When the team arrived back in the village the morning light flooded the streets. People had already started their daily activities and walked the streets following their usual routines. It was impossible for them to not notice the shinobi squad breaking through the crowd headed towards the Hokage mansion.
Shikamaru led the way, staring straight ahead. At first glance it might seem that he was just concentrating, but Neji had noticed on the way back that the Nara's fists were clenched tightly at his sides the entire time. On no occasion had he even turned to look at the rest of his team, nor had he spoken a word. His mind was focused on the mission. Even now, as they crossed the streets before the surprised gazes of the villagers, Shikamaru's empty glare did not falter.
Neji looked at the curious people watching them pass. Undoubtedly what caught their attention was the figure of a large shinobi carrying the unconscious body of a man over his shoulder. And not just any man. Even in that emaciated state, with his face covered in bruises and wounds and his clothes torn, any inhabitant of Konoha would immediately recognize a Hyuuga. And a Hyuuga with a bare forehead at that, which meant he undoubtedly belonged to the Main House. Not surprisingly, people wondered what could have happened to a member of the most prestigious clan in Konoha for him to have ended up in that condition, as well as who was responsible. Lastly what the repercussions would be for the guilty party.
Neji had asked himself this last question the entire trek back. The Hyuuga clan would not tolerate an attack like that upon such a renowned member, but with Hisao being involved in such a heinous crime it would be difficult even for them to act against justice. Consequently, they would most likely seek retribution by other means. Someone was going to pay, and if they found out that Neji had been the cause of Hisao's current state, it would, most certainly, be him.
He knew his best chance of staying alive was to return to the border as soon as humanly possible, and get away from his clan before they could make that connection. First he needed to speak to Shikamaru. Try to make him see reason. He couldn't allow him to continue with, whatever was going on in his head, or there would be consequences, and they would be dire.
He was trying to sort out the words he would use in his mind when a squeeze on his arm caught his attention. Hinata had been clinging to him the entire way after what happened with Hisao, but now she was gripping her cousin tightly. Neji looked at her and saw the terror in her eyes. He followed her gaze and his breath froze in his throat. A couple of Hyuugas, members of the Main House, watched them pass. They stared in dismay at Hisao's unconscious body as he swayed on Choji's shoulder with every step the boy took. The expression on their faces was one of complete disbelief. They had never expected to see the man in such a condition. Seconds later their eyes grew angry, and their gazes began to roam the faces of the shinobi in the group carrying their fellow house member. As soon as their gazes landed on Neji, they bared their teeth like furtive predators.
It was purely psychosomatic, but Neji could almost feel the tingling of the Curse Seal activating on his forehead. They were going to unleash their fury upon him, he was certain now. Hinata squeezed closer to him, coming to the same conclusion. He would be lucky if he was still alive by the end of the day.
It seemed that the two Hyuugas were trying to kill him with their stares when something made them look away. Neji followed their gazes, and saw Shikamaru staring daggers at them as he continued along his path without faltering. In the bright morning light his fiery expression was evident and he did nothing to hide it. It was not a warning, but a clear statement of intent. It told the Hyuugas that a battle had begun, and that he would take up arms against them without mercy. He was telling them that if they messed with him or Neji, they would end up just like Hisao. The Main House members regarded him with contempt and rage. The team walked away, leaving them behind.
Upon arriving at the mansion they headed straight to the Godaime's office. The moment they arrived Shizune was walking out the door. She saw them approach and her eyes widened in shock. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Hisao covered in blood on Choji's shoulder. Still taken aback, she turned to Tsunade's office.
"Godaime-sama, Shikamaru's team is back."
Before the Hokage ordered them to come in Shikamaru marched right passed Shizune and entered the office. He made a brief gesture for Choji to follow him, the Akimichi complied silently. Neji needed to hear directly from Tsunade what would be done about the situation, so he pried himself from Hinata's hands and moved into the office as well. Shizune didn't stop him. The rest of the team, however, waited outside.
Inside, the Hokage had risen to her feet when she saw Choji enter with Hisao. She was frowning, but her expression betrayed how shocked she truly was. She looked at the Hyuugas wounds in bewilderment. Then she turned her attention to the three shinobi, studying them intently. Her eyes stopped on Shikamaru's fists where there were still clear traces of Hisao's blood. His uniform was also splattered with dark burgundy stains. It was obvious that she understood who had fought, and that Shikamaru had done much more than just stop the man.
She stood in front of the Nara and searched his eyes firmly. Shikamaru held her gaze. His face was serious and impassive.
"What happened to the Branch House members?"
The Nara's voice came out cold and emotionless. "They are all dead. We were too late."
Tsunade pursed her lips at the news, but held her ground. She watched him silently for a few moments, perhaps expecting to see a trace of emotion in him. Neji could only see one side of Shikamaru's face, but that was more than enough. His features reflected a barely contained rage that bordered on mental imbalance. It was horrible to admit, but it was disturbing to see him like that.
After a moment, the Hokage spoke again. "What happened?"
Shikamaru briefly explained about the well where the bodies of the Branch House members lay with the Gasei Seals, how they had been captured by Hisao and the ambassador, and how the latter had run away. "The temple must contain a source of natural energy. They believe it's something divine. The ambassador thinks he's become a god."
"I didn't know you could control natural energy," the Hokage replied. Her eyes went from Shikamaru to Hisao, and briefly to Neji.
"Rajah taught me," the Nara answered. "I can't do much, but they were inexperienced, and had very little idea what they were doing."
Tsunade pondered the situation for a few seconds. "We can deal with this. We have powerful users of natural energy, including myself. Did you see any other Hyuugas?"
Shikamau shook his head. Then, without hesitation, he went straight to the point. "We have to find that temple. They must meet there. Now that it's been opened it's probably gushing huge amounts of natural energy. We can find it."
"We will," Tsunade replied with determination. Then she took one last look at Hisao. "One last question," she said, turning her eyes to Shikamaru. "Who did this to Hisao?"
A resounding silence enveloped the room. Everyone present knew the answer to that question, but something in the air said that it was a problem. Neji noticed that Choji shifted uncomfortably in his place. Finally, and without the slightest bit of regret in his voice, Shikamaru answered. "I did."
Tsunade looked at him harshly, but it was evident that she was more concerned than angry. She turned her eyes to Neji for a moment. She looked upset, and Neji could feel the pity in her glare. She felt sorry for him, and she was worried about Shikamaru.
Finally, she let out a long breath of air and nodded. She addressed Shizune: "Take him to the dungeon", she said as she crooked her head in the direction of the Main House member. "When he wakes up we will interrogate him. Tend his wounds. I want him to be healthy enough to testify. And call Hiashi. We need to find that temple, and hopefully the ambassador will be there."
After these words she turned once more to Neji. Her voice softened a bit, and she struggled to show a kind face. "Neji, I'm afraid that since you are a Branch House member you are in danger now. We will take action against the Hyuuga clan. If they decide to retaliate they can harm you easily. The best thing for you to do is seek refuge." Neji nodded. Knowing he was in such a vulnerable position irritated him, but he didn't want to cause the Hokage anymore trouble. Tsunade nodded again, and motioned for everyone to leave. "Now, the rest of you get out, I want a moment alone with the Shikamaru."
Neji took one last look at the Nara. He didn't move or show signs of being disturbed. He seemed as firm in his attitude as before. Hopefully the Godaime could make him see reason. He bowed briefly and left the office behind Choji and Shizune. The door closed behind them with an ominous click.
The rest of the team was still outside. As Choji took Hisao to the dungeon with Shizune, Neji stepped up to the group.
They all looked concerned. The horrifying image of the Branch House members lying lifeless in a hole was still fresh in their minds, but above all they were disturbed by Shikamaru's uncharacteristically vicious behavior. Neji realized that if the Hokage couldn't convince the Nara to control himself perhaps his friends could.
He quickly explained that a team was going to be sent to search for the temple.
"We're gonna catch them and make them pay for what they did!" Naruto exclaimed, clenching his fists tightly. The others agreed wholeheartedly. Neji raised his hands to calm the atmosphere a bit.
"The Hokage will take care of that. All of you must talk to Shikamaru. You have to ... help me stop him." He was basically imploring them, and didn't bother trying to hide it. "He is completely unhinged. If he continues like this, he may hurt himself or someone else." They all studied him closely. No one seemed inclined to disagree. After all, they had all seen their lifelong friend transform into a completely different person for a few moments, and they knew he was probably still in the same headspace. "You are his friends, you must help me try to make him see reason. Because I have tried on my own, and he does not listen to me." He spread his arms out to his sides, trying to express the exhaustion he felt. "I do not know what to do."
Tenten took a step toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder for comfort. Ino came closer too. She seemed the most concerned of them all.
"We'll talk to him," the blonde said, fighting back tears. Neji knew she was an emotional girl. Seeing her childhood friend torture another man so cruelly had completely shaken her.
Suddenly he felt ashamed. He was the one responsible for bringing Shikamaru's darker side to light. Had he corrupted him irrevocably and forever? He felt the need to apologize, but kept silent.
They all waited in tense silence for the Nara to leave the office.
Tsunade frowned at Shikamaru's icy expression. He seemed relaxed, but there was something under the surface. The way his jaw twitched indicated he was clenching his teeth tightly inside his mouth. The strange upright position was so opposed to his usual loose posture. His eyes seemed to vibrate almost imperceptibly within their sockets. It was not the face of the boy she knew, the infuriating but trustworthy boy she had worked with so many times. It was like he had aged several years in just a few hours. But not because he looked more mature, but because his features had lost all trace of tenderness, as if the innocence he still retained from his childhood had been extinguished, leaving only a cold man. Tsunade felt her heart clench at the image before her. She had seen many lose themselves by taking the path of blind vengeance. She had been about to do it herself. An intervention was necessary.
"What's going on with you?" she asked. Shikamaru didn't seem uncomfortable or regretful, just slightly anxious. Tsunade saw him direct his gaze to the clock on her desk. Clearly this conversation seemed like a waste of time for him and he couldn't wait to finish it and continue with the mission. If he still considered it just a mission.
"Can you be more specific?" was his reply. His eyes kept vibrating strangely.
Tsunade felt like she was going to explode, but tried to control herself. Still, her voice came out harsh. "Sure, I'll be more specific. You look like a maniac. I've never seen you like this."
Shikamaru watched her without losing his cool. "I'm doing my job."
It was not a challenging attitude, but it did show that he was not interested in sharing what he really felt. "Don't give me that. You don't face work like this. I know it because I have asked you for more seriousness for years. But this is different. You are getting too involved."
That seemed to get a reaction from Shikamaru. He frowned slightly, as if he didn't agree at all with what the Hokage had just said. "I don't know what you mean, but we really don't have time for this," he replied. "We have to look for the temp..."
Tsunade didn't let him finish. She took a step toward him to be face to face, and cut him off shortly: "Listen. I've told you this before, but you seem to have forgotten. So I'm going to repeat it to you: Neji is property of the Main House."
That did make an impact. Shikamaru looked at her in sudden bewilderment, and for a few seconds he looked like the boy Tsunade remembered. She seized the moment and kept talking. "I know it's horrible and unfair, but you can't change it. I need to know that you get it."
For a long moment there was nothing but silence. Shikamaru was looking up at her, but Tsunade soon realized that he wasn't seeing her. His mind was elsewhere. Slowly his eyes focused on her again, and his face returned to its previous cold, ruthless mood.
"Of course I understand," he replied. But it was evident that he had returned to his former state. Nothing Tsunade said mattered to him. He would act as he wanted.
"Then calm yourself," she demanded roughly.
Shikamaru remained the same. "I'm calm."
His face was once again that of a madman. Tsunade felt a chill run down her spine. She took another step toward him, ready to make one last try. "This has become too personal for you. If you don't control yourself, I'll have to withdraw you from the mission. And believe me when I say, I will."
Shikamaru's chest puffed out as if he was gathering air to yell at her. His face flushed with rage at the prospect of being removed from the mission. But in a few seconds he regained control of himself. He feigned calm, and nodded. "Noted."
Tsunade exhaled in resignation. There was no changing his mind. He had decided what he had to do, and nothing she said was going to change that. With a wave of her hand, she ordered him to leave. They had to prepare the expedition to search for the temple. Her eyes would be on him at all times.
Shikamaru left the Hokage's office. He had wasted too much time on that unnecessary conversation. He couldn't believe the disregard the Hokage seemed to have for Neji. He needed to get him to the Nara Forest as soon as possible so he could get back and start the search for the temple. He was so close to ending the hell that those monks and the Hyuuga clan had caused. The only thing on his mind now were the details of the mission that lay ahead. He approached the rest of the team still waiting in the corridor. He passed in front of them so fast that he didn't even notice their concerned faces. He only gave Neji a brief glance.
"Come on, we have to get you to the forest," he said to the Hyuuga. He expected the others to follow, but a shy, trembling voice called out to him softly.
"Wait." It was Ino. Shikamaru didn't turn to look at her. "We need to talk to you..."
More talking? Doesn't anyone understand that we have to hurry? he thought. "Not a good time. I have to take Neji to the forest." He tried to keep walking, but someone took him gently by the wrist, finally forcing him to stop. When he turned he was met by Naruto's stricken face. Everyone else was watching him the same way, even Neji.
"Dude, you need to calm down," the Uzumaki said, though he released his wrist.
"I don't, what I need to do is continue my work," Shikamaru replied harshly. He was losing patience.
Kiba took a step forward. He had put an arm around Ino's shoulders, and she was watching Shikamaru fearfully. "You're losing your mind, bro. And we are worried."
"We are scared to see you like this," Ino added. "We just want to know that you're okay."
More stupid things. He had tolerated it from the Hokage because she had the authority to remove him from the mission, but this was too much. "I'm fine," he assured in an exasperated tone that he didn't bother to hide. "I just can't waste time on silly talk now. I have to get Neji to safety and find that damn temple!" Hoping that would end the conversation, he reached out to take Neji by the wrist and lead him away once and for all. After the way those two Main House members had watched him before entering the Hokage Mansion, every second outside the protection of the forest was dangerous for him. He tugged at Neji, who at first offered no resistance, but again something stopped them. Shikamaru turned once more and saw Hinata clutching her cousin's other arm.
"I'll go with you Neji-kun!", she exclaimed. Her eyes were glassy, like she was about to cry.
Neji let go of Shikamaru gently and put a hand on his cousin's shoulder. "I will be fine," he said tenderly. "You must go home to Hanabi and get her somewhere safe. Uncle Hiashi will be summoned by the Hokage, and she will be alone. It might be dangerous for her." Then he glanced at the rest of the team. "I would appreciate it if you go with her. If the Main House finds her alone they could attack her."
"Sure, we'll protect them!" Naruto exclaimed with conviction.
"Great, then we can go now," Shikamaru said with marked annoyance. He took Neji by the arm again and dragged him down the hall, determined to ignore anyone who tried to stop him. Thankfully, this time no one did.
They left the Hokage mansion without looking back. The morning had given way to a clear, hot day, and the bright sun illuminated every corner. It didn't seem like a scenario where a battle could occur, but Shikamaru knew that under the circumstances, a confrontation could break out at any moment. The Hyuuga clan would not sit idle about Hisao's defeat for long.
They were still halfway through the Nara forest when Neji stopped, forcing Shikamaru to do the same. "We have to talk," he said. The Nara didn't even notice the strange tone of concern in his voice.
"Couldn't we talk in the Forest?" he replied, making his impatience clear.
Neji shook his head. "As soon as we get to the forest you will leave again, and I need to tell you this." Realizing that it would be better to listen to him and get over with it quickly, Shikamaru nodded, though his harsh expression didn't change. "Your friends are right. You are out of control. You need to stop."
Shikamaru felt like he was about to burst. He was already fed up with this shit. "You too?" he asked, frowning deeply. "I'm trying to protect you."
"But at what cost?" Neji replied. "I hardly recognize you anymore. How much of yourself are you willing to lose just to protect me, even though you may not be able to protect me no matter what you do?"
"Of course I can do it!" Shikamaru exclaimed irritably. "I've been doing it for years, and I will continue, regardless of the consequences!"
Those words didn't seem to reassure Neji, but quite the contrary. He shook his head, shocked at the Nara's reaction. "And what would the ultimate consequences be? You will end up killing someone. I don't want to be responsible for you becoming a murderer."
Shikamaru opened his mouth to reply. He was about to say that there was nothing in the world that could make him give up, when he detected a group of people approaching them from behind Neji. They were Main House Hyuugas, maybe a dozen of them.
Seeing his expression, Neji turned around. He gasped as he saw the menacing faces of the Hyuugas approaching dangerously. They had come to avenge Hisao. That had not taken long. They had probably been waiting for Neji to come out of the Hokage mansion to confront him. Shikamaru knew he had to get him out of there and into the Nara forest right away.
"Run," he ordered Neji, as he placed himself between him and the group of Hyuugas who were grinning wickedly. "Run to the forest, now!"
But Neji could not move. Unconsciously he had raised a hand to his forehead, where his Hitai-ate covered the Cursed Seal. He knew it would be activated at any moment. He shook his head again, as if running couldn't save him from the oncoming fate.
"What are you waiting for?! Run!" Shikamaru ordered again, but Neji didn't move. The Hyuugas were already close enough to hear him. They began to laugh at his words.
"Running won't do him any good," said one of them. "He can't escape the Cursed Seal."
As if illustrating his words, another Hyuuga began to form a series of seals with his hands, while reciting the words for the curse. Shikamaru knew it wouldn't work thanks to the mandatory contact seal he had placed on Neji several years ago. But once they realized they would do everything possible to catch him. They couldn't waste time.
Neji was still frozen. He was waiting to feel the pain on his forehead that would lead him to death, and fear prevented him from moving. Knowing that time was running out and that they were still far away from the Nara Forest, Shikamaru took him by the arm and started running with him in the opposite direction from the Hyuugas. More laughter came from the men, who found this escape attempt ridiculous. Shikamaru wasn't going to stay there until they figured out the trick.
It didn't take them long to realize that something was wrong. "What the hell is happening?!" One of them yelled. "The seal isn't working!" Said another. "How is this possible?!"
Shikamaru kept running. He supposed Neji must be just as confused as the rest of the Hyuugas, but he couldn't stop to explain now. If they activated their Byakugans they would see the seal he had placed on Neji, and that would trigger even more trouble. He decided to take another path towards the Nara forest, thinking that perhaps he could gain some ground, but as he turned around a corner an intense pain struck him in the middle of his stomach. He fell to his knees on the ground, unable to see who had hit him. All the air in his lungs seemed to have disappeared, but he could only think that he had let go of Neji's hand as he fell. He made an effort to lift his head, and found another group of Main House Hyuugas glaring at him. They had been intercepted, and what had hit him in the stomach was undoubtedly the powerful touch of the Gentle Fist. They all had their Byakugans activated, so they had already discovered the mandatory contact seal.
He heard Neji shout behind him and turned to look over his shoulder, though he couldn't get up. What he saw chilled his blood. Several Hyuugas held Neji tightly as he tried to get away. Shikamaru leapt towards them to help but powerful hands stopped him, gripping him strongly, and he received another blow to the stomach that left him gasping for air again.
"How dare you try to block the Cursed Seal?" one of the Hyuugas accused hatefully. "The Branched belong to us!"
Shikamaru tried to break free, but it was useless. There were too many of them. He needed to find a way to stop them. His brain was working at full speed, but there seemed to be no way out. He only had a small amount of chakra left, and no natural energy, because he had used all of it in the confrontation with Hisao and had not had time to accumulate more. There wasn't much he could do with that. Desperation was taking hold of him. In horror, he saw a Main House member approach Neji with a sadistic smile. With a single movement he plucked the Hitai-ate from the boy's forehead and threw it to the ground.
"We will show you that you can't escape your fate," said the Hyuuga in front of Neji. He placed a hand on the boy's forehead, who was still struggling uselessly to free himself. With his other hand he formed the seals of the Cursed Seal, and began to speak the words that activated the spell.
They were going to kill him. After all of Shikamaru's attempts to keep him safe, they were going to kill him anyway. He fought with all his might to break free from the Hyuugas, so much so that it took five of them to keep him subdued. A glow lit up on Neji's forehead, immediately below his torturer's hand. Instantly the boy started screaming in pain. The smell of burning flesh reached Shikamaru, and he watched in horror as thick threads of blood began to trickle down Neji's face. Before long there would be nothing left but a huge hole in the center of his head, just like the one he'd seen on the corpse of Hiro and the other Branch House members.
Driven by desperation, Shikamaru tried to join his hands to form a seal. Even if he didn't have any plan, he had to try anything to save Neji. Using all his strength he managed to join his hands and formed the seals for the Kage Nui. A black ribbon formed under his feet and it crept forward. Neji's screams were increasing second by second, and they were so piercing that it was incomprehensible that no one came to help them. They weren't that far from the Hokage mansion. The Hyuugas pulled on Shikamaru's arms to undo the seal he had formed, but he managed to hold it. The shadow tentacle crawled up the man who was applying the Cursed Seal and became entangled in him, trying to separate him from Neji, but he didn't have enough chakra to do it and the Hyuuga resisted easily. Realizing that that wouldn't work, Shikamaru directed the tentacle towards the man's neck. Maybe he could knock him out of air. He tried, but realized right away that it would take too much time. Neji would be dead long before. Then, without pausing for a second to think about it, he directed the tentacle towards the Hyuuga's head and squeezed hard, thinking that if he applied the necessary pressure in the right area, he might knock him unconscious. It didn't make much sense, but he wasn't thinking clearly, and he had to try something. Neji's screams made him lose control. He focused all his strength on the shadow tentacle. Suddenly, a dry sound, similar to a branch breaking, emerged from the man's neck. It had curved in an unnatural way. In that instant the glow of the Cursed Seal faded. All the Hyuugas looked at each other.
Neji's screams finally stopped, so Shikamaru loosened the tension on his tentacle. As he did so, the head of the Hyuuga he had been holding fell strangely to one side. An instant later the entire body of the man collapsed to the ground with a thud.
He was dead.
Shikamaru stared at the inert Hyuuga at his feet, already oblivious to the hands of the others who were still holding him. They weren't struggling either. Everyone was stunned. He had killed a Hyuuga from the Main House. He felt his stomach turn. He had murdered a Konoha shinobi. A person who probably had a family, perhaps a wife and even children. And he would have to live with that guilt for the rest of his life.
He felt vertigo and closed his eyes. But then he remembered Neji and opened them again. The boy was sitting on the ground, his face streaked with rivers of blood that had flowed from his forehead. The Hyuugas had released him, dropping him without further ado. He was conscious, looking at the man lying dead on the ground with wide eyes. He looked shocked, but okay. The Cursed Seal hadn't gone very deep. However, there was a lot of bleeding. Neji's entire face was covered in blood.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" The Hokage's voice cracked the air. She was approaching them from somewhere.
The Hyuugas holding Shikamaru released him. The Nara looked at them. Several of them pointed at him and bared their teeth, whispering threats. "You're going to pay for this…"
Tsunade arrived where they were accompanied by Shizune and Hiashi. The first thing she saw was the man lying on the ground. It took her only a few seconds to understand that he was dead.
"Who killed this man?" she asked. She glanced around everyone present, but apparently she couldn't see Neji.
All the Hyuugas pointed at Shikamaru and started screaming.
"This insolent child!" "He's a murderer!" "He killed Hado!" "He killed a Hyuuga!"
Tsunade looked at him wide-eyed. Shikamaru expected an avalanche of reproaches to fall upon him, but instead the Hokage's expression was one of pure sadness. The effect was far worse.
"You?" she asked. Her voice cracked a little. Shikamaru realized he had hurt her, and he felt shaken again. He had screwed up. He had screwed up horribly. The Hokage regained a bit of her firmness. She was in front of a huge group of Hyuugas and she couldn't afford to be sentimental. She frowned. "Why?"
Shikamaru felt his entire body tremble. Now the consequences would come. What had he told Neji just a few minutes ago? That he would continue to protect him regardless of the consequences. Well, here they were. He had killed a person. He had committed a crime. Now he would go to jail, and his whole plan would fall into oblivion. The worst part was that Neji would remain at the mercy of the Main House. Everything had been for nothing. He looked at the Hokage and shook his head, still too overwhelmed.
"He was trying to kill Neji."
It was the only thing he could say. And it was the truth. Hearing this, Tsunade widened her eyes and looked around for Neji. She saw him behind some Hyuugas, who immediately pulled away, though only a little.
"NEJI!" Hiashi ran towards his nephew. This time the Hyuugas did move away. They all backed away from the head of the clan, and Shikamaru understood how strong Hiashi must be. The others outnumbered Hiashi by a wide margin, but still they preferred to avoid confronting him.
Hiashi reached Neji and wrapped his arms around him to help him up. He cleaned some of the blood from his face with his hand and looked into his eyes to check his condition.
"I am okay..." Neji whispered weakly.
"This bastard killed a Hyuuga!" one of the men said suddenly. "And he wants to prevail over the Cursed Seal. No one can come between the Main House member and the Branched. Neither the Hokage nor the Council have power over this!"
One of them pointed at Hiashi threateningly. "You know we have rights over him!" Others joined. "He belongs to us!" "Not even you could fight against all of us!"
Tsunade stepped forward and spread her arms to make them shut up. "SILENCE! At this moment the Hyuuga clan is under investigation, due to certain facts that have recently been revealed, and all their rights have been temporarily revoked."
"What?" "Ridiculous!" "We demand to speak to the Council!"
"Regardless of what the Council says, my word will prevail," the Hokage continued. "And in any case, due to the seriousness of the events to which I refer, I think they will agree with me. I must inform you that all members of the Hyuuga clan will be interrogated to find out if they were Hisao's accomplices."
The men did not protest this time. They looked at each other, biting their lips in anger. One of them spoke again. "Well go ahead, but remember this child has committed murder." He pointed an accusing finger at Shikamaru. "He killed a person from Konoha, a shinobi, a member of the Hyuuga clan. He must go to prison and receive life imprisonment as the minimum penalty. "
Tsunade looked at the man seriously and after a moment she nodded. "He will be arrested and brought to justice following the protocol for the occasion until sentencing." She then turned to Shizune and made a gesture with her head towards Shikamaru. "Lock him up."
The Nara felt his entire world shatter like a crystal sphere and scatter across the ground into thousands of useless fragments. Shizune looked at him with pity. She approached slowly, hoping that he wouldn't resist the arrest. Of course he wouldn't. Shikamaru lowered his head and walked towards her. He followed her obediently, like a person who accepts that he is guilty. Behind him he left the Hokage, Neji, the Hyuugas, and his entire plan. His stupid plan that had taken him years, and that he had just ruined compleatly in a matter of seconds.
Neji watched Shikamaru walk away with his head bowed. His fists were clenched and his eyes were closed tightly. He had killed a man for him. He had earned a life in prison to save him. He had literally thrown his whole life away. Neji felt the weight of a gigantic guilt dragging him down, and he almost lost his balance. The deep grooves left by the Cursed Seal still ached on his forehead. The smell of charred meat lingered in the air. He staggered, but Hiashi held him up again.
He looked down and saw once more the body of the man still lying on the ground. Kami, he thought. Kami, Shikamaru, what have you done? You should have let me die.
He heard voices arguing heatedly. The Members of the Main House were demanding Tsunade for justice. The woman faced them unshakable.
She turned to Hiashi. "Take Neji away from here. I have to take care of this."
The man cast a look of contempt at the other members of his clan. He had an arm around Neji's shoulder protectively. They had been about to kill him, and he made it clear with his expression that it was not in their best interest to try again.
Maybe it was just because of the pain he still felt due to the Cursed Seal and the intense discomfort that was spreading through his body, but Neji found his attitude touching. Hiashi had loved his brother, and was now defending his brother's son as his own. He had lost his parents, but at least his uncle was a good man. And that was not common among Hyuugas.
Hiashi started walking, keeping Neji tightly held so he could keep up with him. At times he passed from consciousness to unconsciousness, but magically managed to put one foot in front of the other. It was several minutes before he realized that he didn't know where they were going. He asked his uncle with a weak voice.
"To the Nara forest." He didn't even hesitate. Neji was surprised. "They can't see you there, can they? That's why he always has you there." His face changed. Now that he should no longer look strong in front of the Hyuugas, his factions reflected what he really felt. He was upset, confused, and shocked. "That boy… what he did, I… I can't believe it. But you are alive. If your father were here, he would only feel relief."
Neji didn't know what to say. He hadn't fully digested it yet either. A severe headache made him close his eyes. His uncle didn't miss it, and he quickened his pace.
"I have never been in the Nara forest," he said. "Where should I take you? To Shikaku's house?" He said it with a frown. Neji remembered that he didn't like Shikamaru's father at all.
"No. I will guide you."
He showed his uncle the way to Shikamaru's house. They crossed the tree line and stepped into the Nara forest. He immediately felt better. It was probably only in his mind, but as soon as he stepped over the threshold from the outside world, he felt the embrace of that place: the scents, the softness of the wet earth, the throbbing vegetation, the murmur of the animals. Everything surrounded him and welcomed him with affection, as if it were his own home.
They reached the shelter in the center of the clearing that Neji knew so well. He searched the surroundings but there was no sign of Suimin, Shikamaru's deer. They went to the door and entered together.
They had only taken a few steps inside when a shaking voice called from a corner.
"Shikamaru? Is that you?"
It was a woman, without a doubt. But she sounded young. Almost like a child. Neji and Hiashi looked for her. She was curled up on the tatami, with a little boy under ten trembling in her arms.
"Neji?" the girl asked when she saw him. At that moment Neji realized who she was.
"Hanae?"
He had never expected to find her there. She was a girl from his clan, a member of the Main House. She had a little brother in the Branch House whom she loved very much. She was one of the few good people on that side of the family.
His uncle helped him inside, while Hanae stood up. Her brother was still huddled against her. They seemed to get a little scared upon seeing Hiashi.
"It's okay," the man told them gently. He helped Neji sit on the cushions.
Hanae watched the blood on Neji's face in fear. "So, you are Shikamaru's friend?" she asked shyly.
Neji gaped at her. "What?" Since when did these children know Shikamaru? And why? He shook his head. That day was getting stranger and stranger. "Hanae, what are you doing here?"
The girl hesitated for a few moments, but tried to stay serious. She was a strong little woman. She began to explain to them how Shikamaru had approached them some time ago. Neji and Hiashi exchanged a look. What other things had the Nara been doing behind his back? There were too many hidden details coming to light. Did he have a plan? And what exactly was he trying to achieve? Neji had asked him so many times to stay out of it and not mess with the Main House that he had lost count. But Shikamaru didn't care about warnings or danger. He was only interested in one thing: protecting Neji. Hiashi explained to the siblings what had just happened.
"He'll be okay, right?" Hanae asked with concern, referring to Shikamaru.
Neji didn't know how to answer that question. He felt dizzy. The open scar on his forehead throbbed painfully, and his entire body tingled. He had a fever. Hiashi noticed that his condition was getting worse. He disappeared for a few seconds and returned with a wet cloth, with which he wiped the blood from Neji's face and forehead.
"You should lie down and rest," he said tenderly. "I'll let you know when there's news from the Hokage."
He didn't feel able to rest knowing that Shikamaru was locked in a cell, and that perhaps he would spend the rest of his life there. But he didn't have the strength to stay awake, nor could he do anything for him at the moment. His uncle and Hanae helped him get to Shikamaru's room, and Neji lay back on the bed they had both shared. No matter how bad he felt, he couldn't sleep. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at himself in the mirror that hung on the wall. The Cursed Seal was no longer in its usual pale green color. Now it was made up of open grooves in his skin. At least it wasn't bleeding anymore. It would heal with time, as it had happened many times in the past. When the scab healed, the original mark would still be there.
That reminded Neji of the seal the Hyuugas were talking about. He activated his Byakugan and studied his reflection in the mirror once more. On his forehead was another mark, one he had never seen before. That thing prevented members of the Main House from being able to use the Cursed Seal without touching him. When the hell had Shikamaru put that on him? Days ago? Months? Years? He had no idea. In any case it had saved his life, but it had taken another. Shikamaru had murdered a member of his clan, the most sadistic and corrupt clan history had ever known. He was going to be condemned. And he had done it for Neji. Against all expectations, he had made it out alive. But the price to pay was too high.
The image of that seal created too many mixed feelings inside his chest. He looked away from the mirror and fixed it on the closet that was built into the wall next to the bed. He was about to deactivate his Byakugan when he realized he shouldn't be able to use it inside the Nara forest. It had never worked before. Why was he able to use it now? He didn't understand. He knew that the forest had a kind of consciousness of its own, as if it was a living entity. Was it possible that it wanted Neji to see the mark?
Everything was too confusing. He had decided to go back to bed when something in the closet caught his eye. It seemed full of curious shapes that he couldn't clearly discern. Neji had looked inside it before and knew that there were only clothes and sheets for the bed in there. What were those strange things then? He deactivated his Byakugan. Then he struggled to his feet and slid the door open. In the daylight still coming through the window, he was stunned. There were a number of strange objects scattered throughout the small space: garden tools, toys, books, shoes, hats, cups. They weren't really strange, actually, they were pretty regular objects. But they shared a peculiar characteristic. All were varnished with white paint. What the hell was that? Some kind of artistic collection, or a crazy experiment?
He brought his hand up, thinking about the seal Shikamaru had put on him again. He had done it without his consent, but had managed to give him a second chance. Did it have something to do with the things in that closet? It was all too strange. Neji leaned back again, wishing he could talk to Shikamaru to ask him what was going on. He pictured him sitting in a dungeon cell at the Hokage mansion, and his eyes started aching with tears.
Shikamaru had his eyes fixed on the ground. He was sitting on the edge of a cold, stiff bed inside a cell in the Konoha dungeons. A couple of cells to his right lay Hisao's still unconscious body, but Shikamaru hardly noticed him. He felt miserable, as if instead of life imprisonment they were about to sentence him to death. He clenched his fists and bit his lip in frustration. Idiot. You're an idiot, he told himself. How could you be so stupid? The plan is over, and Neji is still in danger. You have achieved nothing. Everything was a failure. And you murdered a man! A horrible man, but that doesn't matter. Now you're a criminal, and all your investigation and your damn strategy are screwed up. He closed his eyes. He could never have imagined that turn of events. Now he was trapped, and not even the Hokage could help him.
He heard the echo of footsteps coming down the corridor. He didn't feel capable of facing anyone, so he didn't move or open his eyes. The footsteps stopped in front of his cell, and a familiar, anguished voice screamed at seeing him.
"Kami, my baby!"
His heart skipped a beat. He opened his eyes and raised his head. His mother watched him from behind the bars, her eyes filled with tears. Behind him was his father, with the same hard, expressionless face as ever. Shizune had escorted them there. She opened the cell door so they could enter, and took a few steps away to give them privacy.
Yoshino rushed in and approached her son. She sat down next to him and held him tightly. Shikamaru felt her tears wetting his cheek. He saw his father over her shoulder, but he was still standing in the corridor, looking at him almost without interest. Shikamaru hadn't seen him in months, and judging by his sullen expression, he must have been going through one of his sober periods. When he reached a point where his drunkenness became unsustainable, a fight broke out between his parents that led to the silly promise that he would stay sober. Sometimes it lasted only a few weeks, sometimes it lasted for several months, but it never lasted forever. Shikamaru almost preferred him drunk. When he was sober he was even more cruel and heartless.
Yoshino pulled away from him to look at his face. She was holding her son by the shoulders, and her hands were shaking. The pain of having hurt and disappointed his mother pierced Shikamaru's heart. He felt his eyes fill up with tears.
"Son, please, tell me what happened", she implored sadly.
Her eyes full of concern and sorrow finished knocking him down. He collapsed onto his mother's lap and began to cry uncontrollably.
"I blew it Mom," he sobbed. Intense spasms shook his entire body. "I was so close, and I blew it..." He couldn't continue speaking.
"What are you talking about?" his mother asked as she stroked his back and head affectionately. "What did you blow? I don't understand."
How to explain everything he had done? It would only horrify her more. He hugged her legs and kept crying.
New footsteps echoed down the corridor. Shikamaru sat up a bit, and saw the Hokage watching him sadly. For some reason Naruto was coming with her. He looked at his friend with concern. Shikamaru wiped his tears with the back of his hand as Tsunade approached them.
"The trial will be tomorrow," she said in a slightly shaky voice. She seemed not to want to utter those words. "I can't do anything now, Shikamaru. The justice of Konoha is clear in these cases."
He could almost feel a pair of heavy shackles closing around his ankles. He was finished. He sniffed to calm his sobs. "What will happen with the ambassador? And the temple?"
His question seemed to cheer Tsunade up a bit for changing the topic of the conversation. "We have already located the temple. It wasn't hard. It's radiating enormous amounts of natural energy. A team is on it's way there right now. But you will stay here."
Shikamaru jumped to his feet. For a moment he forgot the crime he had committed, and for which he was locked up. "But I solved the riddle! All of them! I did the research! You can't keep me out of it!" His mother came to stand beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, but Shikamaru barely felt it.
Tsunade looked at him sympathetically, but firmly. "I'm sorry, Shikamaru, but even if I wanted to, I can't authorize you to leave here. You must remain in the cell until the time of the trial."
He felt drawn down. He would have preferred to be dead than to be removed from the mission. Naruto stepped forward and showed him a determined fist. "Don't worry, buddy, I'll catch them for you."
Shikamaru looked at him puzzled. "You?"
Tsunade nodded and smiled briefly. "Apparently I'm not the only one here who can control natural energy. Naruto seems to have been born for it. Jiraiya will teach him what he needs to know, and together they will defeat the ambassador."
"Count on me!" Naruto exclaimed. "We'll take him down!"
There was nothing he could do. Shikamaru sank back onto the hard bed. All his strength was gone. He was left alone with his parents once more. His mother looked at him with her hands on her chest, as if the image of her son in that state was burning her heart. She looked at her husband desperately searching for help.
"Please, tell him something," she begged.
Shikaku looked at his son without the slightest change in his expression. When he spoke, his voice was as cold as ever. "It doesn't really matter what happens at the trial. The important thing is how you deal with the feeling of guilt for killing a shinobi from Konoha. That is the true sentence."
Yoshino watched him in horror. "Shikaku!" she reproached him, but the man remained unmoved. She sat down next to her son again and wrapped a protective arm around his shoulders. "Everything will be fine. Things will work out somehow, don't worry."
But those words couldn't erase the horrible effect his father's had caused. It was terrible, but he was right. Besides having messed up his plan, and in addition to having abandoned Neji at the mercy of the Hyuugas, he was going to carry the weight of what he had done forever.
We are back!
Sorry for the long wait. I hope you haven't forgotten this story yet.
I thank my dear editor Miranda Z who did a great job. I am very happy that she is collaborating with me again and that she is feeling better.
I hope you like this chapter, I will start working on the next one very soon!