and placed the bell back into his robe. "You ever wondered why Tayuya was so annoyed with me for the past week?"
"Because she's a horrible person?" said Kin quickly.
"Unrequited sexual tension?"
The two of them just glared at Zaku for a few seconds, before Neji shook his head slowly.
"Neither of those…and I should tell her you said that Zaku. I had Tayuya hypnotise some of the working staff, so that the Daimyo wouldn't get wind of our true purpose. A bit excessive perhaps but necessary."
Kin waved a hand in front of the large woman's face, "So what's the plan then?"
Her leader clicked in front of the large woman and stepped backwards. Her eyes seemed to glaze over, and for a few seconds he suspected that Tayuya's hypnosis hadn't been as successful as the foul-mouthed illusionist claimed it to be. But when the housecarl bowed to him and opened the door for them to walk through he knew she was just as good as he knew her to be.
He breathed out a sigh of relief and signalled for his two bodyguards to follow him as the large woman led them into a nearby corridor. She moved with a quick pace as they went through the house. The Sound shinobi noticed that when they travelled with the housecarl none of the servants gave them a second look, which was Neji's plan in the first place. After five minutes of walking they came to a large sliding double door and the housecarl indicated for them to enter without her.
The room was large enough to hold nearly thirty people, Neji indicating for his two bodyguards to take positions on either side of the doorway. He stared at them and silently reminded them that they weren't to talk. They both nodded with bored expressions, but kept their postures defensive nonetheless.
Neji knelt on the cushion and placed his hands on long table in the middle of the room. It felt quite strange being in this kind of situation, in the position he currently held. Growing up in the Branch House, he had resigned himself to the life of a bodyguard. The highest position he could have aspired to was the one his father had held. While sitting and waiting Neji tried to remember what that position was called, but the name seemed to elude him.
That's the third time this month I've forgotten something important from the past.
He left the problem to another time when he saw the opposite double door slide open. He kept his personal observations to himself and was hoping that his two bodyguards were doing the same.
The Daimyo, at least Neji assumed it was the country leader by his demeanour, was not a small man by any measure. The Hyuuga leader could have sworn that the ground was actually shaking as the large man entered the room and stared at the three of them. He had a large grey beard and was fairly conservatively garbed considering his girth, yet given the information he had Neji knew that this had to be the man they had come all this way to see.
The Daimyo entered with three guards that weren't armed, but when his small eyes noticed the two forehead protectors he immediately froze in fear.
"Wha…what are you doing here? Didn't you get our tribute already?"
Neji stood up slowly, making sure that his stance was in no way aggressive. He bowed deeply to the large man, "We no longer operate that way, sir. I am Hyuuga Neji, the new leader of Otogakure."
He'd spent a large amount of time arguing with his shinobi about how to represent their village, and they had finally settled on representing themselves no longer as a 'Hidden Village', but rather as similar to Konoha and Suna as a named presence.
The Daimyo stared at him, "Why are you here then? Are you here to extort more money from me?"
Neji shook his head and indicated for the Daimyo to take a seat. "I am taking our village in a new direction, and that's why I am here."
"My information suggests that your village was recently destroyed, with no survivors."
"We survived, and have relocated. Please, shall we talk?"
The Daimyo was suspicious of Neji's intentions, but took a seat opposite him on the table, an act that would have knocked Neji off of his feet had he not been prepared for it. Neji sat back down and thanked the Daimyo for the opportunity. The guards behind the Daimyo still seemed on edge, but the fact that the country leader was sitting at the same table as Neji was a positive indicator.
"Why are you here then?" It was a simple question, but the Hyuuga shinobi knew that his next answer determined the Daimyo's reaction to his plan.
"I recently came into a leadership role within our village, and I am taking our shinobi village on a path that is very different from the one that the previous leaders have taken it on. For our new direction however, I require your help."
The Daimyo frowned and leaned forward onto his large stomach. "You sound very different to the shinobi I have spoken to in the past. But I'm not seeing an answer here."
Neji smiled slowly, the Daimyo was cleverer than he would have thought. He was a heavy set man that looked like he had eaten a smaller man for breakfast, but despite the fear in his eyes he could tell the man was a cunning politician.
If he was able to survive the previous leaders of Otogakure…this might actually work.
"With Konoha destroyed, there is a power vacuum in the world. Now I know that you haven't had the best relations with our village in the past, but I've come here to tell you that we want to work with you to make this country stronger."
The Daimyo leaned back with a snort, "That's the same thing Orochimaru said when he initially proposed the idea of us having a shinobi village. Then he decided to murder my father and extort us for money and 'test subjects'. Why should I trust anything you say?"
Neji took a slow breath, this part was important. He leaned onto the table and stared at the Daimyo through his white eyes. "Because the Daimyo of the Land of Fire was assassinated two months ago, more than a year after his shinobi village was destroyed. The other countries have been marshalling their strengths, and you know that you don't have the means to defend yourself or this country."
"And this is supposed to intimidate me into helping you?"
"No, it's meant to give you some perspective. We came here to forge an alliance with you, for both our benefits."
For the next few minutes the Daimyo didn't say anything, placing his hands together and staring at Neji intently. The Hyuuga shinobi could see the range of different emotions in the large man's eyes, and he could see that he was slowly getting to the country leader.
Finally the Daimyo leaned back and breathed out slowly. He looked back at the shinobi, not able to read anything from Neji's stoic features. "Do you have a plan?"
"I do. Would you like to hear it?"
The Daimyo turned slightly and motioned to his guards. They bowed slightly and exited the room without a word. He turned back and gave Neji a wide smile.
"Let's discuss this over a light snack."
oOoOoOo
The Daimyo bellowed out a laugh and clapped his stomach. He didn't quite spit food onto the table, but Neji figured that the large man was probably holding back due to his company.
"That's quite a bold plan. I must confess you have me most intrigued."
Neji took a sip from his tea with a smile. "Can I count on your support then?"
The large man placed down the large drumstick in his hand and wiped his chin. "Now hold on, young man. You've explained what you are doing, and it is certainly impressive."
"But?" Neji knew it was coming, he had sensed a slight amount of apprehension in the Daimyo's presence for a little while now but wasn't sure of its origin.
"I don't think you are giving me enough credit."
The Hyuuga shinobi took a slow breath and clasped his hands together. "What do you mean?"
A few maids came in to remove their plates, not saying a word as the two leaders continued their conversation. Neji could feel his bodyguards' boredom behind him, he was tempted to dismiss them so they could rest, but he didn't want to let his guard down. During their conversation the Daimyo had shown himself to be quite a shrewd politician and much cleverer than Neji would have originally thought.
"You would have me and my country act as a bankroll for your village, which in turn will assist in making the Land of Rice Fields a country worth remembering."
"I don't quite see where the problem is" said Neji quickly.
His would-be ally leaned back on cushion while still looking at Neji with a stare. "If we are to forge an alliance, then I think you are underestimating how useful I can truly be. I understand you wanting to create a shinobi village worthy of the Five, but perhaps we can work out a more efficient plan."
Neji frowned slightly, he hadn't considering that. He didn't want to admit it, but he'd been working on a Konoha-based strategy, with some heavy modifications of course.
"What do you propose then?"
"You are of a young age, and from speaking with you this past hour I can tell that you are a man of both integrity and ambition. I would call for a union of equals."
"I fail to see the difference between the previous plan and this one, if you don't mind me saying. Are you suggesting we run the village out of your town?"
With a strange look on his face, the Daimyo leaned forward slightly onto the table.
"I have a young daughter around your age. I would have you join our houses and work together in collaboration."
Neji nearly fell off his cushion in surprise. It seemed so obvious, yet he seemed to have completely missed that angle.
I could have proposed that in the first place, and forced an alliance through that.
He quickly dismissed the negative thought; he didn't want to run things that way. It didn't seem so strange a concept to him, the Hyuuga had often performed arranged marriages in order to keep their bloodline 'pure'. He found the entire idea distasteful, but if it meant both the safety and advancement of his village and its people, he didn't see that he had a choice.
"Should I not meet the girl before we decide her fate? I don't want to impose on somebody I haven't even met yet."
The Daimyo stood up from the table and for a moment Neji was afraid he had offended the large man. However his fears were for naught as the Daimyo burst out laughing, clapping his belly in a strange manner. "You are a cautious man, Hyuuga Neji. I can appreciate that in an ally."
He called in a maid and whispered an order to her with a grin. He then bowed to Neji and took his leave of the room, leaving him with his two bodyguards.
Neji breathed out slowly and stood up from his seat, stretching out his sore legs. He turned around to see the impatient yet amused faces of his subordinates. Zaku went to make a comment, but Neji shook his head to indicate that they weren't out of the woods just yet.
"I need the two of you to step out for a moment."
To their credit they didn't move an inch; he couldn't help but feel proud of their commitment. But if he was to make a good impression on this girl, he didn't need the two of them glaring daggers into her.
"I know what you want to say, but you'll need to trust me on this."
They looked at each other for a moment before both shrugging and exiting the room. He knew that they would be listening in regardless of what he would order them to do, but Neji ignored that fact and turned his attention back to the room.
Regardless of what she looks like, I have to make nice. I don't have a choice in this matter, but I don't want to force her either. I'll need to be…charming.
He knelt back down onto the cushion and stared at the closed door.
I know it seems petty, but if there is a god please let her be easy on the eyes.
He couldn't help but hold his breath as the sliding double door opposite him slowly opened.
oOoOoOo
There were a thousand possibilities running through Neji's mind when the door opened, but none of them prepared him for what entered the room and sat down opposite him.
"You…you're the daughter of the Daimyo?"
The young girl smiled slowly and regarded him with the pair striking violet-coloured eyes that had been haunting him for the past two hours. She was still wearing the dark black kimono that he had seen her wearing earlier, but she had placed her stunning silver-white hair into a bun behind her head, in a manner more befitting a girl of her stature.
"You're that surprised?" Her tone was surprisingly neutral; she seemed neither happy nor displeased with his presence.
Neji smiled and placed a hand on his chin, "Our previous conversation makes a lot more sense now actually."
She nodded and continued smiling without any real emotion in it.
"Do you know what your father and I have been discussing?" asked Neji.
"It doesn't matter that much to me at this time. I know what my father intends however. I don't see what choice I have."
Neji leaned forward and placed a hand across the table between them. "You always have a choice. That's what I said before, and I stand by it now."
"And if I say no? Wouldn't that ruin your plans?"
Neji smirked slightly, "I wouldn't hold it against you. I know what it's like to be stuck in a cage."
She stared at him in a manner that wasn't particularly unsettling in any way, but he could see her making little observations about him during the silent exchange.
Suddenly she stood up from the table, gathering her black dress around her legs before stepping back from the table. Neji caught himself glancing at her bare legs before they were covered by her kimono.
There is a god, clearly. I'm not in the clear yet though. This is a girl who…
He found his thought cut off when he saw her spin around in place and face the door. Even from the back he couldn't help but be intrigued by her. It wasn't something he had experienced before, even when he was surrounded by beautiful women. There was a difference, in Neji's eyes, between beautiful and striking.
"Okay."
At first Neji wasn't quite sure he had heard her right, considering she wasn't looking at him, but it slowly dawned on him what had happened.
"Re…really?" He stood up slowly, trying and failing to hide a warm smile. "Do you mind if I ask why?"
She was still staring at the door, but he could see her visibly relaxing. "I know a good person when I see one. With you…I wouldn't be a prisoner. I would be my own person."
With that she reached out and opened the sliding door slowly.
Neji smiled even wider and began thinking about what this meant for his plans, but he suddenly realised that there was something he had forgotten.
"Um…this might sound strange, but I never caught your name."
She froze just as she was above to leave the room. The young girl turned slightly and smiled straight at him. It was the single most beautiful thing Neji had ever seen; he swore his heart had literally skipped a beat at that moment.
"My name is Yuko Yama. It's a pleasure to meet you…"
"Hyuuga Neji. I guess we'll be finding out more about each other over the next little while."
She gave him a slight wave and walked out of the room. "We've got some time."
He waited until she was out of earshot before turning around and opening his own door. He stared at his two bodyguards and sighed as he saw them snickering.
"The two of you are done for the night. Go do whatever it is you want, as I work out the details with the Daimyo."
They bowed slightly and went to leave, but Zaku leant down and whispered into his leader's ear.
"Nice pull sir. She's quite a catch."
Neji grinned and stood back from his subordinate.
"Toilet-cleaning duty, Zaku. I'm not kidding."
The air-used gave him a salute with a wide grin and the two of them left the area. Neji sighed and re-entered the room. It was going to be a long night, but for once he felt like things were coming together the way he needed them to.
***Six Weeks after Separation***
After two weeks of preparation, Neji found himself in a strange situation. Nevermind being the leader of a shinobi village with plans for expansion. Nevermind being a newly-wed husband.
He sat on a silk blanket covered bed and watched his silvery-white-haired wife remove her wedding dress in front of him. He didn't consider himself a pervert, the kiss they had shared during the ceremony had been his first, but when she smiled and looked into his eyes he felt something almost primal emerge within him.
"Are you nervous?" she asked with a smile, taking her time removing the elaborate design of her garter belt.
Neji grinned back awkwardly, "Would you judge me if I said yes?"
"A little, but I don't hold it against you." She finally undid the one clasp that was irritating her and joined him on the bed. As he was enticed by her, she was intrigued by him.
They had gotten to know each other over the past two weeks, and while she had no illusions that she wasn't in love with him, she liked him a great deal. They were both in a similar position within the marriage, and Neji had constantly promised her he would be needed her help for his village, and had even began to relay some of her ideas back to his village.
Feeling more nervous than the first time he had fought with his father, Neji reached out and lightly touched her shoulder. She had the softest skin he had ever touched, and despite all the information Neji could have gained with his Kuroi Byakugan he had no clue what to do next.
She shivered slightly at his touch, but leant down and kissed his hand regardless.
"Come on…we've got a marriage to begin."
The Sound leader smiled warmly and reached out, touching her bare cheek lightly.
"I think I'm beginning to like this."
oOoOoOo
It had taken a few tries, but both of them were no longer nervous in each other's presence. Neji found himself subconsciously stoking the length of her arm while she slept in his arms. He still felt like he had won the lottery when it came to arranged marriages, and he felt like she would be one of his most useful assets.
And if I get to keep doing that…this I could most certainly get used to.
It took him nearly half an hour before his thoughts turned back to his old friends from Konoha. He still didn't know their fates; he had heard small inklings of information pertaining to odd groups moving around in the world, but nothing substantial.
He wondered what had happened to Lee, still engrossed in Gai's death that Neji wasn't sure he'd ever get over it. Neji had been affected by the Jounin's death as well, but he acknowledged that their relationship was something special.
As he went through the group, his thoughts finally came to his cousin and her blonde-haired boyfriend. After spending a short amount of time with Yuko, he was beginning to understand why the two of them acted the way they did.
And they chose to be with each other too. I feel like I might have been able to do with Yuko given enough time, but the end result is still the same. And she certainly has qualities I enjoy...
He looked down to see her sleeping face, noticing the remarkably peaceful expression on her face. He reached down and slowly brushed a few strands of her silver white away off her face.
Such a beautiful…wait…
It was a horrible thought, but one that Neji had been repressing ever since learning of the relationship.
If Naruto has…with her…I'm going to kill him. Slowly, painfully, and with a blunt instrument.
He could feel Yuko stirring in his arms, which immediately caused all thoughts of his cousin to depart his mind.
Focus on the moment, Neji. That's all you can work with right now. Kill Naruto another time.
***Three Months after Separation***
Neji dropped down into the chair behind his desk with a look of pure shock on his face.
"Are you sure?"
The violet-eyed woman sitting on top of his desk grinning and placed her chin into her hand. "It's not as if I'm getting fat, husband."
He shook his head with a proud grin, "I wasn't suggesting that…I just wasn't expecting it, that's all."
She reached down and grabbed one of his hands into hers, rubbing it affectionately. "It's certainly not for a lack of trying. Besides, this is a good thing, remember?"
The Sound leader nodded with an ever-widening grin. "It definitely is. But that means you'll have to take it easy from now on, okay?"
"I promise. It's hard to believe our marriage was arranged, isn't it?"
He stood up from his seat and kissed his wife on the side of her cheek. "We're adaptable people, that's what I always say. Can you hold down the fort until we get back? Or should I stay?"
"Don't be silly. You need to go. I'm not going to keel over just because there are things growing in my belly." She shifted the stacks of intelligence on his desk with a sly grin. "But you've got time, right?"
"It's going to be like that, isn't it?"
Yuko nodded slowly and grasped his other hand. "You have to do everything I ask for. It's a rule or something."
"You've got to stop spending time with Kin and Tayuya. It can't be good for your health."
"Shut up and take off your pants."
oOoOoOo
Sakon cracked his neck and stared with the others as Neji jogged to catch up to them.
"Nice of you to join us, oh great leader."
Neji ignored the twin shinobi's barb and straightened out his white robe while looking over the four shinobi that were accompanying him. Considering the scope of their task he had decided to take all four of his ANBU, and left the village in the capable hands of his Jounin and his wife.
It had been a pleasant surprise when they had returned to the village, but Yuko had proven herself to be a very capable administrator for the many issues that a shinobi village would face. Even with their small numbers, they had many little problems that required a certain touch. He hadn't expected it either, but it seemed that she had a unique way of dealing with the shinobi and he had never heard anyone say anything negative about his wife. He had been paying attention too.
"Why were you late, sir?" asked Jiroubo. He was extremely grateful to be out of the village for the first time, he had spent far too long building defences and was aching to get into a good fight and crack some heads.
Neji had made it a point to spar with all of his shinobi at one point or another, for several reasons. Primarily it was to increase their skills and to keep his own abilities sharp, but it was also to show that he was still the strongest in the village. Jiroubo was deadly, but slow, and it was something they had been working on during their time together.
"I was being given some very interesting news. It would appear that I'm to be a father."
The four of them simply grinned at the news, which told Neji that they already knew about it. He simply shook his head and indicated for them to move out.
"It's not that far to the complex, and we need to be ready to fight."
"We know…sir." Tayuya always had to say the last bit through her teeth, though Neji knew that wasn't because she resented him. He knew that she had an image to maintain, and she enjoyed being the foul-mouthed blunt shinobi they all knew.
Three of the ANBU disappeared, while Kidomaru reached out and clapped his leader on the shoulder with a wide grin. "Congratulations are in order, I suppose."
Neji returned the smile, "And if today works, we'll have increased our numbers five-fold."
"Don't count your eggs before they are cooked, sir. They aren't the most stubborn lot, but they aren't to be underestimated."
The Hyuuga leader nodded his acknowledgement and indicated for Kidomaru to move out.
They both disappeared without another word between them, moving rapidly to catch up to the other three Sound shinobi that had gone on ahead of them.
oOoOoOo
The five Sound shinobi stared at shinobi that had surrounded them, keeping their personal comments mostly to themselves.
"This is a friendly welcome to be sure." Kidomaru had one set of arms on his waist, one behind his head and the other crossed in front of his chest.
Neji had ordered none of them to act aggressively to the shinobi that had slowly surrounded them, which was easier for some than others.
They had come to the most northern part of the Land of Rice Fields to recruit the Fuuma clan back to their village. Their clan leader had expressed an interest in joining their village a month ago, but had since ceased communications with them. Neji wasn't going to pander to the clans, but they were vital to increasing their shinobi numbers in a short amount of time.
He activated his regular Byakugan and looked around at the seventy shinobi that were around them. Most of them seemed to be armed with less than effective weapons, many seemed to be wielding wooden bows and arrows, yet they stood proudly and defiantly against them. He didn't want to unleash his ANBU on them, but if they fired first he would have to destroy them on principle, to show the other two clans of the country that they meant business.
"Stand easy. Wait for Arashi to show himself."
Almost on cue, a young grey-haired man slowly walked to the front of the surrounding clansman, a small smile on his face that displayed absolutely no emotion. He looked over the Sound Four without comment before setting his grey eyes on Neji.
"You are the new tyrant of the Sound?"
"I am the leader of Otogakure" corrected Neji. "And you are the Fuuma clan, yes?"
The grey-haired leader focused his gaze completely on Neji. "We want nothing to do with you. We had dealings with Orochimaru, and it gave us nothing but sorrow."
Neji nodded slowly while again looking over the shinobi around them. "I'm not asking for servitude, Arashi. I'm looking for partnership. You were once proud shinobi, but you've been relegated to mere bandits."
The Fuuma clan head twitched slightly but made no other facial recognition at Neji's statement. "You mean to suggest that we are not strong unless we are in a village? You presume too much."
"I presume nothing. I'm simply making an observation. I understand why you are apprehensive about joining us."
"Please, enlighten us."
Neji indicated to the rundown complex the clan had been using for their base. "You don't have the resources to sustain your abilities. Your previous experiences with Orochimaru and Kabuto have left you bitter about the Hidden Sound, but I'm here to tell you that village doesn't exist anymore. We are becoming something more, and we would like you to be a part of it."
A shinobi beside Arashi whispered to him, and another behind him starting talking as well. Neji and the others waited as they discussed the issue between themselves.
"I reckon we are being way too nice to these losers" commented Tayuya with a spit to the ground.
"It's called communication, Tayuya. It's what allies do." Jiroubo always made a point of telling off the foul-mouthed shinobi for her lack of teamwork, and since they had started Otogakure he felt she was making progress, though you couldn't tell by her demeanour.
"It's called being a sissy" laughed Sakon, though it was short-lived because of a glare from his leader.
After nearly ten minutes of discussion, Arashi emerged again and looked down at them from his elevated position. He coughed a few times to get their attention and to clear his voice.
"What you say…makes sense. But how can you deliver on your promise to incorporate us? How do we know you are as strong as you say?"
Neji let out a small smirk; he had them right where he wanted them. He motioned to the four shinobi around him. "Shall we do a demonstration then? These are the four best fighters in our village. If they can beat your best four, then you will join us. Sound like a deal?"
The grey-haired leader thought about it for a little while before letting out a long breath. "I won't make any promises, but that's because we won't lose. Let's move to a better location."
oOoOoOo
"No killing" instructed Neji once they reached the arena the Fuuma clan had led them to.
He had to admire the design of the place, once they got back to the village he would instruct Jiroubo to construct them one of a similar nature, for practise if nothing else.
Sakon swore under his breath, "And why is that?"
Neji rolled his eyes, a fascinating task when you have no pupils. "I'm not going to explain myself, Sakon. You can fight as hard as you please, but I need them alive."
The brutal shinobi glared at him but didn't make another comment as the first Fuuma shinobi entered the ring. He was a strange looking bald man with a scar across his right eye. He grinned arrogantly at the Sound shinobi, with his hands on his hips.
Kidomaru cracked four of his hands with his regular smile. "I've got this one. Who's timing?"
He couldn't believe he was doing it, but Neji pulled out a stopwatch and indicated for him to continue. He had to keep reminding himself it was a friendly competition between fellow shinobi, but it still felt stupid to do something like time a fight.
oOoOoOo
"Seven point three seconds" stated Neji as Kidomaru walked back down from the arena.
The spider-like shinobi shook his head shamefully, "It's not my fault he didn't know when to give up."
The Fuuma clan shinobi struggled to pull their companion out of Kidomaru's webs that had pinned him to the arena floor. It was only with a flick of Kidomaru's fingers they were able to release the one-eyed shinobi.
After a few minutes the next Fuuma shinobi entered the arena. It appeared to be a young dark-haired girl, who had a long instrument between her hands.
Almost immediately the Sound shinobi stared at Tayuya, who glared back at them. "What the hell are you looking at me for? Just because she's a woman means I have to fight her?"
The four men beside her shared a look between themselves before looking back at the pink-haired shinobi.
"Yes" they all said at once.
She spat on the ground in disgust, "Pigs."
Drawing her flute from her clothes, she stepped onto the arena floor and placed the instrument to her lips.
oOoOoOo
"Four point one seconds."
"That's bloody right. Shove that up your ass, Kidomaru" said Tayuya with a wide grin as she took her position next to her companions.
It hadn't even been a battle, though Neji had seen what had really happened. From the moment her flute began to produce music, her opponent had begun to scream almost ear-piercingly. It had taken Tayuya the four seconds to walk over to her opponent and knock her out with an unceremonious punch to the head.
After helping their companion from the stage, the third Fuuma shinobi walked into the fray. He wore a set of razor-sharp scissor pincers and a matching grin.
Having won the required paper-scissors-rock match, Jiroubo slowly made his way onto the stage, cracking his neck slowly. A long sadistic grin came across his face; he had been away from the battlefield for far too long.
Neji saw the grin and considered reminding the Earth-user of his original command, but nonetheless he reset the stopwatch and waited patiently for the match to start.
oOoOoOo
"Eight seconds flat."
It was clear to the other Sound shinobi that Jiroubo had spent 90% of the fight toying with his opponent, but the moment he had broken the Fuuma shinobi's weapon, he had conceded the fight.
It seemed like most of the clan was ready to concede that they were clearly outmatched, but when a grotesque-looking hunched shinobi walked onto the arena they started to cheer for him.
Neji complimented Jiroubo on his fight and indicated for Sakon to enter the arena.
The grey-haired shinobi stared at him for a few seconds. It didn't take Neji long to realise that it wasn't Sakon he was dealing with right now.
"Ukon? You are going to fight?"
"Brother is indisposed at this time. Besides, I haven't had much to do lately."
"Fair enough" responded Neji. He watched his shinobi enter the arena without another word, cracking his neck whilst glaring at his buck-toothed opponent.
"Anyone want to make a side bet?" asked Kidomaru jokingly.
oOoOoOo
"That was…"
"Don't give the time, I don't care."
The four of them grinned as the clearly furious Sakon returned to their little group. It had been a fascinating fight to watch, particularly from someone who knew how strong Sakon and Ukon were.
"She had you on the ropes for a bit there, Sakon."
The grey-haired shinobi glared at Kidomaru and let out a tsk. "How was I meant to know that ugly bastard was actually a young girl, and that she had that much strength?"
Neji left his four ANBU to their bickering; he knew there were times when they just needed to fight it out amongst themselves. He made his way over the arena floor towards the Fuuma clan head and waited until Arashi was ready to speak to him.
If the young leader was embarrassed by his clansmen's performances, he made no show of it when he acknowledged Neji's presence. He kept the same smile he had worn from their initial meeting, but surprised Neji when he extended a hand.
The Hyuuga leader clasped the hand with a smile. "You are with us then?"
"You are clearly very strong. And any idiot could tell your people were holding back a fair bit."
Neji released the handshake and looked at the four fallen shinobi his subordinates had defeated. "If your people weren't malnourished and underequipped, I suspect the fights would have been closer than one might originally think."
The Fuuma clan head glanced around at his clansmen for a few seconds before staring back at Neji.
"If you would have us, the Fuuma are at your disposal. As you mentioned, we aren't doing so well right now. But if you can arm us properly, you will find us to be valuable allies."
Neji grinned slowly as an idea came to his mind.
"I know the perfect person to do that."
Author's Note:
Same as the previous chapter, this is a story chapter I've been waiting a while to write. I know the Fuuma fights were a bit of a cop-out, but let's face it they were all pretty short.
I know there seem to be a fair number of OCs in this story piling up, but when you do something like destroy Konoha and 95% of their standing force you've got to make up the numbers elsewhere, particularly in a story of this scope.
The next chapter continues Neji's story, and has tons of action. After that it'll be back for another Naru/Hina chapter before moving on to other chapters. Long way to go yet.
Please review and tell me what you think. I try to reply to each review, and believe me I read them all. Tell me what can be improved, what you liked, what you didn't, everything. I'm a writer so I'm always open to criticism.