Chapter Ten
A/N: This chapter has gone through minimal revisions, as it has been brought to my attention that the old Kazekage is dead.
Life in Konoha continued on as normal without Hyuuga Neji, which probably would've pissed him off to no end had he known. Tsunade made it clear that the Chuunin exam would be on schedule, despite their disappearances. They'd already been gone for over a week and the Hunter-nin chasing them had sent back reports that said they'd only had brief glimpses of the two and had lost their trail several miles away from the Wind Country.
She had ordered them to keep an eye on the two children and to report back to her as soon as they were located, but warned them not to confront them.
Preparations for the exam were in full swing when Neji and TenTen finally stumbled into Sand Village.
The people noticed them almost immediately, drawn by their Leaf village forehead protectors and Neji's black blindfold. Instead of challenging them, the civilians seemed content to whisper behind their hands.
"Would you look at them? I don't believe they have the balls to just waltz in here like they run the place."
"Kids these days have no sense of propriety whatsoever. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if their Hokage sent them here to assassinate our Kazekage."
"Don't be stupid. Our ninjas are way better than Konoha's. We'd beat those two children in no time."
"The boy carries himself well though. Even if he isn't strong I'd still believe that he is."
"I know what you mean."
Two teenage girls walked past the pair. "Hmm, he's cute. Too bad he's wearing that stupid blindfold and you can't see his eyes."
"Watch your mouth. She's probably his girlfriend."
"Come on, I doubt someone like him would be interested in her."
A tall, muscular, dark-skinned ninja stepped out in front of the two genin. "Where the hell do you two think you're going?"
"We need to see the Kazekage." TenTen replied.
"You got diplomatic passes?" The man questioned.
"No."
"Is that so?" He smiled at them.
"Why would we lie about something that stupid?" Neji remarked.
"Maybe you're as dumb as you look." He grabbed each of them by an elbow. "Come with me." He dragged them through the streets, with the onlookers cheering as they noticed their forehead protectors. He stopped in front of a small, run-down building. "You'll stay here until I come back. The best hotel in all of Sand Village." He opened the front door and dragged them inside. He smiled at the man at the front desk. "Congratulations Kentaro, you've got two new guests."
The man seemed to be in on the joke. "Then why don't I get their accommodations ready Ippei?" He opened a cell. "Welcome to your new home."
Ippei tossed Neji into the cell headfirst, dumping TenTen on top of him.
The clerk closed the bars behind them. "Where did you find these two morons?"
"Not far from the entrance to the village. These two say they want to see the Kazekage, but they don't have passes."
"Not smart, are they?"
"Nope." He leered at them. "Give me your names kids. If you're lucky, maybe the Kazekage won't want to keep you here for the rest of your lives."
"I told you this was a dumb idea." Neji hissed.
"Shut up." TenTen glared at him and then returned her focus to the older ninja. "I'm TenTen and this is my friend Hyuuga Neji."
"Gotcha." He left the jail.
"Wanna get the hell off of me?" Neji pushed at her arms.
She rolled her eyes and climbed off the boy. "Whatever." She sat next to him. "Think he'll want to talk to us?"
"Me maybe, but not you."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"He has no idea who you are. At least he saw me fight."
"And you lost to Naruto. That's really gonna get us in."
"I didn't lose to his daughter."
"Shut up Neji. You've been negative ever since we left Konoha."
Kentaro smirked at them. "He's your boyfriend?"
TenTen folded her arms across her chest and glowered at the man from under her eyelids. "No."
"And he's never going to be." Neji added.
"Way to go talking about yourself in the third person."
"Is there any particular reason why the two of you are so far away from home?"
"Doesn't matter." Neji replied. "We're here now."
"That kind of attitude won't get you within two hundred meters of our Kazekage."
"We don't have to be polite to a jail warden." TenTen muttered.
Kentaro put his feet up on the desk and leaned back. "Brats."
"Dick." TenTen countered.
Neji leaned back against the wall. "You're not helping."
"He's being a jerk."
"We're prisoners. That's his job. I told you we shouldn't have come here."
"Would you stop bringing that up?"
He stopped talking and rolled over onto his side. "Just keep quiet and wait."
TenTen rolled her eyes and sat next to him. "How long do you think he's going to take?"
"As long as he needs."
"I don't believe we came this far just to get thrown in jail. If I knew we were going to end up here I'd have stayed in Konoha."
Kentaro took his feet down from off the desk. "What exactly are you two running from?"
"Someone tried to kill him and nearly succeeded."
"That's no reason to flee your village. Assassination attempts happen all the time."
"His own family members tried to kill him and mine are trying to kill me. I just don't want to be in that situation anymore."
"What about you kid? Why are you here?"
"She dragged me this far, now I have to stay."
"What do you two think you'll find here?"
"Asylum."
Kentaro snorted. "There's no asylum here. The only way the Kazekage would accept you two is if he could completely place his trust in you and you were strong ninjas."
Ippei reentered the jail, a subdued look on his face. "Your name did the trick kid. The Kazekage wants to see you right away." He opened the cell.
~~~
"It's good to see you little Hyuuga." The Kazekage smiled at him. His smile was far from heartwarming, instead, it was filled with enough malice to make one's heart stop beating. Luckily for Neji, he had no way of seeing the man's expression.
However, Neji hated the Kazekage even if he wasn't the same man as before. "Why did you summon us?"
"Why have you come to my village?"
TenTen stepped forward. "We wish to request asylum."
"Only criminals need asylum and Sand Village has no need for criminals."
"But we are strong ninjas and we can be very useful to you." TenTen protested.
"You're genin, aren't you? You failed the last Chuunin exam."
"So did your ninjas." Neji replied.
"Their purpose in your village was not to become Chuunin."
"We know why they were there Kazekage, and we know that your village does not like Konoha." TenTen sighed. "And we hate Konoha as well. I don't see why the two of us can't become a valuable asset to you."
Kazekage flashed another intimidating smile. "I don't see why not either."
"Does that mean you'll help us?" TenTen questioned.
"Oh wait, I remember why. Did you think you could fool me? This boy is not wearing a blindfold for fashion. He's blind. What's the value of having a Hyuuga working for me if he can't even use Byakugan?"
"That's because he has something better than Byakugan."
Kazekage appeared slightly interested. "I'd like to see that." He motioned to the man who'd brought them in. "Ippei, do you think you can handle the boy?"
"It would not be a problem." He cracked his knuckles and stood in front of Neji.
The boy knew he was at a terrible disadvantage. From Ippei's grip on his shoulders earlier, he could guess that the man was strong, but he had no way of knowing what kind of weapon he used.
Ippei waved a hand in front of the boy's eyes. "You'll regret coming here."
"I already do." Neji replied.
"Is the boy yours?" Kazekage asked TenTen.
"No."
"Well, I suppose my advice means nothing then."
"What were you going to say?"
"I was going to tell you to find a new boyfriend." He tilted his head towards Ippei, who was now circling Neji. "He may not look like much, but he's one of our best Chuunin."
Ippei had no intention of going easy on the much younger boy. He seized and capitalized on any opportunity he had to impress the new Kazekage, and this was the chance to rise higher in the man's eyes. His fighting style was simple, and didn't involve much calculation or planning, but he was able to overcome every opponent he'd ever faced. His weapons were his two fists and two feet. He leapt up into the air.
Neji smiled. It was a smart enough tactic. He couldn't hear him moving if he wasn't on the ground. But Ippei was underestimating him. He'd have to thank Gai later for his special training. His hand inched into his pouch and he slipped a finger through the hole of a throwing kunai. Just a little more and he'd have Ippei.
Ippei smirked at the blind boy. 'He thinks he'll be able to throw that kunai at me? I'll show him.' Ippei vanished.
Neji tilted his head in the air, confused. Where had the ninja disappeared to? His senses all seemed to be screaming at him. If he didn't find Ippei soon he'd be in a world of pain.
"Too late boy."
Behind? Neji leapt forward to avoid the impending attack, but Ippei still managed to grasp him by the ankle.
Ippei seized Neji's other ankle and rose into the air with the boy.
TenTen gasped as she realized what the man was about to do. "NEJI!" She began to run towards the fight, but the Kazekage's guards stopped her. "You cannot interfere with a fight between men."
Her eyes flashed in anger, but she said nothing, only watched as Ippei hurtled toward the ground with blazing speed.
Neji wasn't sure what the man was planning, but he could tell that the ground was coming up at him with unbelievable force. He had to get free of his grasp. He lifted his hand up higher, aimed the kunai in the direction he thought his opponent should be in and let it fly.
Ippei saw the kunai coming, but there wasn't any way for him to dodge it without letting go of Neji, and that was the last thing he planned on doing. He grimaced as it passed through skin and embedded itself in his shoulder.
Neji heard the slight grunt of pain and knew his attack had connected.
Now was the time to release Neji. Ippei slammed the boy onto the ground full force and then flipped over his head and landed cleanly with both feet planted on the kid's stomach.
Neji's body jerked forward involuntarily and blood spurted from his mouth.
TenTen's eyes widened. "NEJI!"
He struggled to climb to his feet. "Don't worry TenTen. I'm okay." He wiped some blood off his chin with the back of his left hand. "You're going to learn that I'm not so easily defeated Ippei."
"I'm not dumb enough to underestimate you." Ippei put his hands together for a seal. "Poor boy, you came all the way to Sand Village just to die."
Unsure of what was happening, Neji stuck his hand into his pouch again, withdrawing four shuriken. "This village may be where I die, but if I have to, I'd prefer to die at the hands of your best ninja, not a worthless suck-up."
"Shut up!" Ippei growled. "Deadly Wind Blades!" A chilling breeze swept into the room, causing TenTen to rub her bare shoulders just to keep warm.
Neji stood perfectly still. The attack was about to begin, and he wouldn't be caught off guard this time. His ears picked up a faint whizzing sound and then he felt an intense pain in his shoulder. He concentrated harder. He'd been cut with something, but it didn't feel like any weapon he was familiar with. He hadn't even sensed when he'd been cut, he'd just felt the sensation of pain. For that to be possible, it had to be as small as a needle, even smaller.
Another blast of air, and another wave of pain, this time multiple pinpricks in his arms, legs and torso.
He started muttering to himself. "Think Neji. Even though you're blind, you're better than this. His attack has to be coming from somewhere." On impulse alone, he threw the shuriken to his left and was pleased when the wind stopped.
"Hmm." The Kazekage appeared displeased. "He's more of a challenge than I thought he'd be." He nodded at Ippei.
It took all TenTen had just to contain her horror. Whatever move Ippei would do next was definitely intended to kill Neji. She had to stop them. She had to save his life, because…because…just because. She concentrated all her thought on the boy. "Neji. You just have to hear me."
He stopped moving. He could've sworn he heard TenTen's voice inside his head.
"You can hear me. Just don't say anything. Whatever Ippei's going to do next is intended to kill you. You have to stop him now. I'm going to tell you what to do and you do it. If you understand, then nod."
He nodded slightly.
"Good. This is what you have to do…"
Ippei paid no attention to the boy's hesitation. He was too busy concentrating on his seals. This move was what had earned him the respect of his peers and his Kazekage.
Neji hurriedly went through the seals TenTen recited and when he was done he felt a familiar heat tear through his body, focusing on one spot, his upper right forearm.
As TenTen watched, the scar pulsed wildly and then a myriad of words shot out of it, extending across every inch of his skin. "Do it now!"
Neji drew another kunai and sliced his forearm. He captured some blood on his forefinger and then signed his name on his arm. He intertwined his fingers and then pointed both hands at the ground. "Burning Soul Phoenix no Jutsu!"
Instantly, the ground between him and Ippei cracked and then broke open, sending dirt and tile flying up into the air. An orange and yellow bird with a twenty foot wingspan hovered in the air in above Neji. It squawked once and dive-bombed Ippei. The poor man never had a chance. When the phoenix connected with him there was a bright white light and then nothing of Ippei was left other than a pile of smoldering ash.
TenTen wanted to rejoice, but when she opened her mouth to call for Neji her vision went blurry and her last meal found its new home on the ground.
The Kazekage stood to his feet, a grim expression on his face. "You just killed one of my finest ninjas boy. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I've proven my worth as a ninja despite my blindness."
He looked over at TenTen who was wiping a bit of residue from her lips with the back of her hand. "The girl hasn't proven her strength."
Neji shook his head. "She taught me the technique that I just used. Now, will you grant us asylum, or will you wait until we have destroyed even more of your forces?"
"How can I know that you are loyal to me, that no matter who confronts you from Konoha, that you will forever be a ninja of the Sand?"
"Give us whatever test you choose." TenTen stated. "We'll prove our loyalty a hundred fold."
"Very well." The Kazekage began to pace. "Since you're genin, you will be required to be on a three member team. Unfortunately, with less than three weeks to go before the Chuunin exams, you will not have much time to gel with your third teammate."
"You're sending us to take the exam?" TenTen questioned, a hint of excitement in her voice.
"Yes. If I am to rebuild this village to his former success like my predecessor wished more genin are of no use to Sand village. I will be sending you to live with your third teammate. You are not to be seen anywhere in this village without her at your side. If that happens, I will give orders for you to be killed on sight. If your showing at the Chuunin exams pleases me, then I will consider granting you asylum. Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes sir." Neji and TenTen chorused.
He motioned to another one of his guards and whispered in his ear. The man nodded and grabbed one of TenTen's arms roughly. "Come with me." He dragged her over to Neji and then took him by the arm as well. "I'll show you where you're going to live."
