A/N: I had this long Naruto related rant prepared, something about me being wild about Itachi and realizing that I hated two of the pairings I put in this story, SasuSaku and NaruHina, and that I prefer them better the other way SasuHina and NaruSaku, but I forgot most of it. What I really want to do is to beg you to read and review my story Ersatz over at fictionpress.com, and that's about it. Love and Peace…
Chapter Ten
Neji hadn't been free for long before he ran into some familiar faces, some welcome familiar faces at that. Sasuke and Kiba were still nosing around the bushes when he emerged.
Kiba was the first to notice him, or rather, Akamaru was. He alerted them of Neji's presence by barking happily, a welcome change from the strange way he'd been acting around the man lately, refusing to go near him. The ANBU's uniform was torn, his hair was a mess and the hollows in his face told of exhaustion and hunger, but his white eyes were focused and alive.
"What are you doing here Hyuuga?" Sasuke's tone betrayed nothing other than what he intended to convey, distrust.
"I don't have time for you," he clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging ridges into his palm. Those thrice damned Shiratoris had proven to be nowhere to be found, meaning that most likely they were headed into Konoha.
"You're not going anywhere until you answer our questions."
Kiba was worried. The older ninja seemed anxious to leave. Too anxious, in fact, there had to be something else going on for him to be that skittish. "Neji, are you okay?"
The ANBU ignored both of them and sprang up into a tree, charging towards Konoha.
"Finish things up Kiba," Sasuke ran after the elder man, intent on stopping him no matter what. He eventually cut him off near the city gates. "I told you that you wouldn't get anywhere," he smirked at him. "There were some holes in that story you told Godaime."
"What story?"
"Don't play innocent. The story about all of your men being slaughtered and you killing their murderers."
"That's a lie. We were ambushed and my comrades were killed, that much is true, but I was captured by them."
"Then who told us what happened?"
"A man called Fuyuki. The same man I'm going to kill," he snarled at Sasuke. "Now get out of my way."
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Sasuke replied. "The Hyuuga I know would never allow himself to be captured by cowards and criminals." He activated the Sharingan.
"Idiot!" That stupid headstrong Uchiha. He always thought he knew best and was wrong most of the time. "Do I have to kill you to get through to you?"
Before Sasuke could attack, a powerful pair of jaws clamped down on his leg, drawing blood.
"Don't be foolish Sasuke," Kiba warned. "This is the real Neji."
Grateful to his friend for being the voice of reason he used the distraction to enter the city.
At that moment TenTen was hanging up the laundry outside her window, Haruka resting on her hip. The baby had been fussy lately, crying whenever she was held by her father. She supposed the little girl couldn't recognize him under all the bandages he was under strict orders to wear after he reopened his injuries training. Godaime herself had even come down to his hospital room to give him a severe tongue lashing.
It was just like Neji and even Lee for that manner to constantly strive to get stronger despite their physical setbacks. She found herself worrying about him all the time, similar to when they were children. She laughed softly to herself as she reminisced. Even though they had grown up physically, nothing much else had changed.
Before she started the laundry she had left her husband sleeping as per his doctor's orders, so it had been nothing less than a surprise when she spotted him coming up the stairs to the apartment, looking as if a horde of angry ninjas were on his tail. The doorknob rattled as he shook it and before she could walk over and unlock it for him the door was kicked off of its hinges.
Neji stormed into the room, Byakugan already unveiled. She was sure that everyone in Konoha could feel his chakra flaring. It was almost enough to stop her from approaching him, but she knew he would never hurt her.
Neji focused on the dark-haired woman walking towards him, relief flooding his body when he saw that both she and Haruka were unharmed. However happy he was to see she was okay he could not falter in his mission. "Where is he?" the ANBU snarled, causing his wife to shrink back unconsciously.
"Where is who?" she replied, confusion vivid in her brown eyes. Surely he didn't think that she was hiding another man here?
"That bastard who stole my face, that's who!"
Now he was talking crazy talk. He was the only other man in this house, so why would he jump out of the bedroom window and suddenly charge in here rambling on about someone stealing his face? She hated to even think about it, but maybe this last mission had taken a toll on his mind as well as his body.
"Neji," she began rationally. "The three of us are the only ones here. You really should lie back down and sleep off this delirium you seem to be in."
He ignored her advice. "Don't believe his lies TenTen."
The bedroom door opened and 'Neji' emerged, his usual annoyed look plastered on his face. "I don't mind you having visitors, but could you please keep it down?"
TenTen's head spun in confusion. "Two Nejis?"
"Not two," the one standing near the broken door replied. "Just one and the impostor I have to kill."
TenTen drew a kunai. "Wait a second. I don't know what the hell's going on, but no one's killing anyone here."
The one in front of her glared at the other. "Take Haruka to safety."
'Neji' snarled. "Don't tell my wife what to do with our child."
"Don't you dare claim them!"
"TenTen, I don't know who this is, but he intends to hurt our family."
"STOP LYING!" Neji couldn't take it anymore. "I've watched you play your game for days, unable to do anything. But now…" he clenched his bandaged fist. "…I won't let you live to see another day."
TenTen's eyes narrowed. How dare he? "I don't care what you have to do, but I don't ever want to hear him say something like that again."
Neji's eyes widened in disbelief and his double's face twisted in a smirk that looked out of place on his features. "Gladly," he advanced on Neji, vanishing and then punching him hard in the stomach.
Neji spat up blood, cursing mentally as he watched his wife cheer Fuyuki on. Very well, he didn't intend to lose to a man like him no matter the circumstances. He dilated his pupils and he could see the other man's chakra points(?) clearly. His hands darted out and struck the other man. "Two!" before Fuyuki could respond Neji's hand snaked out again, striking him more. "Four! Eight! Sixteen!"
TenTen's eyes widened as she watched the man she perceived as an impostor use the Hyuuga clan's secret technique, continuing to seal off the flow of Fuyuki's chakra. Chills swept up and down her spine as it dawned on her that the man she'd allowed to share her bed was a fake. Her disgust was soon replaced with anger as she realized just how easily he had stolen into her life and she flung her kunai at his head before her brain even registered it.
That was her fatal error. Fuyuki caught the kunai with ease, reached over and grabbed her around the throat. "How did you escape?"
"Let her go," Neji commanded.
"You ruined everything. Why couldn't you just stay in that cage until I was done here and come back to a ruined life with a wife and daughter who would hate you forever for not protecting them?"
"Not everything goes according to plan."
She didn't know why, maybe it was because she was angry or just plain tired of everything, but she closed her eyes and saw a flame ignite in her mind.
Fuyuki cursed as the hand he was restraining her with burst into flames. He released the woman and flung her to the ground, waving his arm frantically until the flames died.
As TenTen fell she was too busy trying to make sure she didn't land on Haruka and hit the floor awkwardly, striking her head against the wood, losing consciousness.
That was the worst choice he could've made. Taking into account his unconscious wife and the baby that was now crying loudly, Neji threw a punch at the man's liver and blood shot out of his mouth.
"Hyuuga Gentle Fist Taijutsu, ey?" he wiped the blood from his lips. "This is the first time I've seen it in action and it hurts just as much as they say it does."
"I'm not going to let you leave here alive."
"Unfortunately young Neji, you have a habit of doing just that," the windows shattered and six ninjas dressed in black leapt inside. "Don't worry," more blood spurted from his lips. "We'll finish this up later. You should attend to your wife and your own injuries for now," that said he and the rest of his men disappeared.
Neji moved to go after them, but exhaustion chose that exact moment to set in. His limbs and muscles ached and his joints screamed in pain. Adrenaline had taken him this far, but his body would not yield another inch. He sank to his knees near where his wife fell and pulled her into his arms, resigning himself to rest for a few moments.
Haruka crawled over to her parents and rested her head against her father's knee.
They were only lying there like that for a few moments when he heard another door open.