Hiashi is not sure why the village elders feel it necessary to call a council meeting to discuss the new Kazekage, but he looks forward to seeing Fugaku's reaction to the Tenseigan. And the tomoe floating around Hiashi's neck. And the royal crown of the moon kingdom.
But then Fugaku walks in the door with a kitten clinging to the back of his shoulder, its little flat face looking out at at everyone. Fugaku, of course, looks dead serious.
Fugaku takes his seat at the council table, only to have Tsume Inuzuka and the kitten growl at each other with their teeth bared. "Quiet you two," orders Fugaku. "Hiashi, what the Kishimoto is up with those floaty things?"
"I am King of the Moon now," says Hiashi.
"Nice," says Fugaku, nodding. "And the glowing eyes?"
"Tenseigan. The Sage of Six Paths's brother's doujutsu."
"You know, we could form a club for people with supposedly nonexistent doujutsu," says Fugaku.
"Can we get on with the meeting?" interrupts Homura.
"Sure thing," says Fugaku. "What are we meeting about today?"
"The new Kazekage," says Homura. "The Sand have elected a child."
"That's their problem," says Fugaku. "Who is it?"
"That boy named Gaara who was in the chunin exams."
Silence falls around the table. Finally, Choza says, "That's one hell of a promotion."
"He seemed like a good kid last time I saw him," says Fugaku, nodding. "And I am glad they got rid of Scumkage."
"Fugaku! Do not disrespect the Fourth Kazekage!" snaps Koharu.
"That's 'Lord Hokage' to you now, Honoured Elder," says Fugaku mildly, with undertones promising a swift death.
Koharu blinks a couple of times and does not look altogether happy. It seems the elders are not quite accepting of the fact that their favourite victim is now their boss.
"The elders do have a point," says Shikaku. "The Sand has made a bold move by forcing Rasa to step down and making his twelve year old son Kazekage in his place."
"So long as the kid can handle it, why shouldn't he be Kazekage?" says Fugaku. "Rather than cause an outcry, why don't we just sit back and watch how things in the Sand unfold?"
"Or we could seize the opportunity to make our presence felt in the Sand," suggests Homura. "They are weakened from their attempted invasion and no one would blame us-"
"No." Hiashi beats Fugaku to the punch. "We are not going to invade the Hidden Sand. Idiot."
All the other clan heads turn to give Homaru their best 'you total moron' eyebrow raises.
Losing interest in the Hidden Sand, Inoichi asks, "So Lord Fugaku, why is there a kitten on your shoulder?"
Fugaku turns his head and looks at the kitten, who turns and looks at Fugaku. "This is Peanut," says Fugaku. "He's Sasuke's kitten."
"But why is he on your shoulder?" asks Hiashi, who is curious about that.
"I may or may not have sneaked him into the hospital and gotten kicked out," says Fugaku, borrowing a phrase from Naruto.
Hiashi shamelessly points and laughs at Fugaku.
"We are not here to discuss that kitten," says Koharu sternly. "We are here to discuss the new Kazekage."
"Who the Sand chooses to lead them is not our problem," says Tsume, snarling at Peanut. "Why are we even having a meeting about it?"
"I dunno," shrugs Choza. "But while we're here, why don't we discuss that plan to build more housing in between the main town and the Uchiha compound?"
"Yes, let's do that," agrees Fugaku.
Neji is trying to discreetly edge out of the party. There is too much music and craziness for him to handle. The Hyuuga clan is many things, but for some reason they do not party. Just the very mention of the word 'party' makes Neji's auntie gasp and shudder. Neji is not sure what to do with himself, but the rest of Team Iruka and Naruto's Grandfather are having fun. Naruto is playing a lively tune on his violin (Neji had no idea he could play), Shisui is playing with Burifu, Arashi is sampling the food and Iruka is teaching some messy teens to waltz.
Neji glances round, sees a spot nearby that is empty of people, and heads off to sit there. Once he is comfortable, Neji watches the party. He wants to join in, but he has no idea what to do at a party.
Neji sees that Naruto is now playing a waltz so that the teens Iruka is teaching to waltz can dance to music. A few of the adults have joined in and are making fools of themselves. Naruto's Grandfather is one of these adults.
Neji looks over to see what Shisui is doing and sees Burifu give Shisui a stick of what looks like raw sugar cane. Neji wonders vaguely where she got it from.
Someone with a cup of something slides up beside Neji. "What's up, dude?" the redhead asks. "Trying to be the Party Pooper?"
"Um...what's a party pooper?" asks Neji.
The redhead stares at Neji with wide eyes. "Dude, dude, haven't you ever been to a party before?"
"Nooo…" Neji tries to inch away.
The redhead drapes his arm around Neji's shoulders and holds the cup under Neji's nose. "Drink up, dude! We gotta get you and your beautiful hair in the PARTY MOOD!"
"What is it?" asks Neji suspiciously.
"Just a little moonshine," grins the redhead. "Drink up."
"Well, my uncle is King of the Moon…" Neji is unsure whether he should drink this smelly stuff. Ah, what the heck? People probably drink this stuff all the time at parties. Neji drinks the whole cupful, and coughs at the foul taste.
"That's the spirit!" laughs the redhead. "Have another!"
Neji drinks this one down too. He feels a bit lightheaded. And free. Oh so free. And strong - like, he could take on an ARMY and he would WIN. Neji leaps to his feet. He looks around for someone to fight and sees Shisui, happily chewing on a piece of sugar cane. "I want." Neji points to the sugar cane.
Shisui hears him, turns and says, "Mine. Get lost."
"I want some. Give me some." Neji gets right up in Shisui's face.
"No." Shisui chomps up the rest and swallows it.
Burifu holds out a piece of sugarcane to Neji. "Have some," she says. Then she turns to the redhead. "Big Brother, did you give him the moonshine?"
"Yes," says the redhead. "He does not know how to party."
Neji knaws blissfully on his sugarcane. Shisui stares at Neji, his mouth open in a little 'o'. "Come my pupil," says Shisui, putting his hands on Neji's shoulders. "I will teach you to party like an Uchiha."
Arashi is trying not to forcibly separate the children in the camp from the smoking adults. And the drunk adults. And the entire party, really. This is not a child friendly environment.
Speaking of children…
Arashi looks over to see what Neji is doing. Neji and Shisui have their shirts off and are painting themselves with mud, and using the mud to stick flowers to their hair. Arashi sighs, thinking that maybe this party isn't so bad after all. Then Neji stands up and immediately falls over, only to get up and laugh.
Shisui laughs too and starts singing off key at the top of his lungs. Neji joins in, also off key, and starts dancing. Not just any dancing either: an impressionist dance crossed with ballet and the tango. Shisui keeps singing, and soon the entire camp is watching Neji dance. Naruto, deciding that this is great fun, joins in Shisui's song on his violin.
Arashi pushes through the crowd to where Burifu is standing beside a smug-looking young man. "What did you give them?" he demands. Something tells him these two are responsible for this mess.
"I just gave them some sugar cane," says Burifu, holding up a piece. "Do you want some?"
Arashi takes it and smells it. It is normal sugar cane. He turns to the young man, who is looking smugger by the second. "What did you give Neji?"
The young man's eyes widen in innocence. "Just some moonshine…"
"You gave him whiskey?" Arashi is not happy. "His father's gonna kill me if he finds out. And Shisui is on a sugar high."
"Want some?" asks the young man, shoving a cup of moonshine whiskey under Arashi's nose.
Neji finishes his dance and staggers up to a tree. "What you lookin' at?" he asks the tree. "You think my dancin's stupid? Fight me!"
Shisui laughs at Neji. "That tree doesn't have eyes!" then he runs up the tree and stands upside down on a branch. "Look!" he calls down everyone. "I'm a ninja!"
Arashi takes the moonshine whiskey.