Ch. 2: Leaving Home
A.N.: Warning – this part contains a rape scene. It is not graphic or explicit, but it happens.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.
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The red brick walls of Konoha were solid and strong, weathered and scarred by the attacks the village had sustained over the years. At the front gates, blocks of white stone framed huge doors, many times as high as a man. The doors themselves were heavy wood, several inches thick and painted a deep leaf green. Above them, the symbol of the Leaf was carved into the stone. Throughout Konoha's history, the gates had kept invaders from coming in. But on this night, they would not stop a silent figure from leaving.
Neji had passed through these gates many times on missions. They were as familiar to him as his own front door. But tonight, they felt terribly strange, because he would not be coming back.
It still felt unreal. Konoha was his home; more than that, it was his identity. Everyone knew and respected the Hyuuga clan of the Leaf village. Who would he be now? As he passed through the gates and started down the broad, moonlit dirt path, he had to force himself not to look back.
He traveled for a couple of hours before making camp for the night, staying in the shadows in case there were any bandits or bounty hunters nearby. He was not afraid of fighting them, but did not want to call attention to himself. Rising early the next morning, he made himself sit briefly in meditation. Although he was impatient to get going, he knew he needed to empty his mind so that he could focus on his future.
The questions ran through his mind as he resumed traveling. Where was he going? What did he want? The truth was that for all his determination he didn't really know yet.
Should he join Akatsuki? His soul rebelled against the idea of a life of crime. He did not shrink from the idea of killing people in battle – though he had never actually killed anyone – but taking a life in defense of your country was one thing. Doing it for personal gain was very different.
Still, it had been good enough for Uchiha Itachi. As far as anyone knew he was still a member, so there was that.
There was another drawback to joining Akatsuki, though. He would no longer be able to fight in tournaments. Only recognized members of villages in good standing were eligible to compete. Neji kicked a stone from his path. It would be the sweetest revenge to return for the next tournament and decisively beat everyone from Konoha while representing some other village.
But which village? The closest major one was Cloud, but they were the ones that had killed his father. He hated them as much as he now hated the Main House Hyuugas. There were several smaller ones nearby, but most of them did not even have a ninja force. Undoubtedly they would have welcomed his presence, but it had a hollow feel to it, as if he were not truly destined for greater things.
He was no closer to answers by sunset, when he stopped in one of those small villages to get a meal and stay the night. The food was simple but filling, which was all he asked. Looking around the room as he ate, his attention was suddenly caught by a tall figure who stood with his back to Neji. The man had long black hair tied low in the Hyuuga style, but he was no one Neji recognized, and he was certainly not dressed like a Hyuuga. That huge purple bow tied around his waist – Neji would not have been caught dead in such a thing.
The man turned, his gaze sweeping over the room. He had very pale skin, even paler than the Uchihas, and strange snakelike golden eyes. Neji felt a vague glimmer of recognition, but he could not put a name to it. Who was this? Had they sent someone after him? He was a missing-nin now, a wanderer. If they were looking for him, it was probably because of what he had done to Hinata rather than because they could not live without him.
Now the man was making his way across the room in Neji's direction. Neji felt his skin prickle with anticipation. If they meant to take him back, they would certainly get a surprise.
The man stopped in front of Neji's table. "May I join you?" he asked in a low confident voice.
"Do I know you?" Neji asked coolly.
The man seated himself across from Neji, not waiting for an invitation. "Permit me to introduce myself. I am Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru!" Neji repeated in shock. So that was where he had seen him before. There were many pictures of the younger Orochimaru around Konoha.
The golden eyes narrowed. "You recognize my name, eh?"
"Of course," Neji said. "Everyone in Konoha knows your name. You were one of the most famous warriors of all time, until –" I'll just say it, he thought defiantly. He was not afraid of Orochimaru. "Until you betrayed the village and joined the Akatsuki gang."
He tensed slightly, wondering what Orochimaru's reaction would be, but Orochimaru only looked somewhat amused. "Ah, yes, my reckless younger days. That was a long time ago. Interesting to hear what my reputation in Konoha is." Leaning back in his chair, Orochimaru signaled the waiter to refill the teapot. "Would you like to hear the whole story?"
Ordinarily Neji was not one to listen to people's long boring life stories, but tonight he had nowhere else he had to be and nothing he had to do. Besides, if Orochimaru were still an S-class criminal, Neji thought he might be able to capture the wily snake and bring him back to the village. That might mitigate their anger over his treatment of Hinata – maybe even show them they had made a mistake. "Why not?" he said.
Orochimaru took a sip of tea. "My parents died when I was young. I was mostly raised by my sensei, Sarutobi – the old man who is the current Hokage of Konoha."
Neji nodded impatiently. He knew who Sarutobi was.
"I was his best student. I could do things no one else could do. He treated me like one of his sons. Until it came time to name the new Hokage." Neji could hear an edge of bitterness creep into Orochimaru's voice. "It should have been me. I expected it would be me. But he passed me over completely in favor of Minato Namikaze – not even one of my teammates, but a student of one of them."
Neji's mouth felt dry. He poured himself some more tea and drank half of it.
"Shortly thereafter," Orochimaru continued, "we were attacked by the South Country, and Minato was killed in the attack. I thought the old man would not make the same mistake twice. Now at last it was my turn. But no. Instead of picking me, his finest warrior, Sarutobi crawled out of retirement and took the post himself."
Neji heard a crack. Looking down, he saw that he had snapped the wooden chopsticks in half.
"So I left the village," Orochimaru said, looking at him with knowing eyes, "and joined the Akatsuki."
"Is that really the best way to make a name for my – yourself?" Neji demanded. "By becoming a criminal?"
Orochimaru shrugged that off. "Many people have joined the Akatsuki, for many reasons. But I am not here to recruit for the Akatsuki. At any rate, I left them a long time ago."
"Why?"
"The Akatsuki, for all its notoriety, is really not all that different from any form of government. There is a hierarchy. There are rules you must follow. You are carrying out missions with someone else's goals in mind. After a while, I had had enough. So I left the Akatsuki. I gathered a few people who... thought as I did, and headed for the South Country. There is a lot of open land out there. Some of it is desert, of course, but we managed to find a green unoccupied area. There I founded my own village, Otokagure. That was 10 years ago, and now, I am not bragging when I tell you that we are a major power."
"Why did you go to the South?" Neji asked curiously. "I've always heard that only barbarians live there."
The snakelike eyes hooded. "The South affords... opportunities you cannot find in the North." Orochimaru leaned forward. "But I am doing all the talking. What about you? You are from the Hyuuga clan, I see. What brings you out here alone? Are you on a mission?"
Neji shifted in his seat. "I would rather not say," he said stiffly.
"You are Hyuuga Neji, am I right? I heard you put on rather a spectacular show in the tournament."
Neji felt both flattered and wary. "Heard it from who? And how do you know who I am?"
"I have my ways," Orochimaru said smoothly. "Anyway, congratulations. I am sure you will be highly celebrated by your clan."
"You think so?" Neji said bitterly. "Apparently you do not know much about the Hyuuga clan."
"Oh, I know quite a bit about the Hyuuga clan. Remember, I was born and raised in Konoha just as you were." Orochimaru sat back. "So there is still bad blood between the Main and Branch houses, I see."
Neji's first thought was that he had said too much. But why should he owe the clan any loyalty, after what they had done to him?
"Let me be blunt," Orochimaru said, regarding him appraisingly with those golden eyes. "It would be a terrible shame if a talent such as yours were not allowed to blossom to its fullest."
Neji took a sip of his tea. It had gone cold.
"My village – Otokagure, the Sound – is prosperous and powerful. My clan is thriving. I have done well in the South. As for the people, yes, there are barbarians everywhere. I could use a strong warrior like you."
A strong warrior. A new village – a chance to prove himself, without the burden of history and clan rules. A chance to be appreciated for who he was, not undermined and pushed aside.
But the South Country! He had always heard the most terrible tales... the people had no morals, they were degenerate and dirty... they kept slaves, sacrificed children, worshiped demons...
And Orochimaru was a wanted criminal. But was Neji really that different? He could relate, all too well, to that story…
"You don't have to decide anything now," Orochimaru said. "Sleep on it, and if you're interested you can let me know in the morning." He stood up and carelessly tossed some money on the table, enough to cover Neji's bill as well as his own tea.
"You don't have to -" Neji began indignantly, but Orochimaru was already walking away.
Neji sat still, a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions churning inside him. He had the sense of being on a precipice, wondering if he should jump or not.
He could, of course, let Orochimaru believe he was interested and instead plan an ambush…try to capture or kill him…return to Konoha with the body, beg forgiveness from the Hyuuga elders and try to accept his fate…
Or he could have a new life as a warrior for the Sound.
Sleep on it, Orochimaru had said. Neji would do that, but deep down inside, he knew he did not need to. He knew what his answer would be.
###
Neji shifted on the hard dirt floor of the stable, trying to find a more comfortable position. The cry of a bird cut through the night air, startling him. He took a deep breath, willing himself not to be so jumpy.
He remembered seeing some bales of straw against the back wall. Maybe he could use them to cushion the floor a little. He had no weapon to cut the cords that bound them, but little by little, working stealthily and slowly, he managed to work enough armfuls free to make a sort of pallet on the floor, and provide some cover as well. His ribs were aching when he finished. He sat with an arm pressed to his side, breathing hard, and tried to formulate a plan.
It would be easier if he knew which way he wanted to go. But other than the obvious method of following the North Star, he had no clear idea of which route to take. He would have to avoid the most conspicuous ones, of course. He just wished he were sure of the way that they had come. But he had been so out of it for the second half of the journey. The South Country was still as foreign to him as it had ever been.
###
At first the journey had been exciting and enjoyable. He had been interested to see the changes in the landscape, from the heavily wooded and mountainous areas of Leaf, to the sharper cliffs and fog that surrounded Cloud, to the flatter, more open countryside where long fields of rice and soybeans stretched out.
There was a team from Konoha tracking Neji, as he was now a missing-nin. Neji found this both satisfying and somewhat unnerving. He certainly did not want to be dragged back to Konoha in dishonor. But Orochimaru, being a seasoned missing-nin himself, knew which back roads and shortcuts to take, and which innkeepers were corrupt and could be bribed to say they had seen nothing.
They went on horseback, as it was far too long a trip to make on foot. It took Neji a couple of days to adjust to this new mode of travel - in city-like Konoha, everyone walked everywhere - but it was not his first time in the saddle, and he soon became a passable rider. This was a necessary skill, Orochimaru informed him, as the South country villages were much more sprawling and vast, and you needed a horse to get around.
Orochimaru, although somewhat mysterious, was not bad company. He questioned Neji extensively about his life and training, and assured him that he would certainly be the leader of a team, maybe even have a higher position, in the Sound village. Those were sweet words, words Neji had been waiting all his life to hear. Orochimaru readily answered Neji's questions about the training facilities and fighting abilities of the Sound forces. The only time he was not forthcoming was when Neji mentioned the name Uchiha Itachi. About Itachi he would only say that he had encountered him briefly in Akatsuki, and yes, Itachi was very powerful.
The one thorn in Neji's side was Orochimaru's personal assistant and physician, Yakushi Kabuto. The son of a doctor who had been adopted by Orochimaru, Kabuto was unquestionably smart, but his constant obsequious fawning over "Lord Orochimaru" annoyed Neji. If, in Kabuto's opinion, Neji presumed or demanded too much, Kabuto would scold him for not showing sufficient respect. This raised Neji's hackles, and they would have sharp words, until Orochimaru stepped in to chide them with a purred, "Boys, boys, don't fight."
They were a little more than halfway there when Neji began to feel strangely lightheaded and drowsy. He found himself nodding off, and once even almost slipped from the horse's back. Worse, he was finding it difficult to maintain his train of thought.
"It is the Desert Sickness," Kabuto said, exchanging a knowing glance with Orochimaru.
Neji frowned. "What is…that?"
"It happens to North Country people when they first come to the South Country," Orochimaru explained. "They aren't used to the South Country air. It can take a few days, but you'll get over it soon."
"It seems to hit the weaker ones particularly hard," Kabuto put in maliciously. Neji glared sleepily at him.
"Not true, Kabuto," Orochimaru reprimanded him. "It actually seems that the more high-bred you are, the harder it hits you. Something in the blood."
Well, I am a Hyuuga, Neji thought. You can't get much more high-bred than that. A vague suspicion stirred itself in the back of his mind, but he felt too lethargic to care.
As they traveled deeper into the South Country, Neji's Desert Sickness worsened, to the point where he could no longer keep his eyes open or carry on a coherent conversation. Orochimaru had to procure a cart for Neji to lie in, pulled by his horse. Neji felt mortified by this, but only dimly, as if it were happening to someone else. Mostly he just wanted to sleep. They let him be for the most part, only waking him from time to time to swallow a rice ball or some tea.
They arrived at the Sound village late in the evening. Neji thought they had been traveling for a couple of weeks or more – though as he was barely conscious through most of it, he could not really be sure. As they approached a large, fortress-like building, they were met by an impressive phalanx of guards and servants. Neji was impressed. Evidently Orochimaru had been telling the truth when he said he was powerful and prosperous.
Kabuto took over, barking out orders and handing off the horses. Orochimaru walked over to where Neji was sitting up groggily in the cart.
"Welcome to the Sound village. Can you walk?"
"Of course I can walk," Neji said huffily, though he was not at all sure of that. He followed Orochimaru into the large front room of the bunker, where they were greeted by a young woman with a round face, dark almond eyes, "My wife, Anko," Orochimaru said. Neji was surprised. Anko looked young enough to be his daughter. "Anko-chan, we have an honored guest. This is Hyuuga Neji."
Neji heard the exultant note in Orochimaru's voice with some pride. So the Hyuuga warriors were indeed known and revered everywhere, as he had always been told. He bowed to Anko and was hit by a wave of dizziness so intense that he was forced to stay that way for several seconds, leaning his hands on his knees. When he straightened up, he saw consternation etched on Anko's features. Perhaps she did not have much experience with the Desert Sickness, he thought.
Anko brought them some tea and sweets, and then Orochimaru showed Neji to his room. It was rather ornate, which was not at all Neji's style. He disliked ostentation. He disliked sweets as well, but it didn't really matter. He had arrived. He was beginning his new life.
He was awakened the next morning by voices outside his room. "Are you kidding me? A fuckin White-Eyes?" a girl's voice said.
Neji decided he must not have heard that right. Yes, of course he had white eyes, but what was so unusual about that? All the Hyuugas did.
Over the course of the day, he met members of Orochimaru's family: Jirobou, a large scowling man with a partially shaved head; Tayuya, the redheaded, foulmouthed girl he had heard speaking earlier; and the twins Sakon and Udon, identical with their pale hair and crooked smiles. He learned that Anko was Orochimaru's second wife, his first wife having died of a blood disease. Orochimaru's firstborn son Kimimaro had inherited the disease.
Like Orochimaru, they all wore white tunics with giant purple bows. Their headbands bore the symbol of the Sound, which was a single musical note. Neji realized with a pang that he would have to give up the Leaf symbol and take the Sound. He was definitely not putting on that ridiculous purple bow, though. He might give up his allegiance to Konoha, but he was not giving up his dignity.
Orochimaru had to leave again the next morning, as he had business somewhere else. He told Neji to rest, and ordered his family to watch over Neji in case he needed anything. Neji mostly slept. He felt ashamed of his weakness; he would have liked to show them his skills. He was also a little concerned that he was still so ill. But Orochimaru had said that the Desert Sickness often took a week or more to get over.
Orochimaru's family was not particularly friendly. They took shifts by his door, and they brought him food and a basin for washing, but they rarely spoke to him, and when they did, he heard derision in their voice. It was infuriating, but he told himself it did not matter what they thought. He would concentrate on getting well, and then he would show them the true strength of a Hyuuga warrior.
Early the next day, he was drowsing in his room, half listening to Tayuya play her flute outside his door. The sound of horses whinnying and a man's voice calling orders came from outside. Tayuya's flute playing ceased.
"Here, fatty," he heard her call to Jirobou. "Kidoumaru's back. Come guard this motherfucker so he doesn't run away."
"Shut up, Tayuya, and don't call me that," Jirobou grumbled, taking his place by the door.
Run away? Neji thought. Why would he run away, after having traveled so far to get here? He could hear Tayuya and some man talking. This was presumably Orochimaru's other son, the one he had not yet met. He pushed himself up to sit crosslegged on the bed
Footsteps sounded, and then someone was leaning into his doorway. Tall, deeply tanned, with shrewd dark eyes and black hair pulled up into a spiky ponytail. He was dressed the same as the others, but his tunic was sleeveless, showing off his long muscular arms.
"Hey," he said with a wolfish grin. "I'm Kidoumaru."
Neji stood and gave a little bow. "Hyuuga Neji."
Kidoumaru looked him up and down. His eyes caught and held Neji's. "Well, welcome, Neji. I bet we'll have a lot of fun together."
Neji felt a wave of heat sweep over his body. He could not seem to look away, or speak.
"Well, I gotta go unpack," Kidoumaru said. He winked at Neji. "Later."
Neji sat on the bed, feeling stunned. Something new was happening to him, something that made his heart race and his body tingle all over. He had never felt this before. Lee was always swooning over some girl, and even tomboy Tenten had said the Uchiha kid was cute, but Neji had never had the slightest interest in anyone in that way.
Now, his whole body felt suffused with it, this heat, this – desire.
A little later, he watched Kidoumaru from his window, lounging on the stones outside with his brother and sister.
"I'll take the late shift," he heard Kidoumaru say.
Jirobou frowned. "Don't touch him, Kidoumaru. You always like to play with them."
"We can't sell Used merchandise," Sakon put in.
What are they talking about? Neji wondered confusedly. He supposed they meant sparring. He wished he had the energy to do that, or even to walk outside. He wanted…
… he didn't even know what he wanted, only that it involved Kidoumaru.
As he had said he would, Kidoumaru returned for the late shift, stepping into Neji's room with a conspiratorial grin.
"Pssst, Neji." He spoke in a loud whisper. "How'd you like to get out of this room, get a little fresh air?"
Neji felt the same excitement, the same breathless anticipation, that he had felt before the tournament. "Definitely."
The cool night air felt good on Neji's skin. Above them, the stars were intensely bright. There seemed to be more of them than there were in Konoha.
"Just be quiet," Kidoumaru warned as they crossed the yard. "We're not supposed to be doing this."
"That's a little much," Neji said impatiently. "I'm not a complete invalid like Kimimaro."
He wondered if Kidoumaru would take offense at this reference to his brother, but Kidoumaru instead threw back his head and laughed.
"You're a feisty one, Neji. I'm going to enjoy playing with you."
"I wish I didn't have this sickness. When I'm better, we can spar. I'll show you all my moves."
Kidoumaru gave a low chuckle. "You can show me some moves right now." He slid an arm around Neji's waist. "Follow me."
Neji followed. It seemed a long walk, but when he stumbled, Kidoumaru was there, half-carrying him along. They reached a heavily wooded area. Neji could no longer see the lights of the house.
Kidoumaru's grip around his waist tightened. Neji could feel his heart pounding, hard.
"Okay, take off your clothes," Kidoumaru told him.
"What?" Neji was sure he had not heard that correctly.
Kidoumaru grasped Neji's shirt, tugging it over his head. Shocked, Neji tried to push him away, but his muscles had no strength.
"What are you doing?"
"Come on," Kidoumaru said, sounding impatient. "I saw you staring at me all day. Isn't this what you want?"
No…yes…no…"I…" Neji blinked. He was feeling dizzy again.
"What do you think they brought you here for?"
"They brought me here to be a warrior for the Sound!" Neji said sharply. "Not to –"
Kidoumaru's laughter was like an iron spike through Neji's gut. He turned to run, but his legs did not work, and he stumbled.
Then Kidoumaru was on him, and he seemed to have six hands at once.
###
He didn't want to think about what had come next. When he thought about it, his mind filled with a hot red flame of rage and humiliation, so strong he thought it might burn him alive.
###
… Kidoumaru's rough hands on him, tearing his clothes…Kidoumaru grabbing his hair…
"You think you're some big-shot warrior, pretty boy?" Kidoumaru breathed into Neji's ear. "Your kind is only good for one thing – to be a slave. That's what you were brought here for, so shut up and give me a taste."
Neji tried to pull away. Kidoumaru knotted Neji's hair around his fist, yanking Neji's head back, hard. The pain was unbelievable, and Neji cried out, but then a moment later he knew what true pain was.
###
He realized he was shaking. He dug his nails into his arm, trying to focus on that discomfort instead of the memories…
###
Afterwards, Kidoumaru dragged Neji back to the house and dumped him in his room without a word.
Neji sat hugging his knees to his chest. "Give me back my clothes," he whispered.
Kidoumaru smirked. "Nah... I think I'll hold onto these. In case you take it into your pretty head to try to run away." He winked at Neji before strolling away.
Neji crawled onto the bed and wrapped himself in the blanket, turning his back on all of them. He closed his eyes, but he did not sleep. As terrible as the night had been, it had accomplished one thing. It had woken Neji up. For the first time in weeks, he could think clearly. The excruciating physical and emotional pain he felt had cut through the fog he was under. He understood now, all too well, what had been going on.
Orochimaru's extravagant promises... the contempt of his family... the guards at Neji's door... his supposedly reaction to breathing the air - the air! Air was air, the same everywhere. How stupid could he have been?
"Desert Sickness, my ass," he muttered.
They had been drugging him.
They meant to make him a slave.
He seethed with humiliation at how easily he had been tricked, how expertly Orochimaru had played him. How they must have laughed at his aspirations to lead a team or a Force, knowing what his real fate was meant to be. Kidoumaru's cruel words etched themselves like acid in his memory.
He wanted to kill them all. NOW. Wanted to rip their chests open with his bare hands and tear their still-beating hearts out before their eyes. Wanted to wrap those ridiculous purple bows around their necks until their bones and windpipes were crushed and they gasped for air, then douse them with oil and set them aflame. The rage he had felt toward Hinata and the Hyuuga elders was nothing compared to this. Oh, for his father's sword! Then they would be the ones who knew pain, as they were sliced in half, gutted like fish, bleeding and screaming in terror…
He pressed both fists against his forehead. The revenge fantasies still crowded in, but he forced himself to think. He did not have much time. Realistically, he knew, he could not possibly fight them off right now, in his weakened state. He would have to bide his time for a few hours, until the drugs wore off.
All that night he plotted. The idea of killing everyone still appealed to him greatly, but rationally, he knew that the more important thing was to escape from this hellish village. The key, he knew, lay in the one name he never wanted to hear or think about again: Kidoumaru. Kidoumaru was greedy. Kidoumaru liked to play with the captives. Kidoumaru believed Neji was weak and unable to fight.
The next day, he only pretended to eat and drink, holding the food in his mouth and bringing the glass fumblingly to his lips, until the guard got bored and wandered away. Then, in an instant, he shoveled the food into a napkin, taking care to leave a little so it would not look suspicious, and hid it beneath the mattress. The tea he poured out into the wash basin. When the guard returned Neji was lying back on his pillows, watching through slitted eyes as he pretended to doze.
He had a few moments of doubt, when at midmorning he still felt groggy and slow. What if he was mistaken about the drugs; what if there really was something wrong with him? But by afternoon he could feel the sharpness returning to his mind.
When Kidoumaru came, he would be ready.
It was a few hours after night fell that Kidoumaru arrived to relieve Jirobou, who was guarding the door. As before, he lounged in the doorway. "Hey. Pretty Boy."
Neji gazed at him dully, trying to look helpless. The sight of Kidoumaru revolted him; he could not believe he had ever found that attractive.
"Wanna," Kidoumaru leered at him, "take a walk again?"
Neji shrugged sullenly. He couldn't seem too eager. After a moment, he rose from the bed.
"So, you want a little more, eh?" Kidoumaru chuckled.
Neji clenched his fists so he would not punch Kidoumaru then and there. He had to be patient, wait until they were well into the woods, off the house grounds, out where he could escape. In silence, he followed Kidoumaru, keeping the blanket wrapped around himself.
"You won't need that," Kidoumaru said.
Neji ignored him. There was no way in hell he was walking through the woods naked with Kidoumaru.
They reached the spot in the woods they had been at yesterday. Neji felt like he might be sick. He forced himself to put it out of his mind and pretended to lean sleepily against a tree.
Kidoumaru reached for the blanket, smirking –
Neji gripped it and yanked it toward him, pulling Kidoumaru along with it. Then he struck, unleashing a volley of kicks and punches. Kidoumaru swore loudly, trying to block Neji's attack. He was larger and stronger, but Neji had the element of surprise on his side.
Kidoumaru's expression was a mix of shock, anger and excitement. "So," he growled, "you want to play. Okay then…let's have some fun."
Play? Fun? Neji was fighting for his life, fighting with a ferocious tenacity that even he had not thought himself capable of. With a malevolent grin, Kidoumaru lunged at Neji, a hand outstretched to grab hold of his hair again, but Neji spun away, too quick for him.
He would never let Kidoumaru – or anyone else – grab his hair like that again. He would never let anyone, ever, touch him like that again.
He realized he had used the Kaiten, that it was a useful defense not only against a sword, but in hand to hand combat as well. Again and again, he used it to deflect Kidoumaru's blows, striking back with movements too fast for Kidoumaru to follow.
But for all his skills, Neji was taking a beating. Not only was Kidoumaru bigger, older and more experienced, he was also a much dirtier fighter than Neji, accustomed to tournament rules, was used to. And Neji was still feeling some of the effect of the drug and of not having eaten all day. He was trying to get in close to use the Gentle Fist, but Kidoumaru kept him at arm's length, kicking and throwing him. Kidoumaru slammed him to the ground and Neji felt a sharp stone slice his back. Desperation washed over him. He could not fight off Kidoumaru forever.
A sudden image of Hinata flashed in his mind, the way she had kept getting back up during their fight, staggering to her feet again even as she knew she was beaten. If she could do it, he thought grimly, so could he.
He leaped at Kidoumaru and this time was able to connect with a direct hit on Kidoumaru's right shoulder. Kidoumaru fell back, his expression turning ugly as he realized he would not be able to use that arm.
"You're dead, you little white-eyed freak!" he snarled at Neji. With his left hand, he snatched up a heavy branch that was lying in the path. Neji thought he meant to use it as a club, and raised his arms to block, but instead Kidoumaru used it as a spear, striking brutally at Neji's chest. Neji had no way to evade the blow; he could only twist his body so that he took the brunt of it in his side.
The impact knocked the wind out of him, and for a minute he feared he would black out from the pain. He knew his ribs must be cracked, maybe broken. He fell to the ground, a hand clutching his chest, his head down. His only chance now, he knew, lay in making Kidoumaru think he was defeated. Through half open eyes he could see Kidoumaru standing several feet away, wiping blood from a cut over his eye.
"This was fun all right," Kidoumaru said. "But the game is over." Neji stayed still. Kidoumaru eyed him cautiously for a few moments, then started walking slowly toward him. Neji gritted his teeth. No matter what happened, even if this was the end for him, he would not give up.
He had never tried this before on a living person, but it was his last hope. With everything he had, he focused all his energy into the palm of his hand.
He felt rather than saw Kidoumaru bend over him, and then Neji struck. One, two, three, four…eight lightning-fast jabs at the muscle and tissue surrounding Kidoumaru's heart, and then a final, fatal slam with his open palm.
Kidoumaru's eyes bulged in shock. He clawed at his chest, the color draining from his face.
Neji stared into his eyes for one last moment. "I am a warrior, asshole," he panted.
Kidoumaru dropped to his knees. "Curse…you…" he whispered hoarsely. Blood bubbled up from his lips. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he tumbled over and lay still.
Neji stood stunned for a moment, before his legs gave way and he sank to the ground. He did not know how long he sat there, staring at Kidoumaru's motionless body. Finally he thought to get up and feel for a pulse. There was none. Kidoumaru was dead.
He had fled all that night, adrenaline and sheer determination carrying him onward. Knowing they would expect him to be going back to the North, he traveled south instead, although he had no idea what kind of lands were there.
One thing he did know: the South Country people were as despicable and depraved as the rumors and stories he had always heard growing up. They did keep slaves; they would do horrible things to you if they caught you. It was all true.
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His stomach growled, reminding him of how long it had been since he had had a solid meal. If he was to have the strength to make the journey back from the South Country, he would need more than the rotten apple half he had found. He hadn't seen any rivers or lakes to fish in. Perhaps he could trap some small animal, although the idea of eating it raw revolted him.
He froze as he heard footsteps and voices, coming nearer to the old stable. He could see flickering lights and make out at least two voices, both male. Were they sent by Orochimaru; were they looking for him? Neji's skin prickled all over, and he clenched his fists. He would not go back there! He would take his own life rather than ever let Orochimaru have him again.
Letting out a silent breath, he willed himself to calm down and assess the situation. The voices sounded casual, the footsteps unhurried, more like a couple of men passing by than a search party for a wanted fugitive. Even if they weren't connected with Orochimaru, though, he couldn't be sure that they wouldn't turn him in if they found him, out of fear of Orochimaru or in hopes of some reward money. His best bet was to lay low until they were past.
The footsteps came nearer, into the stable now, still moving slowly, the light swinging in lazy arcs. Whoever it was wasn't looking too hard, not even opening the stall doors. He told himself to keep calm, keep silent. It was quite possible he would not even be discovered.
"Anything?" he heard the one outside call in a bored tone. The one with the lantern was turning, ready to leave. Another moment and they would be gone and he would have earned a reprieve.
Then the one holding the lantern lifted it, so that Neji caught a glimpse of him. Tan skin, dark eyes, dark hair pulled up into a high, spiky ponytail…
Kidoumaru?
Involuntarily, Neji gasped and almost cried out. His heart was racing. Of course – of course it could not be Kidoumaru, Kidoumaru was dead, he had to get himself under control, he had to be careful –
But it was too late. They had heard him.
The footsteps came nearer and nearer. Neji willed himself to stay still, wait, see who these men were and how difficult it would be to beat them. He would not make a move until he had to.
Slowly, cautiously, the stall door was pushed open. The lantern shone in Neji's eyes, blinding him momentarily.
"Holy crap!" a voice said.
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A.N.: Wow, that was a hard one to write! I really didn't like putting Neji through that. But things will get better soon. I totally deserve some reviews for all that hard work and suffering, doncha think? ;) Whatever your opinion, let me know, it's all good