"Alright, the prison chambers are located here." Neji pointed out a square he had drawn in the dirt, next to a lengthy tunnel, and some jagged lines. "We will follow the cave through here." He trailed his finger across the tunnel. "And the maze is located here. If you are separated from the team, just remember to always turn right while in the maze."
"Why would they have you always turn right?" Shikamaru pointed out from where he was squatting next to Neji in the dirt. "Isn't that kind of predictable, and simpleminded?"
"Shikamaru, we have to remember that we are dealing with the forces of evil here. They aren't very bright in the uptake." A smile smirk graced the shadow-master's lips. "Alright, here's our formation. Sakura, you will be heading up the rear. Since you are our only medical ninja, and may be needed, it is essential that you are careful, and stay out of harm's way. Shino, you will be positioned in front of Sakura. Your bugs may be needed as a shield to protect her," Sakura let out a little puff of annoyance, and mumbled something about pounding Neji. "And it is important for the bugs to keep alert, and make sure no one is tailing us. Shikamaru, you're next. If we encounter any enemy ninja, we will need you to lock them in a shadow bind. Remember, our objective is not to fight, but to recover the ANBU team. I'll be up front. Since I know the territory, and have been here before, I know where I'm going. Also, my Byakugan will keep a close eye out for any sound ninja up front. Any questions?"
Silence followed the Hyuga prodigy's plan. "Alright, let move out then. Remember to stay alert. I didn't encounter any enemy ninja last time, but things can change."
They entered the cave the same way that Neji had the last time. It brought back some memories as to why he had been here before. To save Hinata. Who was now married. To someone else. No, he couldn't think about this right now. He's on a mission, people's lives are in danger, and he needs to focus.
He would never tell anyone, but he had been at the wedding. Hinata though he wouldn't come, he knew, but he couldn't stand to stay away. It was important to the village that the wedding was to take place. It would have been a crime against his village to stop it. No matter how much he wanted to.
Neji shock himself mentally, and told himself to focus. There was a time, and place to think about these kinds of things, and it wasn't here. Without him even knowing it, they had reached the maze. He pulled himself together again. "Alright, remember, always turn right while inside the maze."
"Can't we just cut it all down?" Shikamaru asked smartly.
"No. These hedges are bomb proof."
"Ah, so they remembered to bewitch the hedges so no one could cut them down, but all you have to do is turn right to solve the maze. These guys never cease to amuse me." Shikamaru chuckled to himself.
"Alright, let's move back out." Neji said, picking his leadership position back up again. They continued through the maze without incident, and they entered into the dome-like room that Neji had been through last time.
"Ok, the wall opens somewhere around here." He felt across the jagged wall until his hand slipped right through, and onto the other side. "That would be it then."
They walked through the fake wall, and Neji found himself back in the room where he had found Hinata. Only this time, it wasn't Hinata who he found tied to the wall. It was Anko.
"Shit." Sakura said, and quickly got the unconscious Anko down from the wall and started to treat her wounds. "Umm, guys, I don't think you're going to believe this."
The team turned to face the pink-haired medic nin, to hear what she had to say. "Anko's pregnant." Two words that left an entire team speechless.
A piece of paper was stuck to the wall near where Anko had been tied. Neji pulled it down, and started to read.
Neji,
Did I not tell you that I would continue my clan? It's a shame that I could not use your cousin to harbor my child, but I'm sure Anko will make produce a fine heir. She was in fact Orochimaru's apprentice before me, was she not? She showed such great potential, and I'm sure our child will as well. Please send my best wishes to Hinata. I'm sure she's doing greatly with her new husband.
Sincerely, Sasuke
P.S. You got owned.
Neji read it over again. Uh-oh. "Team, we need to move, NOW!"
"Anko shouldn't be moved in her current state. Can this wait?"
"Sakura, this entire cave is going to blow any second now. If we don't move, she's going to be in a lot worse condition than she is now. Now, let's go!"
"What about the ANBU team?" Shino asked, clearly not fazed by the fact that they were going to be blown up.
Neji activated his Byakugan as looked throughout the cave, finding no evidence of the team who had come before them. "I don't see them here. We need to move!"
Sakura was able to lift up Anko, and they ran back through the tunnel, using their chakra to increase their speed. They reached the entrance, and kept running till they entered the forest. The blast from the cave exploding knocked them all to the ground. "Shino!" Neji yelled over the roaring in his ears. "Use your bugs to shield Sakura and Anko from the rocks and falling debris! Shikamaru, can you catch some of the bigger rocks in a shadow-bind?" Shikamaru nodded. "Alright, hold them away from us so we don't get crushed, got it?" He nodded again, and several rocks halted midair as the shadow-master held them in his silhouette.
"Sakura, how's Anko doing?"
"Not so good from that run. She's still out cold."
"Alright, how soon can you have her ready for travel?"
"Give me a few hours, and she should be stable."
"Alright, it'll be dark by then, so we won't be able to travel anyways. Once these damn rocks stop falling, we'll set up camp. Are we clear?" Neji got several grunts in response.
The debris continued to fall for another ten minutes until the smoke and dust cleared, and when it did, the saw, none other than – hedges. "You have got to be kidding me." Shikamaru mumbled, staring at the invincible bushes with disbelief.
"Hey, didn't I say they were bomb proof?" Neji said. "Ok, here's the new plan. Sakura, you'll be taking care of Anko. Shino. Congratulations, you're being promoted to Sakura's assistant."
"Oh joy." Shino said sarcastically, but Neji ignored him.
"You will get her anything and everything she needs to get Anko back in shape. Shikamaru, you'll be setting up the camp. Firewood, bedrolls, that's all you. I'm going to go out and scout. See if I can get any leads on the location of the ANBU team. If you guys need me, tough luck. Deal with it yourselves. Any questions?"
No one spoke up; they just started their new duties. He left them at a slow chakra-induced run through the trees, wondering how to go about this. Where would Sasuke and the other sound ninjas take the ANBU team? Neji was worried that they didn't really need the team, and that they would just do away with them.
He picked up his speed, heading no where in particular, but keeping his Byakugan alert. His eyes fell onto a person walking through the forest about a half a kilometer to the west of him. From the looks of their frame and demeanor, they appeared to be an older civilian, most likely around sixty or seventy.
Neji covered the ground between them in barely any time. When he got closer, he could see that it was a man, walking a worn path through the forest, walking with the aid of a cane. "Excuse me sir," Neji said when he landed beside the man. "I was wondering-"
The man's eyes got wide. "You ain't one of them again are ya? You'd better stay away from me. I'm warning you, I used to be a ninja back in my day. You won't get away with that around here anymore if I have anything to say about it!"
"No, sir. I'm actually looking for a group of people." He seemed to calm down a bit at the sound of that. "A team of ninja from my village were captured, and I need to locate them. Do you have any idea where they might be?"
The man's eyes curved up in a smile which soon became a hearty laugh. "A group of ninja you say?" He continued his laughing. "Were these ninja by any chance wearing masks with animal designs painted on them?" Neji nodded. "Well, it looks like I made a bit of a mistake here then." He laughed some more, which was becoming increasingly annoying to Neji. "You'll find your friends tied up a ways back on this trail."
Neji gave the man a blank look, showing that he did not understand his logic.
"I told you I was a ninja back in my day, didn't I? Well, you're friends there gave me a bit of scare. They should be fine though. Please tell them I'm sorry." He let out another laugh, and continued along the trail.
For some odd reason, Neji had absolutely no idea what just happened. But, he took the man's word for it, and headed back on the trail. He soon came across several people tied in a net, hanging above his head. He could already hear Tenten murmuring curse words. He pulled out a kunai knife, and flung it skillfully up at the rope so the net and the people within it came tumbling to the ground. "Neji! You'll never guess what just happened!" Tenten exclaimed, pulling herself off of the ground. "This crazy old man attacked us, and tied us up in that net!"
And for some reason, he could believe it.