Notice: I do not own Naruto, and make no claims of copyright on the
characters who are not my property. Original characters, however, are mine.
Author's Note: The details of the transition from the previous segment to this one are left deliberately unclear. This is to accommodate whatever happens in the manga as easily as possible, since these events are not intended to conflict with those. It may be assumed that whatever the situation concludes between Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba, the Sound, and Sasuke Draci Xi did not arrive in time to intervene. It may also be assumed that if any other character died of wounds they did so either before Xi got there, or before Sirachi was able to complete his mission to return Neji, and therefore Xi could not attempt to return them to Konoha. In the unlikely outcome that additional foes (such as Orochimaru himself, or Kabuto) pursued them back to Konoha, obviously, this story would conflict with them. Regardless, the details of what occurs in the manga will certainly take weeks to resolve, and therefore in the interval these assumptions hold.
I admit, this chapter is basically a group of people talking to each other, but its important insight into Xi's character, and it establishes how people in Konoha feel about the whole situation, and is just a critical setup.
Bargaining in the Morning
The office of the Hokage is a simple room, not particularly large, and sparsely furnished. This is the legacy of the 3rd Hokage, who spent as little as possible time dealing with the officialdom of leading Konoha within such crowded surroundings. The tenure of the 5th Hokage, Tsunade, has not yet resulted in any changes to the environment, though she has managed to accumulate quite a large stack of papers on the desk. This simple room seemed very crowded now, with a number of people within, and the atmosphere was charged. Tsunade sat behind the desk, tired and irritable, her healing talents solely taxed do to the events of the past few days. Behind her stood one of her chuunin assistants, who was doing his best to avoid being drawn into the swirl of emotions in the air. In addition to the fifth Hokage the room contained a number of other extremely talented ninja. The sennin Jiraiya was present, standing to Tsunade's left, but there were also three of Konoha's jounin present, the recently healed and still somewhat unsteady Genma, Gai, whose presence was both unusual and important, and Hyuuga Hiashi, head of the Hyuuga clan. Standing before them all was Draci Xi.
The dragon ninja was a sharp contrast to the others present. Unlike the sennin, who wore their customary outfits, or the jounin, including Hiashi, in the uniforms of Konoha, Xi wore a rather modified jounin outfit himself. It was similar to all ranking ninja outfits, with a tight fitting base covered by a flak jacket, in Xi's case one made in the lightning style, with the scroll pouches horizontal rather than vertical. However, Xi wore an extra kunai holster on his lower right leg, and had free strap nekode on each leg, that he could slip on in and instant. From his flack jacket hung a hunter-nin mask, again in the lightning style, but one broken in half. Xi wore a lightning forehead protector with the bolt and cloud symbol, signifying his nominal allegiance to that village. He stood tight and tense, knowing the gravity in the situation. The normally bombastic Gai, in return, had tried to outmatch Xi's serious posture, and was surprisingly coming close to success. Of everyone in the room, only Genma retained his customary casual pose, and even that occasionally strained as he felt a pain from his still healing wounds.
"Draci Xi," Tsunade began, obviously irritable and not wanting to deal with this. "You asked for a meeting with everyone you see here." She paused. "Well, with the exception of Jiraiya, but it seems there's no keeping his nose out of anything. So what is it you want?"
Xi met Tsunade's stare for a moment, but didn't try and prove any points. I'm not sure I'd win a contest with her anyways. The two senin are the only people in this village who are definitely stronger than I am. He took a shallow breath, and spoke clearly and slowly. "I want Hyuuga Neji."
The four words seemed to drop dead in the room. Tsunade gave no reaction, nor Jiraiya, Genma just raised an eyebrow, but Gai looked like he was about to explode. "You what!" He bellowed in the thunderous voice he was known for.
"Quiet." Tsunade commanded Gai, stopping that explosion for the moment, so that she could gather a better picture of what Xi wanted before the inevitable occurred.
Xi gave her a look of appreciation in return.
"I would appreciate a bit more detail." Tsunade said, keeping the sarcasm only slightly below biting.
"It's really very simple." Xi said plainly. "In return for a cancellation of all my debts to Konoha that have been accumulated since the Sound and Sand invasion, and for the cancellation of the debt to Lightning owed by the deception in the matter of Hyuuga Hiashi, I will take Neji on as my apprentice."
Tsunade and Jiraiya gave Xi an unusual look, Gai gave him a bland stare, and Hiashi looked about ready to kill him.
Hiashi was the first to speak. "What could you possibly teach a member of the Hyuuga clan?" He snapped, plainly considering Xi's skills to be irrelevant. "You've never taught students in your life as I understand it."
Xi's head snapped over to stare at Hiashi. His eyes bored into those same pupil-less eyes that all Hyuuga possessed. Hiashi did not impress him, despite his vaunted position. Yet he did not address his answer to Hiashi, but turned back to the Sennin. It will be their opinion that matters most, Xi knew. "No I have never taught students before, since I have never encountered anyone that was ready to become a dragon ninja before."
"You would train him as a dragon ninja?" Tsunade scoffed. "Why should I allow you to try and turn one of Konoha's brightest rising genin into a killer of your breed?" Her dislike of the dragon ninja was plain.
"Regardless of your feelings on my style," Xi replied, letting a bit of his impatience slip loose. "You will allow me to make Neji into a dragon ninja because you need one, and because he can become one." Xi paused, and prepared to speak at some length. "The dragon ninja are almost gone, I am the last one living in the known shinobi world. Previously I have not felt it necessary to try and pass on the techniques, since I expected I would have plenty of time in front of me. That has changed, Orochimaru has emerged from hiding, and so have the other deadly s-class criminals of the Atasuki. I have been called to fight, and face foes who can slay anyone. I cannot assume I will survive the next few years. So, I have chosen to try and teach the dragon ninja way to another now. Neji has the necessary talent, in fact, far more than that. With my teaching he can easily master the dragon ninja jutsus faster than anyone has ever done. He may even be able to go beyond them. As I understand the Byakugan, and have seen it used, its vision melds perfectly with the precision chakra control used by the dragon ninja. He has already shown his great skills, but he cannot progress that much farther in use of his bloodline ability." Xi leveled a glare at Hiashi. "You have limited him to be weak there forever." He turned to Gai and Genma. "You may strive to teach him the styles and jutsus of the leaf, as you have done so far, but what good does that do? Those jutsus are not of great use to Neji. Only I can offer him a path that will unlock his true potential. He can become the greatest dragon ninja in centuries, and rise to incredible heights of power, but if you do not allow this, he will simply become a talented jounin of Konoha's Hyuuga clan someday, and nothing more."
"Those aren't bad reasons." Jiraiya answered, forestalling any attempts by Gai or Hiashi to speak. "But that's hardly cause enough to let a lightning ninja take away Neji from the Leaf. He's proved that this is where he belongs."
Xi heard this response and realized what it meant. The sennin, who kept sharing glances, had already decided that Neji could become a dragon ninja. They may not like it, and a single glance at Tsunade made that obvious, but they know that they have to honor the debts. I may have already won. "Apologies Jiraiya-sama." Xi responded sincerely. "Perhaps I have not been clear enough. I have no intention of taking Neji from Konoha. I'm don't want to make him a lightning ninja, just a dragon ninja. Village boundaries aren't something I consider important anymore. Neji would remain a member of Leaf village, but I would train him. If you wish, he can even serve with me on missions I perform for Konoha's sake, once I deem him ready." Xi let an almost smile creep over his features. "His life is owed to me in debt, is this so much to ask?"
"You would separate him from his clan, his friends, and his teachers!" Hyuuga Hiashi snapped back. "That is indeed a great deal to ask. Especially since you intend to turn him into a killer."
"All ninja are killers." Xi returned, and he let the statement hang for a moment, daring anyone to refute it. When it went unchallenged, despite clear misgivings on the faces of everyone else, for their various reasons, Xi continued. "And do not say to me that Neji is not a killer. I know his battle record, and we have all seen him fight. He fought Uzemaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata with lethal intent during the chuunin exam." He gave Genma a look. "You saw it in him, didn't you?"
Without saying any words, Genma nodded, "Ah."
"So, why not allow me to take Neji, and channel that energy and that intent into a dragon ninja. Otherwise you risk unleashing a terrible scourge that you can ill afford."
Tsunade sighed. "All right, enough." She waved for silence against the storm of comments that almost started. "You've made your case Draci Xi, and I'll admit your arguments were convincing. I imagine you've been working on this little speech since you received word Neji recovered."
Xi smiled, but tried to make it pleasant. The effort was hardly convincing.
"We, unfortunately, do not have such luxuries of time. Your assessment that we need a dragon ninja is aggravating, but, as much I as hate to admit it, possibly accurate."
Jiraiya gasped. "I didn't expect you to say that Tsunade!"
She looked up at him. "This Hokage job makes you sometimes make decisions you'd rather not make. Frankly, this whole problem stems from everyone letting the dragon ninja run around and accumulate his 'debts' while nobody was in charge. I can't have Konoha beholden to him forever." She turned back to Xi. "Since you have made clear that Hyuuga Neji will remain a member of the Hidden Village of the Leaf, I will tentatively agree." Xi managed to keep a glow of success from his face. "However!" Tsunade continued. "I will hear the objections of those others here first, and I will insist that if you cannot show that Hyuuga Neji has progressed on the path of a dragon ninja in two months, you will say that you failed and return him to us, as we will owe you nothing."
Witch! Xi thought. You think to turn the tables on me? Set your damn deadline then, I'll make sure Neji beats it; I can guess well enough how to motivate him. "As you wish, Hokage-sama."
"Fine." Tsunade replied. "Now, I said I would hear objections. First, Jiraiya?"
The other sennin gave Xi a very long look, a look Xi didn't like. Unlike Tsunade, who hid her age, Jiraiya revealed his, and despite his excellent health, he was obviously older than Xi. It was not something Xi liked looking at, a ninja with more age or experience than he had. He could come up with a real reason I should not do this, Xi saw as he looked into that gaze. Something that I have failed to consider. No, I have made my decision, and this is something that must be done. If not Hyuuga Neji, then I believe that dragon ninja shall die. Xi knew he could not allow that, would not allow that. Jiraiya could say whatever he wished, but he would not allow himself to be swayed.
"Humph." The Sennin grumbled. "I don't like your methods dragon ninja, but maybe that's what this Neji needs, someone who'll show him other things to worry about than people's levels. But we'll keep a close watch."
Xi was surprised, pleasantly surprised, he had feared Jiraiya's objections above all others. Clearly everyone else, with the possible exception of Tsunade, was also surprised. For Xi however, Jiraiya's support was tremendously important. Reasoning was never my strong suit, but maybe I really did come to the right conclusion this time. He did not smile, but gave a minute nod in thanks to the sennin for his confidence.
"Well, then." Tsunade continued. "Genma?"
"We're breaking a lot of rules lately." Genma said with his tired and laid back expression. "Guess one more won't matter, and yeah, Neji's the type for this."
The unenthusiastic approach surprised no one, Genma was hardly the most vocal of ninja, but his words were critically supportive, since he was the one who had seen Neji fight Naruto up close, and how the flow of that battle went. Tsunade simply continued on, finally allowing Gai to speak.
Neji's sensei had been struggling mightily to contain his words, and now that he was able to speak, Gai let them out in a loud, long, and angry stream. "I will not allow one of my students to be bought!" He began. "I am Neji's sensei, and it is my responsibility to make him into an excellent ninja, I will not hand him over to a ninja who practices a cruel style that is one dimensional! Nor will I let him go to someone who has never instructed others before! It's unacceptable! I doubt your motives, your sincerity, your competence, and I will not allow this theft of my pupil!"
Xi weathered the storm quietly, having expected Gai to be angry. While the jounin was right in that he had never taught students, and therefore could not really understand what Gai felt was being taken from him, Xi believed that of all those who might remonstrate him this man had the most justification. Apologies, he told him silently, but there is no choice. We cannot all have what we wish here. "I do not want to steal your pupil." Xi replied, letting a bit of anger creep in there. "I will abide by my word. Yes, I will take him from your tutelage, but your time for that is over, Gai-sensei. You are a taijutsu master, and konoha needs your presence for defense. You and I both know that you have not devoted sufficient time to your students recently, none of the jounin of this village have. I am offering to step in and free you from that responsibility. I admit my motives are my own, but they are to Konoha's benefit. By giving Neji to my care you will be free to concentrate on the student who most requires your attention, Rock Lee. Neji has been almost independent of your teaching for some time now, since you cannot instruct him in the use of the Byakugan." Xi paused. "As to your accusation that I cannot teach, well, the Hokage has set me a deadline. The least you can do is allow me the chance to teach the boy."
Gai grumbled, his face twisted angrily, and he looked ready to do something dangerous. Xi tensed, as did everyone else in the room.
Standing next to the volatile Jounin, Genma reached over and put is arm in front of Gai, saying nothing. That seemed to be enough for Gai to regain some semblance of composure. "Fine." He snapped, the word laced with a viciousness that was not common from the otherwise kind and open jounin. "But I swear that if you let Neji become a monster I will kill you."
"If I let Neji become a monster it will be the least I deserve." Xi replied, utterly serious. "Because he would kill us all."
That left only one more, and the most difficult of them all, the Hyuuga head master, Hiashi. The older man wore a jounin uniform, a testament to Konoha's shortage of people that it must call him out to serve on mission. He had grown progressively angrier as discussion went on, but had said little. Now, as Tsunade signaled he could speak, Xi knew the storm had gathered behind those pupil-less eyes. "You cannot have Neji." Hiashi said flatly, no tone or inflection was allowed to creep into that voice, even anger was held back completely, a most impressive display of the man's control. "He is Hyuuga, and his purpose is Hyuuga. No ninja from beyond Konoha will be allowed to take him as an apprentice. It is not done, and it will not be done. You are simply acting to steal Hyuuga's secrets. That is all. This will not occur; the Hyuuga clan does not permit it."
Draci Xi accounted himself a reasonable ninja, he had to be, or his hands would be soaked in nothing but blood. Still, he knew when to reason, and when not to, and he had exhausted his patience. He let the control slip out of his voice, and no longer suppressed his anger. I will not try to reason with you, instead, I will slay this foolishness now. The more humane side of Xi faded away, and Hyuuga Hiashi was left facing the dragon ninja. "You have no choice, Hyuuga." Xi bit off the words, the anger boiling through them violently. He stared into those pupil-less eyes, and Hiashi blanched. "I am taking Neji. The debt I am owed demands it. I have bargained with Konoha at all because I understand these are trying times, and because I am not of Konoha, but a Lightning ninja. I will not bargain with you!" He shouted. "The Hyuuga clan and Neji himself owe me a life, and I have chosen this way to take it. I have even allowed this to recompense for the deception given upon Lightning that Neji revealed." Xi's eyes shifted to their coldest, and to everyone else in the room their seemed the shadow of slit eyed creature behind them. "I have chosen this, but I could chose your life as the payment for these debts! Would you rather I kill you? It is not less than I am owed."
"You have no right to demand anything of Hyuuga." Hiashi managed in response, for he was a strong man, and not easily cowed.
"I have every right!" Xi practically screamed the words. "I am a dragon ninja, debt is my word, my bond, my jutsu, and my life! I pay what I owe, and am given what I am owed! Defy me, and you will become my enemy." The dragon ninja's voice dropped down low now. "You cannot have me as your enemy. Konoha cannot deal with me right now. You need my aid, and you will need Neji as a dragon ninja. You have failed him all your life Hiashi, and he has become a hollow child, blaming fate and confused. Uzemaki Naruto has given him an opportunity, and I will force him through that door. He will learn from me, and I will channel him forward. If you try anything else, he will slam into a wall soon enough because of how you have bound him. You fear I will usurp him and make a monster. You know nothing!" Xi shouted again, voice continuing to rise. "You have bound his talent out of Hyuuga, and hamstrung him. No one else in Konoha can offer him a path to move forward on, not you, not Gai, and not anyone else. He is already stopped. I have saved his life! I will take him forward! And you will get out of my way or be destroyed!"
Hiashi had gone through several stages of anger, fear, and wrath, and now he was ready to strike out. It would have been foolish to an unbelievable extent, he was neither ready nor composed enough to fight well, and Xi would kill him without remorse.
Tsunade stopped it. "Enough!" She bellowed, focusing all her terrible strength into her voice. "You will both stop this." Gai and Genma moved to Hiashi's side, and their calmer presence seemed to hold his anger back. Xi straightened up again, adopting a less threatening posture. "You have made your point Draci Xi, dragon ninja of Cloud. You may train Hyuuga Neji, if he agrees to it. Gai will explain the circumstances to him." That rankled Xi, and he knew Gai would paint him harshly, but he also knew the Jounin was honest, and was confident that Neji would agree, he had no choice but to assume that. Tsunade continued, voicing her displeasure. "You have what you wanted, and Konoha's debts will be absolved. I agree to this, but you have not impressed me, dragon ninja. Do not expect a warm welcome in the future."
"My welcome has never been warm, Hokage-sama. I do not expect you to ever like me, but perhaps in time you will understand why I am necessary." Xi bowed. He turned to Gai. "Assuming Neji agrees, I will meet him on your standard training field this afternoon."
Gai said nothing, but nodded.
A small victory this, the complex first step in what is to come, Xi thought. He was not entirely confident. I have invested much in this decision, if I am wrong, then all the work I have done here may be wasted. Indeed, there was a reason Xi had never taught anyone before, beyond those that he had given. He did not believe he would be good at it. I'm no instructor for weak-minded genins, trying to become a dragon ninja would kill them. You're not like that Hyuuga Neji, I am sure of that much, and you have the strength to endure what I must inflict upon you. The current times were dark ones, and Xi knew he would need to make Neji into a dragon ninja quickly. The Atatsuki are waiting, Xi thought with no small amount of fear and unfortunate memories. The young ninja of this generation must be made ready to face them, and from Konoha only Neji can walk the path I offer. Draci Xi set about readying himself to change the boy named Hyuuga Neji.
Author's Note: The details of the transition from the previous segment to this one are left deliberately unclear. This is to accommodate whatever happens in the manga as easily as possible, since these events are not intended to conflict with those. It may be assumed that whatever the situation concludes between Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba, the Sound, and Sasuke Draci Xi did not arrive in time to intervene. It may also be assumed that if any other character died of wounds they did so either before Xi got there, or before Sirachi was able to complete his mission to return Neji, and therefore Xi could not attempt to return them to Konoha. In the unlikely outcome that additional foes (such as Orochimaru himself, or Kabuto) pursued them back to Konoha, obviously, this story would conflict with them. Regardless, the details of what occurs in the manga will certainly take weeks to resolve, and therefore in the interval these assumptions hold.
I admit, this chapter is basically a group of people talking to each other, but its important insight into Xi's character, and it establishes how people in Konoha feel about the whole situation, and is just a critical setup.
Bargaining in the Morning
The office of the Hokage is a simple room, not particularly large, and sparsely furnished. This is the legacy of the 3rd Hokage, who spent as little as possible time dealing with the officialdom of leading Konoha within such crowded surroundings. The tenure of the 5th Hokage, Tsunade, has not yet resulted in any changes to the environment, though she has managed to accumulate quite a large stack of papers on the desk. This simple room seemed very crowded now, with a number of people within, and the atmosphere was charged. Tsunade sat behind the desk, tired and irritable, her healing talents solely taxed do to the events of the past few days. Behind her stood one of her chuunin assistants, who was doing his best to avoid being drawn into the swirl of emotions in the air. In addition to the fifth Hokage the room contained a number of other extremely talented ninja. The sennin Jiraiya was present, standing to Tsunade's left, but there were also three of Konoha's jounin present, the recently healed and still somewhat unsteady Genma, Gai, whose presence was both unusual and important, and Hyuuga Hiashi, head of the Hyuuga clan. Standing before them all was Draci Xi.
The dragon ninja was a sharp contrast to the others present. Unlike the sennin, who wore their customary outfits, or the jounin, including Hiashi, in the uniforms of Konoha, Xi wore a rather modified jounin outfit himself. It was similar to all ranking ninja outfits, with a tight fitting base covered by a flak jacket, in Xi's case one made in the lightning style, with the scroll pouches horizontal rather than vertical. However, Xi wore an extra kunai holster on his lower right leg, and had free strap nekode on each leg, that he could slip on in and instant. From his flack jacket hung a hunter-nin mask, again in the lightning style, but one broken in half. Xi wore a lightning forehead protector with the bolt and cloud symbol, signifying his nominal allegiance to that village. He stood tight and tense, knowing the gravity in the situation. The normally bombastic Gai, in return, had tried to outmatch Xi's serious posture, and was surprisingly coming close to success. Of everyone in the room, only Genma retained his customary casual pose, and even that occasionally strained as he felt a pain from his still healing wounds.
"Draci Xi," Tsunade began, obviously irritable and not wanting to deal with this. "You asked for a meeting with everyone you see here." She paused. "Well, with the exception of Jiraiya, but it seems there's no keeping his nose out of anything. So what is it you want?"
Xi met Tsunade's stare for a moment, but didn't try and prove any points. I'm not sure I'd win a contest with her anyways. The two senin are the only people in this village who are definitely stronger than I am. He took a shallow breath, and spoke clearly and slowly. "I want Hyuuga Neji."
The four words seemed to drop dead in the room. Tsunade gave no reaction, nor Jiraiya, Genma just raised an eyebrow, but Gai looked like he was about to explode. "You what!" He bellowed in the thunderous voice he was known for.
"Quiet." Tsunade commanded Gai, stopping that explosion for the moment, so that she could gather a better picture of what Xi wanted before the inevitable occurred.
Xi gave her a look of appreciation in return.
"I would appreciate a bit more detail." Tsunade said, keeping the sarcasm only slightly below biting.
"It's really very simple." Xi said plainly. "In return for a cancellation of all my debts to Konoha that have been accumulated since the Sound and Sand invasion, and for the cancellation of the debt to Lightning owed by the deception in the matter of Hyuuga Hiashi, I will take Neji on as my apprentice."
Tsunade and Jiraiya gave Xi an unusual look, Gai gave him a bland stare, and Hiashi looked about ready to kill him.
Hiashi was the first to speak. "What could you possibly teach a member of the Hyuuga clan?" He snapped, plainly considering Xi's skills to be irrelevant. "You've never taught students in your life as I understand it."
Xi's head snapped over to stare at Hiashi. His eyes bored into those same pupil-less eyes that all Hyuuga possessed. Hiashi did not impress him, despite his vaunted position. Yet he did not address his answer to Hiashi, but turned back to the Sennin. It will be their opinion that matters most, Xi knew. "No I have never taught students before, since I have never encountered anyone that was ready to become a dragon ninja before."
"You would train him as a dragon ninja?" Tsunade scoffed. "Why should I allow you to try and turn one of Konoha's brightest rising genin into a killer of your breed?" Her dislike of the dragon ninja was plain.
"Regardless of your feelings on my style," Xi replied, letting a bit of his impatience slip loose. "You will allow me to make Neji into a dragon ninja because you need one, and because he can become one." Xi paused, and prepared to speak at some length. "The dragon ninja are almost gone, I am the last one living in the known shinobi world. Previously I have not felt it necessary to try and pass on the techniques, since I expected I would have plenty of time in front of me. That has changed, Orochimaru has emerged from hiding, and so have the other deadly s-class criminals of the Atasuki. I have been called to fight, and face foes who can slay anyone. I cannot assume I will survive the next few years. So, I have chosen to try and teach the dragon ninja way to another now. Neji has the necessary talent, in fact, far more than that. With my teaching he can easily master the dragon ninja jutsus faster than anyone has ever done. He may even be able to go beyond them. As I understand the Byakugan, and have seen it used, its vision melds perfectly with the precision chakra control used by the dragon ninja. He has already shown his great skills, but he cannot progress that much farther in use of his bloodline ability." Xi leveled a glare at Hiashi. "You have limited him to be weak there forever." He turned to Gai and Genma. "You may strive to teach him the styles and jutsus of the leaf, as you have done so far, but what good does that do? Those jutsus are not of great use to Neji. Only I can offer him a path that will unlock his true potential. He can become the greatest dragon ninja in centuries, and rise to incredible heights of power, but if you do not allow this, he will simply become a talented jounin of Konoha's Hyuuga clan someday, and nothing more."
"Those aren't bad reasons." Jiraiya answered, forestalling any attempts by Gai or Hiashi to speak. "But that's hardly cause enough to let a lightning ninja take away Neji from the Leaf. He's proved that this is where he belongs."
Xi heard this response and realized what it meant. The sennin, who kept sharing glances, had already decided that Neji could become a dragon ninja. They may not like it, and a single glance at Tsunade made that obvious, but they know that they have to honor the debts. I may have already won. "Apologies Jiraiya-sama." Xi responded sincerely. "Perhaps I have not been clear enough. I have no intention of taking Neji from Konoha. I'm don't want to make him a lightning ninja, just a dragon ninja. Village boundaries aren't something I consider important anymore. Neji would remain a member of Leaf village, but I would train him. If you wish, he can even serve with me on missions I perform for Konoha's sake, once I deem him ready." Xi let an almost smile creep over his features. "His life is owed to me in debt, is this so much to ask?"
"You would separate him from his clan, his friends, and his teachers!" Hyuuga Hiashi snapped back. "That is indeed a great deal to ask. Especially since you intend to turn him into a killer."
"All ninja are killers." Xi returned, and he let the statement hang for a moment, daring anyone to refute it. When it went unchallenged, despite clear misgivings on the faces of everyone else, for their various reasons, Xi continued. "And do not say to me that Neji is not a killer. I know his battle record, and we have all seen him fight. He fought Uzemaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata with lethal intent during the chuunin exam." He gave Genma a look. "You saw it in him, didn't you?"
Without saying any words, Genma nodded, "Ah."
"So, why not allow me to take Neji, and channel that energy and that intent into a dragon ninja. Otherwise you risk unleashing a terrible scourge that you can ill afford."
Tsunade sighed. "All right, enough." She waved for silence against the storm of comments that almost started. "You've made your case Draci Xi, and I'll admit your arguments were convincing. I imagine you've been working on this little speech since you received word Neji recovered."
Xi smiled, but tried to make it pleasant. The effort was hardly convincing.
"We, unfortunately, do not have such luxuries of time. Your assessment that we need a dragon ninja is aggravating, but, as much I as hate to admit it, possibly accurate."
Jiraiya gasped. "I didn't expect you to say that Tsunade!"
She looked up at him. "This Hokage job makes you sometimes make decisions you'd rather not make. Frankly, this whole problem stems from everyone letting the dragon ninja run around and accumulate his 'debts' while nobody was in charge. I can't have Konoha beholden to him forever." She turned back to Xi. "Since you have made clear that Hyuuga Neji will remain a member of the Hidden Village of the Leaf, I will tentatively agree." Xi managed to keep a glow of success from his face. "However!" Tsunade continued. "I will hear the objections of those others here first, and I will insist that if you cannot show that Hyuuga Neji has progressed on the path of a dragon ninja in two months, you will say that you failed and return him to us, as we will owe you nothing."
Witch! Xi thought. You think to turn the tables on me? Set your damn deadline then, I'll make sure Neji beats it; I can guess well enough how to motivate him. "As you wish, Hokage-sama."
"Fine." Tsunade replied. "Now, I said I would hear objections. First, Jiraiya?"
The other sennin gave Xi a very long look, a look Xi didn't like. Unlike Tsunade, who hid her age, Jiraiya revealed his, and despite his excellent health, he was obviously older than Xi. It was not something Xi liked looking at, a ninja with more age or experience than he had. He could come up with a real reason I should not do this, Xi saw as he looked into that gaze. Something that I have failed to consider. No, I have made my decision, and this is something that must be done. If not Hyuuga Neji, then I believe that dragon ninja shall die. Xi knew he could not allow that, would not allow that. Jiraiya could say whatever he wished, but he would not allow himself to be swayed.
"Humph." The Sennin grumbled. "I don't like your methods dragon ninja, but maybe that's what this Neji needs, someone who'll show him other things to worry about than people's levels. But we'll keep a close watch."
Xi was surprised, pleasantly surprised, he had feared Jiraiya's objections above all others. Clearly everyone else, with the possible exception of Tsunade, was also surprised. For Xi however, Jiraiya's support was tremendously important. Reasoning was never my strong suit, but maybe I really did come to the right conclusion this time. He did not smile, but gave a minute nod in thanks to the sennin for his confidence.
"Well, then." Tsunade continued. "Genma?"
"We're breaking a lot of rules lately." Genma said with his tired and laid back expression. "Guess one more won't matter, and yeah, Neji's the type for this."
The unenthusiastic approach surprised no one, Genma was hardly the most vocal of ninja, but his words were critically supportive, since he was the one who had seen Neji fight Naruto up close, and how the flow of that battle went. Tsunade simply continued on, finally allowing Gai to speak.
Neji's sensei had been struggling mightily to contain his words, and now that he was able to speak, Gai let them out in a loud, long, and angry stream. "I will not allow one of my students to be bought!" He began. "I am Neji's sensei, and it is my responsibility to make him into an excellent ninja, I will not hand him over to a ninja who practices a cruel style that is one dimensional! Nor will I let him go to someone who has never instructed others before! It's unacceptable! I doubt your motives, your sincerity, your competence, and I will not allow this theft of my pupil!"
Xi weathered the storm quietly, having expected Gai to be angry. While the jounin was right in that he had never taught students, and therefore could not really understand what Gai felt was being taken from him, Xi believed that of all those who might remonstrate him this man had the most justification. Apologies, he told him silently, but there is no choice. We cannot all have what we wish here. "I do not want to steal your pupil." Xi replied, letting a bit of anger creep in there. "I will abide by my word. Yes, I will take him from your tutelage, but your time for that is over, Gai-sensei. You are a taijutsu master, and konoha needs your presence for defense. You and I both know that you have not devoted sufficient time to your students recently, none of the jounin of this village have. I am offering to step in and free you from that responsibility. I admit my motives are my own, but they are to Konoha's benefit. By giving Neji to my care you will be free to concentrate on the student who most requires your attention, Rock Lee. Neji has been almost independent of your teaching for some time now, since you cannot instruct him in the use of the Byakugan." Xi paused. "As to your accusation that I cannot teach, well, the Hokage has set me a deadline. The least you can do is allow me the chance to teach the boy."
Gai grumbled, his face twisted angrily, and he looked ready to do something dangerous. Xi tensed, as did everyone else in the room.
Standing next to the volatile Jounin, Genma reached over and put is arm in front of Gai, saying nothing. That seemed to be enough for Gai to regain some semblance of composure. "Fine." He snapped, the word laced with a viciousness that was not common from the otherwise kind and open jounin. "But I swear that if you let Neji become a monster I will kill you."
"If I let Neji become a monster it will be the least I deserve." Xi replied, utterly serious. "Because he would kill us all."
That left only one more, and the most difficult of them all, the Hyuuga head master, Hiashi. The older man wore a jounin uniform, a testament to Konoha's shortage of people that it must call him out to serve on mission. He had grown progressively angrier as discussion went on, but had said little. Now, as Tsunade signaled he could speak, Xi knew the storm had gathered behind those pupil-less eyes. "You cannot have Neji." Hiashi said flatly, no tone or inflection was allowed to creep into that voice, even anger was held back completely, a most impressive display of the man's control. "He is Hyuuga, and his purpose is Hyuuga. No ninja from beyond Konoha will be allowed to take him as an apprentice. It is not done, and it will not be done. You are simply acting to steal Hyuuga's secrets. That is all. This will not occur; the Hyuuga clan does not permit it."
Draci Xi accounted himself a reasonable ninja, he had to be, or his hands would be soaked in nothing but blood. Still, he knew when to reason, and when not to, and he had exhausted his patience. He let the control slip out of his voice, and no longer suppressed his anger. I will not try to reason with you, instead, I will slay this foolishness now. The more humane side of Xi faded away, and Hyuuga Hiashi was left facing the dragon ninja. "You have no choice, Hyuuga." Xi bit off the words, the anger boiling through them violently. He stared into those pupil-less eyes, and Hiashi blanched. "I am taking Neji. The debt I am owed demands it. I have bargained with Konoha at all because I understand these are trying times, and because I am not of Konoha, but a Lightning ninja. I will not bargain with you!" He shouted. "The Hyuuga clan and Neji himself owe me a life, and I have chosen this way to take it. I have even allowed this to recompense for the deception given upon Lightning that Neji revealed." Xi's eyes shifted to their coldest, and to everyone else in the room their seemed the shadow of slit eyed creature behind them. "I have chosen this, but I could chose your life as the payment for these debts! Would you rather I kill you? It is not less than I am owed."
"You have no right to demand anything of Hyuuga." Hiashi managed in response, for he was a strong man, and not easily cowed.
"I have every right!" Xi practically screamed the words. "I am a dragon ninja, debt is my word, my bond, my jutsu, and my life! I pay what I owe, and am given what I am owed! Defy me, and you will become my enemy." The dragon ninja's voice dropped down low now. "You cannot have me as your enemy. Konoha cannot deal with me right now. You need my aid, and you will need Neji as a dragon ninja. You have failed him all your life Hiashi, and he has become a hollow child, blaming fate and confused. Uzemaki Naruto has given him an opportunity, and I will force him through that door. He will learn from me, and I will channel him forward. If you try anything else, he will slam into a wall soon enough because of how you have bound him. You fear I will usurp him and make a monster. You know nothing!" Xi shouted again, voice continuing to rise. "You have bound his talent out of Hyuuga, and hamstrung him. No one else in Konoha can offer him a path to move forward on, not you, not Gai, and not anyone else. He is already stopped. I have saved his life! I will take him forward! And you will get out of my way or be destroyed!"
Hiashi had gone through several stages of anger, fear, and wrath, and now he was ready to strike out. It would have been foolish to an unbelievable extent, he was neither ready nor composed enough to fight well, and Xi would kill him without remorse.
Tsunade stopped it. "Enough!" She bellowed, focusing all her terrible strength into her voice. "You will both stop this." Gai and Genma moved to Hiashi's side, and their calmer presence seemed to hold his anger back. Xi straightened up again, adopting a less threatening posture. "You have made your point Draci Xi, dragon ninja of Cloud. You may train Hyuuga Neji, if he agrees to it. Gai will explain the circumstances to him." That rankled Xi, and he knew Gai would paint him harshly, but he also knew the Jounin was honest, and was confident that Neji would agree, he had no choice but to assume that. Tsunade continued, voicing her displeasure. "You have what you wanted, and Konoha's debts will be absolved. I agree to this, but you have not impressed me, dragon ninja. Do not expect a warm welcome in the future."
"My welcome has never been warm, Hokage-sama. I do not expect you to ever like me, but perhaps in time you will understand why I am necessary." Xi bowed. He turned to Gai. "Assuming Neji agrees, I will meet him on your standard training field this afternoon."
Gai said nothing, but nodded.
A small victory this, the complex first step in what is to come, Xi thought. He was not entirely confident. I have invested much in this decision, if I am wrong, then all the work I have done here may be wasted. Indeed, there was a reason Xi had never taught anyone before, beyond those that he had given. He did not believe he would be good at it. I'm no instructor for weak-minded genins, trying to become a dragon ninja would kill them. You're not like that Hyuuga Neji, I am sure of that much, and you have the strength to endure what I must inflict upon you. The current times were dark ones, and Xi knew he would need to make Neji into a dragon ninja quickly. The Atatsuki are waiting, Xi thought with no small amount of fear and unfortunate memories. The young ninja of this generation must be made ready to face them, and from Konoha only Neji can walk the path I offer. Draci Xi set about readying himself to change the boy named Hyuuga Neji.