Hey, hey!

First, I'd like to say: THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SHOUT OUT!

I was surprised to see I got a shout out for the NH Month Creator Spotlight. Like thank you guys a bunch *Teary eyed*

Now, back to this story. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. In my mind, the last few chapters will be the Hinata and Sakura combat. So, kind of have some ways to go before we get there. Not too far, because I do not plan on making this a long story like 'Choices'.

Well, I hope you all enjoy the chapter!


"How did she look? Healthy? Is that moron taking care of her?"

Kakashi gave Neji a pointed look as the young Hyuga drilled him for answers regarding his cousin. He could understand. Neji was concerned. This was his cousin that he viewed as his sister. Raised together under the same roof and age group. It was just odd seeing the young Hyuga so concerned.

The dedicated leaf ninja Kakashi has reported his sighting of Naruto to the Hokage and told her about Obito Uchiha. Tsunade wasn't surprised in the slightest since she just had her own personal run in with the new level headed Naruto. When Tsunade asked about Shikamaru and Ino, Kakashi stated he was just as lost about their where a bout's as the Hokage.

Tsunade knew though. They were gone.

She figured Naruto would want Shikamaru and Hinata would want Ino. Shikamaru had been through the trenches with Naruto and Ino was like a backbone for Hinata. The backbone and connection that Tsunade herself helped create and now it was biting her in the ass.

It made Tsunade think though. Shikamaru wasn't the type to just jump ship and betray his village. He saw something. Whatever it was that was said or whatever it was that Shikamaru and Ino saw, it was enough for them to decide Naruto and Hinata were in the right. That they needed to side with their friends.

What the fuck happened that night?

She asked Kakashi if he knew and of course he said he didn't know.

This just aided in Tsunade's frustration. She was beginning to feel like everyone was turning on her. Why Naruto? Was this all because of Hinata? Everything was happening so soon too. Well, that's what it felt like to Tsunade. It was frustrating to Tsunade. She felt like Naruto believed she didn't care to help him and that's why he left.

Truth be told Tsunade thought a lot of what she could have possibly done for Hinata. Even if Naruto talked to Tsunade before he started attacking other villages, there was little to nothing that Tsunade could do. She could make Hinata comfortable for her stay in prison. Maybe get her a sentencing less than six years. Her ninja career would be over. Her reputation would be tarnished. She'd be a disgrace.

Tsunade would be lying if she said she didn't understand to a certain extent why Naruto did what he did.

She would dismiss Kakashi from her office and continue to keep a close watch on the tight circle Naruto had left behind because now more than ever it was important to stop the Akatsuki.

Naruto and Hinata included in this.

Once Tsunade dismissed everyone. Kakashi had a private meeting in his apartment with the last remaining people that knew what was even going on with Naruto and Hinata. Neji, Itachi, Sasuke and Sakura. Surprisingly enough, Tsunade had good ninja's that could track, but not that good apparently.

"She's fine. If anything she's keeping Naruto in check."

Neji finally relaxed at hearing the update from Kakashi. He leaned against the nearest wall and closed his eyes in concentration. Kakashi glanced at Neji from the side and observed how calmer he appeared now. A little odd considering what Neji had personally been through with his clan. "You're…happy how things have turned out aren't you? Your clan is gone."

Neji didn't seem to really be phased by the statement and actually shrugged his shoulders, "Hinata-sama might think I hate her or something, but I could never hate her. She's done something that I wish…something that I knew was going to happen eventually. That day I came back to the village to see that our clan was gone, I thought something happened to her. Someone kidnapped her. That's why I was in such an emotional panic. Now that everything is coming to light…I'm just…happier I suppose."

Happier and free.

Sasuke leaned against the wall opposite of the older Hyuga as he looked at Kakashi and Neji, "No. They aren't doing fine. They're wanted. Their faces are littered in the bingo books and multiple bounties are on their heads. They've destroyed several villages large and small. What exactly is screaming that they are doing good?"

Kakashi looked at Sasuke with an arched brow, "You seem to be concerned Sasuke." Said person frowned at Kakashi's attempt to make light of a situation like this, "Hn. This is annoying. Obviously you know something about them that we don't know. So just tell us so maybe we can be just as calm as you."

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders and let out a silent sigh, "We all weren't entirely right or wrong about the massacre. They all pretty much killed each other. It was the civil war that Hinata was warning people about. It pretty much happened with Naruto and Hinata dragged into it and finishing it off. The only survivors would have been the main family. From what Naruto told, the branch family were all practically dead by the time they arrived. Hinata made sure there were no survivors in her fit of rage and Naruto snapped her fathers neck. According to Naruto his only regret was he wasn't the one that took Hanabi's life."

Itachi seemed indifferent to the news along with Neji, who knew about the clans conflict for quite a while. Sasuke seemed to be processing the information and Sakura looked like she was about to burst. This was too much too soon. First she lost Hinata and now Ino. On top of losing a brother like Naruto. This was just all…too much. "He…Naruto? He killed Hinata's dad? Hinata KILLED Hanabi?"

Hinata endured a lot for the benefit of Hanabi. How could she throw all that away and take Hanabi's life. Was it all really that bad in her family? Sakura frowned at this. Of course it was that bad.

Sakura felt a whirl of emotions. Ino and Hinata. These were both people that she adored. She loved. Her best friends. Her sisters. At this very moment, she could honestly saw her world was falling apart more than it did when Naruto and Sasuke left her. She just felt so HURT.

If she had to drag them both back at this point, than she would with every strength she had in her body. To her, in her eyes. Sakura couldn't let Ino and Hinata fall like this. They've been through too much together to let this happen.

At this point Sakura was becoming fixated on this. Especially in regard to her and Hinata. Why didn't Hinata reach out to her? Why just Ino and Shikamaru? Ino didn't want to talk sense to Hinata. Sakura would have. She would have done the right thing for Hinata!

"Clan conflict and civil wars are a whole different ball game when it comes to laws and regulations. If the Hyuga clan was handling clan 'affairs' and it wasn't in jeopardy or treason to their village there isn't a lot the Hokage can do to regulate without causing tension between the Hokage and that clan."

Sasuke looked at Itachi as his brother spoke and then turned to Neji as he agreed with Itachi, "He's right. Ino wasn't lying when she said her and Hinata-sama were working on the Hyuga clans internal conflict with Anbu. This has been ongoing for almost two years. The Hyuga clan seemed to be unfixable and at the same time untouchable. Hinata endured backlash from her father and main family members. She endured a lot for us in the branch family. We…I personally, will never forget what she has done for me."

Sasuke crossed his arms while listening to his brother and Neji, "So. What you're saying Hyuga, is you're basically going to be useless when it comes to bringing in your cousin. She was in fact a part of the Hyuga massacre. Whether we want to sugar coat it or not. She killed your family members. Deflected from her village. Joined a terrorist organization and has assisted in decimating several villages. Yet you are saying you are not willing to aid in her being taken down?"

Neji leaned over while he was opposite of Sasuke. His eyes had taken on a cool look and he was giving Sasuke one of his deadliest stares. "Some nerve you have. A conniving traitor like yourself, rather you have been 'exonerated' or not. You will never have the respect that Hinata-sama has. You, someone that left his loved ones for power. That wanted to gain it the fast, immoral way instead of with pride and dignity. You think you can have a say in any of this? Why? You think because the village has done the Uchiha clan wrong this justifies your unbearable behavior? Like no one else in fucking history hasn't been treated unfairly by their village. Open your eyes you annoying bag of shit. Look at my fucking forehead."

Neji snatched his protector from his forehead and glared at the slowly fuming young Uchiha. "Your family is not the only family to experience hell. Tell me why the leaf village accepted the Hyuga clan to do madness like this. Tell me why no one came to my rescue. Why no one ever came to Hinata-sama's rescue. Why no one stopped her from getting beaten to a pulp since she was SIX. I'm no innocent part in any of that mind you, and I'll have to live with that until I die. We all lived in hell here Uchiha. My family just decided to not bitch about it."

Sasuke in a flash launched towards Neji. He was fast and it happened in a flash, however, honestly Neji was waiting for Sasuke this whole time. Sasuke wasn't aiming to be too violent with Neji anyways. Just to knock him to the ground, but it ended up being him on the ground. Neji watched from the corner of his eye Itachi stand up in a manner to tell Neji to watch himself.

The older Hyuga scuffed at this. Of course two Uchiha's would go up against just him.

Neji brushed the thought off and straightened himself. Making himself decent again, "Putting the Hyuga clan aside. Use your brain if you think Naruto is really doing all of this just because of Hinata. If anyone has had it worse it would be that knucklehead. He was an orphan in that wrenched orphanage that Konoha has. He's been shunned for reasons that we now know is because he is a jinchuriki, he's starved, he's been beaten. For reasons we don't know, Naruto's family was being held against him for him to know. So, I can bet you a lot of this is because they are both scorned."

Kakashi remained silent while Neji and Sasuke went back and forward. The last part of Neji's comment seemed to catch his attention though, "You know. Don't you? You know who Naruto's parents are."

Neji crossed his arms and stared at Kakashi, "I guess it wasn't so forbidden to talk about as long as Naruto wasn't around. You know the veteran ninja's can't help but to bad mouth Naruto every chance they get. Especially now that he's gone. Plus, let's be serious. You pick up a history book and Naruto just so happens to look like the fourth Hokage. The fourth Hokage's wife was a jinchuriki as well right? It doesn't take a rocket scientist. In addition to ALL of this, you, Kakashi-sama become Sasuke's sensei after you were in Anbu with his brother. THEN you become Naruto's sensei, when in pictures clearly posted everywhere you were his father's student. The whole you having the 'dead last' and 'best in class' together makes no sense if they were trying to make an elite team. If anything Naruto and Sakura wouldn't be on the team then. It would have been Sasuke, Hinata and who knows who else based on their dōjutsu alone."

Neji leaned against a wall near Kakashi's front door so he could see everyone in the room, immediately feeling on guard. "You do not have to be a genius like Shikamaru to put all of this together. You just have to know your history. Tell me Kakashi-sama. Now that Naruto has become our 'enemy' in the arms of Akatsuki, does he know about his past?"

Kakashi eyed Neji as he spoke and honestly was impressed with the usually stoic Hyuga. Not that Neji was able to piece all of this together, but the fact he wanted to share all of this with everyone. "He does know now. He knows about his parents, the Uzumaki clan and many other things. Apparently the Akatsuki leader is very knowledgeable on some of Naruto and his family's life."

Neji gave a dark chuckle at this. He highly doubted it was the Akatsuki leader that gave Naruto this intel. "Yet, here we are wondering why Naruto is doing this. It's a no brainer. If you ask me, Naruto stayed here a lot longer than many others that had problems with the village. He did it with a lot more dignity too. Not dragging his peers to come 'retrieve' him either. Almost killing them in the process. Not caring if they were dead or not-"

Itachi finally gave Neji a sharp stare, "That's enough from you."

Neji looked indifferent to this and opened Kakashi's door, "I'm done with these meetings. You don't have to worry about me attending them anymore. Have a good day."

Kakashi sighed as he watched Neji leave. The way Neji was acting and just the overall weight that Neji looked like he was carrying on his shoulders was showing signs to Kakashi. Signs that he noticed from Ino and Shikamaru. "That makes three."


"Come on. It might look good on you Shikamaru. Just try it on."

Naruto gave Shikamaru a cheeky grin as he held up an Akatsuki cloak. He had gotten one for Shikamaru more so to make light of their situation, "Come onnnn. You already made the hardest decision of leaving Konoha. What's just adding a fashionable cloak?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at Naruto. He sat in Naruto and Hinata's bedroom in the Akatsuki lair. The two were waiting for Ino and Hinata. Hinata had to introduce Ino to Konan. She wanted her mentors approval of her dear friend, she had to go about it respectfully so Ino would fit in. Having a Yamanaka and a Nara. Really, who wouldn't want these two in the background making plans and calling plays. Naruto easily explained Shikamaru's resume and the young Nara was already put to work for the next village.

Konoha.

"Naruto. I do not want to wear that cloak. Unless I really, truly have to wear it so that psycho doesn't kill me. I will not be wearing it."

Naruto grinned at Shikamaru again and laughed at his comment. He swung his arm over Shikamaru's shoulder and continued to laugh at Shikamaru's seriousness. "What if he's not the psycho you have to worry about? Besides I think I like these cloaks."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at Naruto. His friend joked, but Shikamaru knew Naruto was 'that psycho'. He didn't need to be reminded who was playing that role perfectly here in the Akatsuki organization. "Stop goofing around. Who's the threat then Naruto?"

Naruto leaned into Shikamaru and whispered in his ear. Clearly not trusting his surroundings even though he's in his room. There was no real privacy here.

Shikamaru listened to Naruto and slowly nodded his head. "Now. This makes a lot of sense. Now this I expect from you. I can strategize and work with you a lot better now that I have this to work on too."

Naruto smiled and looked at Shikamaru. He backed away and reached out to give Shikamaru an honest hand shake, which his friend accepted. "I knew I could count on you. I really appreciate this Shikamaru. You and Ino, you guys didn't have to sacrifice what you have back at home just for me and Hinata."

Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders as if to brush off the emotional moment between him and Naruto. Like what him and Ino did was nothing of importance. Before he answered Ino and Hinata came into the room. Ino was holding Hinata's hand and Naruto watched as Hinata had a joyful smile on her face. It had been a while actually in the Akatsuki lair since Hinata has had such a breath taking smile.

That was usually reserved just for Naruto, in private.

Ino noticed Naruto's blazing stare and looked at him before sticking her tongue out, "Don't be so possessive Naruto. Hinata can be happy around other people. Be glad it's not around any of these other male testosterones around here. Especially that 'Tobi' character."

Naruto picked up on Ino's use of the word character when talking about Tobi. So, she could easily pick up on his fakeness as well. Leave it to Ino. Someone that masters studying someone's personality.

Naruto gave Ino a bright smile in which Ino just rolled her eyes at him.

Ino looked at the cloak Naruto had got for Shikamaru and touched it, "Hmm. Nice material. Not a bad design either." Shikamaru snatched the cloak from Ino and glared at her, "Lets focus shall we."

Shikamaru crossed his arms as he went into thought, "What did you have in mind for getting into Konoha?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders while looking at Shikamaru nonchalant, "We can't do Konoha how we've been doing the other villages? Shutting down the infrastructures and then attacking them when they're weak."

Shikamaru made a face like the idea was okay, but not ideal. "Eh. It's what they are expecting. Lady Tsunade and Konoha's defense are expecting you to attack their systems. They'll be waiting for you. Then you'll have to combat them sooner than you want to. You want to weaken them before attacking though since what they are expecting from you is to either attack them internally or come in with a bang."

So. If they don't hit Konoha's systems. What could they attack slowly that would lead to Konoha's guard to be crumbling down? Konoha is the prized piece. The village Naruto wants when all of this is said and done. The land they all want.

Shikamaru looked a little hesitant but spoke of an idea. "Hmm. I might be getting a little dark and twisted, but there is something a lot of Konoha's strongest ninja's have in common. Emotional trauma."

Naruto looked interested in this, "That's true. How are we going to exploit that though?"

Shikamaru looked at Ino, "Insomnia. Through the mind."

Naruto knew that Ino had the capability to enter one's mind frame, but multiple people. How would she do that? Shikamaru gave Ino a cocky grin, "Looking for a little bit of payback against our Hokage? Nothing crazy though."

Ino gave Shikamaru a bright, beautiful smile. He returned the affection before looking back at Naruto, "You have the chakra to make it happen Naruto. Provide some with Ino, and she could do an ultimate mind transfer. She could put some real demons in the people's minds and ruin their dreams. They won't be able to sleep. Constantly thinking of their past or loved ones. Let me break it down. If a human goes 24 hours with no sleep, then they'll have the same symptoms of someone drunk. 36 hours, they'll have a slower time reaction, reduced attention span and they'll start dozing off at random times. 48 hours, their immune system will start to weaken. 72 hours, the mood starts to change, can't process information, your stress and anxiety will multiply like crazy. So, if you and Ino could keep this up for a week straight. An attack against Konoha would be easy."

Naruto and Hinata blinked at Shikamaru. This right here was why Naruto wanted, if anyone, Shikamaru on his team. "I see you picking the Nara to join was a splendid idea."

Hinata turned to Konan's voice and smiled at her mentor, "Shikamaru and Ino has never failed us Konan-sama." Konan was standing in Naruto's doorway and came into the room, shutting the door behind her. She walked up to Hinata and patted her head before looking at Shikamaru and Ino.

"If you're able to figure this out. Then please, tell me what you have gathered about Tobi. I have no trust in him. I want nothing more than to expose him and open Pain's eyes to attack him as a group. One on one doesn't seem possible with him because he's too much unknown for me."

Shikamaru's eyes snapped over to Naruto and Hinata. Konan rolled her eyes at this, "Please. A lot of people choose to live with their heads in the ground, I am not one of those people. Everyone here is only here for their own agenda. They can lie all they want to skate by. You help me, and I won't have a problem overlooking your main goal."

Shikamaru didn't have enough care to ask what it was she wanted to gain from all of this. She seems more level headed and less tunnel vision orientated than Pain. "I just got here. I haven't gathered anything on this Tobi fellow. I can promise you while Ino and Naruto are working on Konoha, during that short time frame me and Hinata can get you some pretty good details on Tobi."

Hinata eyed Shikamaru when he said this before she looked at Ino. Her close friend eyed her confused for a moment before Ino saw that spark in Hinata's pupil less eyes and gave Hinata a small smile in return. Nodding her head to encourage her friend to go for it. Hinata was going to do something. Ino just knew it.

Naruto caught the exchange between Ino and Hinata. He frowned at this. He didn't like when Hinata kept secrets. Surely she would tell him about it tonight. He wouldn't sleep until he did find out.

Konan eyed Shikamaru for a few more moments before looking at Hinata, "I'm counting on it then." With that she turned to leave the bedroom. Leaving the four back in their solitude.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto with interest in his eyes, "Why is she here? She's not like everyone else here." Naruto let out a deep breath at the question, "I'll…have to tell you some other time. It's a lot that happened over time ya know. Me and Pain have a bond I'm not really sure I want to let go. Nata adores Konan too. I don't know Shikamaru. I wouldn't say we fit in here-"

Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders, "Ya kind of do. Not like the obvious heartless murderers floating around here, but to a certain point you fit in. Besides, what other way than this to get Konoha to hear you out. Hinata's not a villain. She's no one's lackey that they can use to pin this massacre on. Our chain of command has become toxic over time. I think it's time for a purge, and since they don't want to step down on their own, we make them."

Naruto arched a brow at Shikamaru, "We?"

Shikamaru looked at Naruto with a lazy smile that his friend ended up matching, "Yeah 'we'. I've picked my side. I have a long time ago."


Neji laid awake in his bed. The Hyuga compound was cleaned and cleared for him to return back about a month or so ago. Of course he would so rightfully return. Rooms that he wasn't allowed to explore before because of his social status, he roamed around now. He scrummaged through his uncles study and the amount of evidence that piled up on the Hyuga clans corruption was driving him insane.

He had so much pride for his clan. So much hope for them to get better.

Just to discover messages between his uncle and other socialites that nothing would change. That Hiashi was in fact going to continue the curse seal, even when he hinted to Neji several times that there was hope for change. How some of the businesses outside the village of Konoha that the Hyuga clan owned percentages in were also affiliated with Akatsuki. The same organization that was trying to destroy the village was getting funding from a business his family owned.

How many more? How many more sneaky, corrupted businesses and projects did the main family have in the background? Was that why they stayed on top? So wealthy.

At one point in Konoha's census, the Uchiha and Hyuga's were on top for wealth in the village. A lot of the corrupt businesses they were both in it together. Did the Hyuga clan plan on betraying the Uchiha clan this whole time? Or were they just so good in covering their tracks that Konoha only noticed the Uchiha clan betraying them.

Did Hinata know all of this? Surely if she did and she was trying to break free, this had to be the reason Hiashi was trying so adamantly to send her away and silence her. They beat her into submission in her younger years and now as an adult she was becoming untouchable. So that made sense why they sought to just send her off or place the caged bird seal on her.

All for greed and power.

Neji felt sick in this house. Yet. He was a Hyuga. He was related to this tainted family and he took part in hurting Hinata. No amount of apologies could fix that. Neji decided he would stay in this house, keep these secrets and die here. He deserved to be tormented until he died in this miserable compound.

Neji continued to lay in his bed and stare at the ceiling in his bedroom. Papers uncharacteristically thrown everywhere all over his floor. Surely when people finally find out, because there was no way only Hiashi had copies of these incriminating papers, they would want someone to blame for such a hideous corruption. Neji was all that was left. He'd stay here, held up in this room until they come to punish him. Use him as the fall guy, like they were going to use Hinata. Just to stop from a public uproar. Neji felt he deserved that punishment.

"You shouldn't be here Hinata-sama. They will surely detect you any moment. Everyone is on guard for you and Naruto's attack."

Hinata was silent in the corner of Neij's room in the dark. Her cool lavender eyes scanned his room as she saw piles of paper everywhere. "I should have told you. I'm sorry Neji."

Neji shook his head as he continued to stare at the ceiling. He looked utterly defeated, "What difference would that have done? What could I have done Hinata? I have the caged bird seal. They just would have killed me like they killed everyone else."

The two went back into a silence. Both basking in the misery of the Hyuga clan home, "Why are you here Hinata? Surely just being in this very home is giving you tormented memories. Just like it is giving me."

She didn't answer his question, "Did you know Neji? That Naruto-kun snuck into the Hokage's office to find out your high ranking mission schedules before I was denounced heir. The missions that couldn't be changed, even if father had requested it. When father told me he was going to take my title, I knew…I knew nothing good was going to happen that day. So I pleaded with him, if anything, to let me choose the date for this. He honored me that much. Probably thinking I was pitiful and trying to delay my judgement day. So, I picked a date I knew you wouldn't be in the village."

Tears welled up in Neji's eyes as he still wouldn't look at his cousin. He squeezed his eyes closed and his voice went horsed, "Why…why would you do that? Why do you care about me so much? I'm scum. Just like the rest of the family."

Hinata watched the silent tears roll down Neji's face. He was broken. He looked just like her when everything first happened. "Neji-nii-san. Please. Do not shut me out."

Neji could hear Hinata's voice break, only slightly before he heard her clear her throat to speak again, "We. We are all we have left. We cannot turn on each other, but please understand why I cannot come back to Konoha as an ally. Not yet."

Neji finally opened his eyes and turned to look at Hinata, "I wouldn't turn on you. I wouldn't dare do that. I understand, to a certain extent. I understand why you did what you did. I do not think you deserved to be labeled the person that destroyed the Hyuga clan. Our family did that perfectly on their own. I cannot save you anymore though Hinata. I wish I could, but I can't even save myself right now. Not here. Not in this cursed place we call home."

He heard Hinata let out a heavy sigh, she knew he was right. "Then, let me save you nii-san."

Neji looked at Hinata confused. He watched her walk out of the darkness in her Akatsuki cloak. The light from the moon shined on her and she had her cloak closed up to cover her mouth. Still, he could see her eyes. Her now frostbitten eyes, "What do you mean? How are you going to do that Hinata?"

Hinata reached her hand out to him. In a gesture to take his hand, "Come with me Neji."


End of chapter!

So, everything is kind of tumbling down for Konoha. Now it's just really about who can Tsunade really trust. When it comes to Neji, I kind of wanted to go back to the rude Neji from the original Naruto days. The blunt, analytic, just down right nice/nasty Neji lol. He just didn't give a damn lol.

I hope you guys like Shikamaru's plan. Anyone that has had some real sleep deprivation can relate lol. Well as always, let me know your thoughts and opinions!

See you next week!