Chapter 6: The Banquet
A.N.: Sorry it has taken me so long to update (it's a nice long chapter tho!) My schedule has changed and I don't have as much time to write as I'd like. Darn work, getting in the way of my fanfics! ;-p
I meant to put this at the end of the last chapter…the deer painting in Shikamaru's bedroom was inspired by (and adapted from) a haiga by Nakajima Kaho.
Shadowed Night Sky, I felt weird referring to Tsunade as the Kazekage too – I kept writing "Hokage" and having to change it! But I love Tsunade and wanted to use her & Jiraiya.
Owl-soldier, welcome to the wonderful world of Yaoi!
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.
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"So I have to act as a Pet. What do Pets act like?"
"Hell if I know," Nara Shikamaru said. "I don't really know them, and the one I do know is kind of obnoxious and weird."
It was evening, and they were getting ready to go to the banquet that would determine Neji's fate. Neji was wearing (after much resistance) one of Nara Shikamaru's formal kimonos. It galled him to wear the symbol of some other clan, but there was really no other choice, it seemed.
"We're undercover, we're playing a part," Nara-san repeated to him for probably the hundredth time that afternoon. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as Neji; certainly he did not look at all happy about any of this.
Neji hated the whole plan, but as he had admitted before, he didn't have a better one, other than simply trying to kill Orochimaru and as many of his clan as possible. He had to concede that Nara-san was not a complete idiot. He had been able to think on his feet pretty well in there with Kabuto.
A loud clatter sounded from down the hall, and Nara Yoshino's angry voice could be heard. There had apparently been a huge scene earlier, which Neji had mostly missed because he was back in the holding cell. Now he was in Nara Shikamaru's bedroom getting dressed, and she was banging pots and pans around in the kitchen, having refused to go to the banquet.
"Come on, honey," Shikaku was heard urging. "You know it'll be a feast tonight. Jiraiya's banquets are always incredible. The best of every –"
"Lots of sake, you mean! Sake and everyone laughing at us behind their hands because we've dragged the Nara name through the dirt!" Her voice got even louder, causing both Neji and Shikamaru to wince. "AND SPEAKING OF DIRT, WHO TRACKED SAND ONTO MY CLEAN FLOOR?"
"Your mother yells a lot," Neji observed to Shikamaru.
Shikamaru sighed. "Yeah…I guess yours doesn't?"
Neji started to say, "Of course not," but stopped as he realized he didn't really know. His mother had died of complications of childbirth. His only memories were of his father, and he too had died when Neji was young. He had been too proud – and too angry – to ask his uncle to tell him stories of his parents. Certainly, he could not imagine a Hyuuga woman screeching like a fishwife. But he wondered now, what she had been like, and if he was like her at all.
A sudden sense of desolation overtook him as he realized he would probably never know. Here in this strange place, with this strange family, getting ready to publicly dishonor his clan and not really knowing if he would live or die…every step he took seemed to carry him further and further away from his home, his history, all that he was.
But wasn't that what he had wanted?
Footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and a moment later Nara Shikaku leaned in the doorway, scowling in a long-suffering way. "Almost ready? Get your horses, I'll meet you outside."
Neji followed Nara Shikamaru out and across the courtyard. "What's your horse like?" Shikamaru asked him as they approached the stables.
"Excuse me?"
"Your horse…back home. I'll try to pick one with a similar personality."
"Personality…?" Neji repeated in complete befuddlement. Seeing Nara-san's equally confused look, he said, "We don't generally use horses, except on really long missions. And how would it have personality?"
Shikamaru blinked a couple of times, as if he was trying to take this in. "You walk everywhere?"
"Why not? We are in good fighting shape, and not inclined to be so lazy."
Shikamaru shrugged that off. "We walk to things in town, like the Kazekage's office, but her house is pretty far, on the outskirts of Suna. It's easier to ride, and it's more…respectable, than showing up on foot like a wandering beggar."
They had reached the stables. This was a much larger building than the one Neji had been hiding in, probably housing over twenty horses. Nara-san's horse was a majestic-looking black stallion. It tossed its head and sniffed the air when it saw Neji.
"Easy, Shadow," Shikamaru told him. From his kit bag, he produced an apple and held it out for the stallion. The neighboring horses turned their heads, regarding the apple with interest as Shadow munched on it.
Nara Shikamaru surveyed the horses. "Since you haven't ridden before, we should get you an easy one…"
"I have ridden," Neji said huffily. "How do you think I got here from the North Country?"
Nara-san turned to look at him questioningly. "I thought you were kidnapped and drugged."
Neji cursed himself for the slip. He crossed his arms, meeting Nara-san's gaze. "I was – able to ride – part of the way," he said coldly.
Nara-san's dark brown eyes studied him a moment longer, before he turned away to check out the available horses. Neji felt shaken. Would they still stick up for him so readily if they knew he had come with Orochimaru of his own free will? Or would they wash their hands of the whole business and pack him off to Otogakure? He still didn't see what they were getting out of all this. It was all well and good to talk about principles, but in his experience, people usually looked out for themselves.
As he would do. They were useful to him for now, but he owed them no loyalty.
"Bo's a good one for a beginner," Nara Shikamaru said, stopping in front of a large brown horse. "He's pretty easygoing."
Neji didn't really get this personality thing. From what he had seen with his uncle and Orochimaru, a horse was a means of transportation, plain and simple. If it didn't cooperate, well, that was what a whip was for.
"Here," Nara-san said, handing Neji another apple. "Give him this, and then you can saddle him up."
"I can saddle him up? You don't have stable boys?"
"Well, sure, but I think it's better to do it yourself…that way you get to know the horse and he gets to know you a little better."
"I have no desire to know this horse. Put a saddle on it and I will ride it."
Nara-san shook his head. "Typical rich kid…not wanting to get your hands dirty."
"Firstly," Neji snapped, "I am a shinobi. I have gotten my hands dirty many times. Secondly, your family is hardly poor. Thirdly, you should talk, as you seem exceedingly lazy. And finally, what is the point? Do you go into the kitchens and clean them in order to know the ovens?"
Nara Shikamaru opened his mouth to respond, then shut it again. The corners of his mouth twitched. "Touché." Neji had the impression that, far from being offended, Nara-san had actually enjoyed that little bit of verbal sparring. "But…have you ever saddled a horse yourself?"
Neji crossed his arms. "No, I have not. As I said, it is pointless."
Looking like he was trying to stifle a grin, Nara Shikamaru called to the stable boy to saddle up Bo (what a ridiculous name! Neji thought) while he did the same for Shadow. Not only was he saddling his own horse, Neji noted, he actually seemed to be carrying on a conversation with it, telling it they were going to the Kazekage's mansion for a troublesome business meeting.
When the horses were ready, Nara-san led them both out of the stable, with Neji following. He gestured toward the apple that Neji still held. "Okay, you can give that to him now."
Neji gingerly held it out.
"No, no, no…put it flat on your palm…otherwise he might bite you without meaning to."
Great. Now that Nara-san mentioned it, the horse's teeth were rather large. Neji stood stiffly, not wanting to show alarm, as Bo crunched the apple messily.
"See, Bo," Nara-san said, patting the horse's neck, "Hyuuga-san won't hurt you…he's a little strange, I know, but he's with us." He handed the reins to Neji and vaulted onto Shadow's back with a practiced ease. Neji followed his lead and managed to climb onto his horse without any mishaps.
"Why do you talk to the horses?" he demanded as they waited for Nara Shikaku to come out. "They can't understand."
"They can understand basic stuff," Nara Shikamaru said. "Horses are smart." He patted Shadow's neck. "Right, boy?" Shadow tossed his head in what might resemble a nod to someone superstitious enough to believe animals could understand human speech. Shikamaru grinned. "Anyway, this is nothing. You should see my friend Kiba…his clan considers their dogs part of the family."
"Hn." Neji realized something was missing. "You don't use a whip or a crop?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Most people do."
"Orochimaru, you mean." Nara-san's expression darkened. Neji realized he had seen that look before: in the Kazekage's office when Nara-san challenged Kabuto. It made him curiously reluctant to say that his clan also used the whip when necessary.
Instead he simply asked, "How do you make it obey you, then?"
"It's more like…I trust and respect him and he trusts and respects me. We understand each other."
"So you treat animals like people here, and you treat people like animals, making them Pets," Neji said acerbically.
Nara-san looked down, stroking his horse's neck. Neji guessed his taunt had struck home. Well, good.
Shadow whinnied and Bo shifted as well, causing Neji to grip the reins more tightly. Shikamaru looked up as his father rode toward them. As Nara Shikaku passed, Shadow started following him, seemingly without any command from Shikamaru.
Bo didn't move.
Now here, Neji thought in irritation, is where a whip would come in handy. Apparently, Bo was the equine equivalent of Nara Shikamaru. Neji tried nudging the horse with his feet. Nothing. Bo put his head down, placidly munching some straw on the ground.
Nara Shikamaru turned his head to look at them. "Bo," he said chidingly, and clucked his tongue. Bo began walking. Shikamaru shot Neji a look.
Not for the first time, Neji decided this South Country kid was entirely too full of himself.
They rode past the outbuildings and several other round buildings that Neji could see further off, finally emerging onto a larger main road. This appeared to encircle the town, as they passed some other clusters of buildings on their way, all of which were the same reddish color and rounded shape. After awhile the road narrowed out, threading its way through huge, jagged outcroppings of rock that were striated with shades of red, ocher and purple. The sun at their backs cast deep shadows that they passed in and out of as the road wound around.
Never mind another country, Neji thought, this was like being on a whole other planet. His sense of unreality increased.
He was beginning to see the need for the horses. They had traveled three or four miles already and the Kazekage's mansion was not yet in sight. Certainly, Neji could have walked that distance easily. But between the heat, the dust, and the rocky terrain, he would not have been all that presentable when he arrived at the formal banquet.
"Hey, Dad," Nara Shikamaru called as they rode along, "Hyuuga-san was wondering…you know, what a Pet acts like?"
Nara Shikaku pulled up a little to ride alongside them. "Stay close to Shikamaru," he advised. "Pets are supposed to be guards. Don't speak unless you're spoken to. Bow a little more deeply than we do. Pets are allowed at the banquet tables, but you will be seated a little lower. Oh, and don't drink too much. Pets are supposed to keep a clear head; as I said, they're guards."
"Don't drink too much?" Neji repeated incredulously. Why would they think he would drink at all?
"And don't attack anyone," Shikamaru put in.
"I will defend myself if anyone tries to touch me," Neji said coldly.
"You won't have to worry about that," Shikaku said. "It's a very grave offense to touch another man's Pet."
Neji shot Nara Shikamaru a pointed look. "I will not sit on your lap, either."Shikamaru raised his eyebrows and held up his hands as if that was the last thing he wanted. Neji was somewhat impressed that he didn't appear to have to hold the reins, or even give his horse a lot of direction. But maybe it was just following Shikaku's horse.
"Hey, I'm sorry about before, grabbing you like that," Nara Shikamaru said. "I just needed to let you know I had a plan. I won't do anything like that at the banquet."
"It's not appropriate at a business meeting, anyway," his father growled at him. "As I said, the Pets are there as guards, not…for fun."
Nara Shikamaru looked down with an abashed expression, rubbing his horse's neck again as if he drew some comfort from it. Neji could not imagine feeling anything like that from his horse; he didn't even like being up on its back. He also wasn't sure what was going on between father and son. The Naras had both emphasized that he wasn't really going to become a Pet, but Shikaku's comment seemed to indicate that he suspected otherwise.
Neji certainly wouldn't put it past him or anyone else in this depraved country, but even injured, he was certain he could best a lightweight like Nara Shikamaru. He wasn't too concerned with the Naras. He had bigger prey in mind.
"Will Orochimaru be there?" he asked.
The two Naras exchanged a look. "Probably not him or anyone from his immediate clan, since they're in mourning," Shikaku said. "Probably just Kabuto. At any rate, though – "
"—you should stay away from them and not start trouble," Shikamaru said.
"Why shouldn't I confront them for what they have done? I am not afr—"
"Yeah, yeah," Nara Shikamaru said. "But let's try to use the logical side of our mind for once. You plan to attack Orochimaru, or Kabuto, in front of a large crowd of people, at a formal banquet. Whoever it is from Sound, they'll have a guard or two. You'll almost definitely be killed. In addition, you'll be dishonoring the Kazekage and her husband, and probably cause a war between Suna and Sound. It might even cause another war between North and South, if you're as important as you say you are. Maybe you don't care about any of that, although if your clan gets involved, some of them will undoubtedly die as well. But think about this, if you can control yourself and go along with my plan, you'll have a much better chance of getting back to them safe and sound."
Neji regarded Shikamaru coolly, not wanting to admit that what he said made some sense. "You certainly do like to talk."
Shikaku gave a guffaw. "He's right about that, son."
"Thanks, Dad," Shikamaru muttered, looking annoyed. Neji was definitely picking up some tension between the two. They had seemed to be on the same page before. He wondered if the scene with Nara Yoshino had something to do with it.
A short while later, the Naras pointed out the Kazekage's mansion in the distance. Even from half a mile away, it appeared quite immense, and as they got closer, Neji could see that it was splendid indeed, as well as heavily fortified. There were guards at the gate, and servants to take the horses as they dismounted. The courtyard was vast, with colored stone slabs laid out in an intricate pattern, and a large fountain in the center with a carving of a tanuki on top. There were lanterns hung about everywhere, peacocks roaming around, and several ornamental trees trained into artistic shapes. Again Neji was struck by the contrast between this opulence and Sarutobi-sama's relatively modest home. He had never been to a business meeting in Konoha, but going by the meetings of the Hyuuga council of elders, he was fairly certain they were conducted in the daytime, not the evening, in an office, with nothing stronger than tea served.
Both Naras stopped at the fountain to splash water on their faces and sandals, washing off the dust. Neji did the same before following them through the front door and into a large opening hall full of people milling around and talking. Neji didn't want to admit it, but he was glad he had to stay close to Nara-san. He felt just a little unnerved by these South Country hordes.
The people looked so different here. Their skin was darker, their hair was every shade imaginable, and many of them favored face painting or tattoos. And there were animals. There was a woman with thick bushy black hair and red triangles tattooed on her cheeks who had brought what appeared to be a wolf with her. And another woman had…a pig? Granted, it was a small pet pig, but Neji was willing to bet you wouldn't find that in a North Country gathering of the elders.
"Who is that?" he whispered, staring at a man with kabuki makeup and…cat ears. "Is there entertainment too? I thought this was a business meeting."
Nara Shikamaru smirked. "Oh, no, that's Kankuro, he's a puppet maker…Suna is kind of known for that; it's a specialty of our village."
"He's one of the Sabaku family," Shikaku added. "The ruling clan of Suna."
"Like the Hyuugas in Konoha," Neji said. Except that, apparently, the ruling clan of Suna lacked all dignity and propriety. Cat ears? Puppets?
"Yeah, the Kazekage line has been traditionally passed down through that family," Shikamaru said.
Well, actually that wouldn't be the Hyuuga clan, Neji reflected. The Senju clan were the ones who became Hokage. The Hyuuga clan was just…superior.
"Lady Tsunade, she's actually a distant relative," Shikaku said. "The previous Kazekage was killed in the big war between North and South. His children were still little when he died, and the one who was decreed to take his place, Gaara, was just a baby. So they tracked down Lady Tsunade and convinced her to take over until Gaara came of age. Kankuro is Gaara's brother."
Neji frowned. Kankuro looked about their age, so – "Wouldn't this Gaara be of age already?"
"No, Gaara is younger, the youngest of the three siblings, in fact," Shikaku said. "The Sabaku have a system where they pick a prophecy from a special clay jar, something like that, to determine the next Kazekage."
"Weird," Shikamaru shrugged, seeing Neji's expression, "but it's worked for hundreds of years."
The words struck an unpleasant chord in Neji's memory. "Our Hyuuga clan traditions have been like this for hundreds of years…"
"Don't the older two resent the fact that they have to take second place to someone younger and weaker?" he asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep the bitterness out of his voice.
"Younger, yeah," Shikamaru said, "but weak is not the word that comes to mind for Gaara. Ruthless is more like it."
"There's a couple of Pets here," Shikaku said, pointing them out to Neji. "Why don't you just observe them and act like they do."
Neji looked where he was indicating. He saw a sweet-faced young girl with long dark hair in a pink kimono standing by a rough-looking man, and a blond woman with a high ponytail and painted purple nails, dressed rather garishly in red and black.
"The Pets are female?" he whispered to Nara Shikamaru. "You didn't tell me that!"
Shikamaru looked baffled, then bit his lip like he was trying to keep from laughing. "Oh…um…no."
Neji studied them covertly. There was no way he could ever pass as a Pet. He certainly didn't look like a girl at all.
"Well, well, and who is this!" a voice boomed behind them, and a heavy hand clapped down on Neji's shoulder. He leaped away, assuming his fighting stance. A large man with a long tail of spiky white hair and two red lines tattooed down his cheeks was standing there, grinning at them. "Shikaku, I know your son, but you didn't tell me you had a beautiful daughter as well!"
"Lord Jiraiya," Shikaku bowed, and Shikamaru did the same. "No, this is –"
Jiraiya? The name rang a bell in Neji's mind.
Jiraiya took a closer look at Neji. "Aah, ha ha," he said, sounding disappointed. "Sorry about that, kid. So, you're that Hyuuga my wife told me about, that got mixed up with Orochimaru, huh?"
The name clicked in Neji's mind. "You are Lord Jiraiya, the great Wandering Sannin of the South!" He made a quick bow.
Jiraiya waved this off. "I'm a writer, kid. Now, if you'll excuse me," he said, his eyes zeroing in on a pretty young serving girl, "I've got research to do."
"He has written books?" Neji said, as Jiraiya strolled off in pursuit of the serving girl. "I'd like to read them. "
The two Naras exchanged a look, both apparently trying not to laugh again. "Better not," Shikaku said.
Neji glared at them. "Do you think someone from the North could not understand advanced fighting techniques?"
"No," Shikamaru said, the corners of his mouth still twitching, "he doesn't write that kind of books. He writes, um…novels."
"Romantic novels," his father said, meaningfully.
Romantic? Neji was completely taken aback. What use was romance to a warrior? He had never felt that, never gotten into that mess, and never intended to. As for whatever it was he had felt with Kidoumaru – well, that would never happen again.
As always, when he thought of Kidoumaru, he could not suppress a shudder of revulsion and shame. He would carry that with him forever, he thought. No amount of scrubbing, no amount of prayer, not even the killing of Kidoumaru could wash that away.
A gong sounded, signaling the start of the banquet. People moved to line up outside the large carved doors of the banquet room. Two servants slid the doors open. Lists in hand, they began to seat everyone. Some people were recognized instantly, with much bowing; others gave their names and were escorted to their place inside.
Through the doors Neji could see two long banquet tables with seats along both sides, and a shorter table at the head of the room where the Kazekage and Lord Jiraiya were seated. As they edged closer, he saw that it was in fact two rows of many small individual tables, all lacquered to a high sheen. In a couple of spots the tables were lower, only half as high as the others; Neji saw one of the Pets Nara Shikaku had pointed out earlier being seated at one of these.
Shikaku, as one of the Kazekage's trusted advisors, would be sitting up close to her. Neji and Nara Shikamaru would be further back. Neji caught a flash of nervousness in Nara Shikamaru's expression as Nara Shikaku strode off, following the servant to his place at the table. Was he actually worried that he could not get through a simple dinner without his father?
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Shikamaru felt a twinge of nervousness as his father walked away. Everyone knew Tsunade-sama loved her sake. He hoped Shikaku could get through this long, boring dinner without drinking too much.
He sighed. Why did they have to be here anyway? When he had made his last-ditch proposal, he had known he would to have to give up all the money he had planned to use for travel, which was bad enough. But he had expected that Kabuto would take the money and go back to Otogakure, leaving them to do what they saw fit with their new Pet – which would have been to take him to the border and let him go. He had not anticipated this troublesome banquet, the public humiliation of having to parade around with a Pet, the huge fights between his parents.
"So," he whispered to Hyuuga-san as they inched forward with the rest of the lesser-known invitees, "since you're supposed to be my Pet, don't you think you should tell me your name?"
Hyuuga-san just glared at him coldly.
"Fine," Shikamaru said in exasperation. "I used to have a longhaired cat named Shiruki; maybe I'll call you that."
"Name?" the servant at the door asked politely.
"Nara Shikamaru and…uh…"
"Oh yes, Nara Pet," the servant said, checking it off on his list. "Right this way."
Nara Pet? Shikamaru carefully didn't look at Hyuuga-san, who he knew must be fuming. He himself had a strange feeling at hearing it. The words Nara and Pet just didn't go together. At all.
They were escorted to a place near the end of the table. There was a lower table there for "Nara Pet." Shikamaru had seen the lower tables before, and knew what they were for, but still he felt a profound embarrassment at telling Hyuuga-san to sit there.
For once, however, Hyuuga-san did not make any remarks, but simply knelt on the mat before the table. He sat very straight and still, his head high and his hands folded gracefully in his lap. Shikamaru was impressed by his composure. He must certainly be offended – as he had made clear over and over, he was from a ruling clan in his country, and they did not do such things there – but he was playing his part perfectly.
He also felt a strange, perverse pride. If he had to be the first Nara to appear publicly with a Pet, he could have done a lot worse. Hyuuga-san's elegant demeanor, his impeccable manners, his striking good looks – not to mention the fact that he was obviously a very skilled fighter, to take out someone like Kidoumaru – all these made him very desirable as a Pet, and made it much more believable that even a Nara opposed to keeping Pets would want this particular one.
Of course, it also meant that the price for him would be very, very high.
Higher than you can afford? The thought niggled at the back of his mind. Well, he would just have to wait and see.
A collective, "Ahhh!" went up as the first course was brought: an assortment of small appetizers made of fish and vegetables cut and arranged to form a portrait of a butterfly alighting in a flower garden. Everything was exquisitely designed to the last detail, from the shiso-stem antenna of the butterfly to the drooping petals of a chrysanthemum carved from a lotus root. Even Shikamaru, who was not much for fancy food, had to agree it was stunning. Hyuuga-san simply blinked at it, a disbelieving look on his face.
Chouji should be here, Shikamaru thought. He'd love this. Or maybe not. A large plate of barbecue was more Chouji's style.
At the head table, Lord Jiraiya lifted his cup of sake. "Itadakimasu!" This was the signal for everyone around him to drink a toast as well. Shikamaru lifted his cup to his lips, but did not drink. Hyuuga-san did not even make a pretense of drinking, merely raising his cup and bowing his head.
Everyone waited until Lady Tsunade had lifted her chopsticks before picking up their own, as no one was supposed to eat before the Kazekage did. The food was excellent; Jiraiya was known for hiring the best cooks. Shikamaru was halfway through his plate when he happened to glance down. Hyuuga-san had not even picked up his chopsticks. He was sitting like a stone, glaring at the food.
Crap, Shikamaru grumbled to himself, here we go again. And of course this was a formal dinner, so there would be ten or fifteen courses coming out, all with a myriad of tiny dishes. Sighing in a put-upon manner, he reached down for the Hyuuga's tray. With Hyuuga-san's hard, watchful eyes upon him, he cut a small piece off of everything and ate it, then poured some of the Hyuuga's tea into his own cup and drank it.
"Okay?" He returned the tray to Hyuuga-san. But no, not quite, as Hyuuga-san pointedly pushed a small rose of pickled ginger, which Shikamaru had evidently forgotten to taste, over to the side of the plate.
"Troublesome..." Shikamaru muttered, but he reached down and plucked a piece of the offending ginger and swallowed it. Only then did Hyuuga-san deign to cautiously begin eating.
"Well, well." A low chuckle sounded from Shikamaru's other side. "I've heard of Pets being used to taste their Masters' food for them, but this is a first."
Shikamaru turned. Hatake Kakashi was seated on his other side, laughter gleaming in his one visible eye. Unwilling to explain, Shikamaru simply nodded a greeting.
"So...the Nara clan has started keeping Pets, eh? Another first!" Kakashi's tone was smooth, but Shikamaru detected a hint of taunting underneath. Kakashi kept a Pet, and he and Shikamaru had argued the issue more than once. It was this insistence on keeping a Pet that had caused him to be seated so far back, Shikamaru guessed, as Kakashi was also a high-ranking jonin.
Shikamaru shrugged, although he was burning inwardly.
"He must be something quite special," Kakashi mused. Leaning forward, he studied Hyuuga-san appraisingly. Hyuuga-san tensed, giving him a white-eyed glare in return. Shikamaru let his hand drop to the Hyuuga's shoulder, exerting a gentle pressure with the tips of his first and second fingers. Behind Kakashi, his own Pet Sai peered at Hyuuga-san with open curiosity.
"He certainly is a beauty," Kakashi observed. "Very exotic-looking. Can he fight?"
"Of course I can fight," Hyuuga-san said disdainfully. "Did you want to fight me?"
"Hyuuga-san, control yourself, please." Shikamaru intensified the pressure of his fingers. "I'm sorry, Hatake-san, he's a new Pet, still being trained."
"He is not well-trained at all," remarked Sai, giving that patently fake smile that always made Shikamaru, and everyone else for that matter, want to smack him. "But ugly pets like that are often hard to train."
Hyuuga-san's head snapped around at this, but the fury in his eyes faded to shock as he stared at Sai. Shikamaru wasn't sure if it was Sai's bizarre attire – instead of the formal kimonos worn by almost everyone else, Sai sported his usual midriff-baring shirt and black gloves – or something else that elicited this reaction.
"Are you from the North Country?" Hyuuga-san asked in a low voice. "From...the Uchiha clan?"
"I am from the North, but not an Uchiha. At least, I hope not. The Uchihas are worthless traitors."
Hyuuga-san started to reply to this, but then, as he noticed Shikamaru and Kakashi watching with interest, apparently thought better of it. Instead he said, "What do you mean, you hope not?"
"My parents are dead, and I have no memory of my clan," Sai said without emotion. "My only allegiance is to my master."
Hyuuga-san looked profoundly disturbed by that, but he said nothing, only frowned down at his plate. From the corner of his eye, Shikamaru could see Kakashi looking interestedly at the Hyuuga. He wondered if it was the bruises and scrapes on Hyuuga-san's face that had caught Kakashi's notice, and if anyone thought he had done that. He told himself not to be ridiculous. Pets were warriors; Hyuuga-san's appearance was not so unusual. Nevertheless, he wished the Hyuuga had acceded to his request to cover up the worst of it with a little of Nara Yoshino's makeup. But that had pretty much been a losing battle from the start.
Servers came to clear the plates, and bring the next course: covered bowls of soup. Once again everyone waited for Lady Tsunade to lift the lid of her bowl before following suit. Shikamaru raised his, hoping it was not one of the fierier soups. Thankfully, it was a simple clear soup with summer vegetables and tiny cubes of soft tofu. But now here came a servant with the pot of hot chili oil, dipping a small bit into everyone's bowl. Shikamaru regretfully declined for both himself and Hyuuga-san. He personally would have preferred it, as the soup was pretty dull without it. But Hyuuga-san was just paranoid enough to claim the oil contained some sort of antidote to whatever drugs they were slipping into his food, or whatever.
Not whatever, he reminded himself. They really did drug him, drugged him and beat him and…worse. Hyuuga-san had good reason to be paranoid. He leaned down and picked up the Hyuuga's bowl, poured a little soup into his own bowl, mingling them, and then poured some back.
Kakashi leaned over again to speak to Hyuuga-san as they sipped their soup. "You know the Uchiha clan?" he asked, his voice carefully casual. Hyuuga-san looked at him sharply, and even Shikamaru could tell there was something behind the question.
"I do," Hyuuga-san said, studying him. "Apparently you do, too."
A server came around with a jug of sake. As Shikamaru's mother had predicted, the drink was flowing freely, with servers refilling cups as soon as they were low. Shikamaru had only taken a few sips, the Hyuuga none at all. He seemed to really have taken Shikaku's advice about how to conduct himself as a Pet to heart.
"I met one of them in the war," Kakashi said quietly. "He gave himself up to save his teammate. As I guarded him, we sat and talked. All night, we spoke freely, about everything, because we knew that the next day he would die. I will never forget that night, or him…his name was Obito."
"I don't know him," Hyuuga-san said, also keeping his voice low. "Their clan and ours do not usually mingle. The only one I am familiar with is Uchiha Itachi."
"Uchiha Itachi!" Kakashi exclaimed. "I fought against him as well, when a team of us encountered him and another Akatsuki member near the border. He caught me in a trap; he could have killed me, but he just disarmed me. He did the same with my whole team, single-handedly. He was very soft-spoken and polite, but none of us stood a chance against him. Just a magnificent fighter."
"Yes," Hyuuga-san agreed, with an enthusiasm Shikamaru had not seen from him before.
Shikamaru was beginning to feel like he was sitting between Ino and Sakura as they swooned over the cutest guy in class. "Who is this…Ichiwa Utachi guy…?"
"He is the finest fighter ever to come from the North," Hyuuga-san said.
Shikamaru couldn't resist. "I thought that was you?"
Hyuuga-san didn't bat an eyelash. "I am second."
"He is a member of Akatsuki, an S-class criminal and murderer," Sai said.
"He is both of those," Kakashi agreed with a chuckle.
First Orochimaru and now this Uchiha guy. He wouldn't say it, of course, because he didn't want trouble, but Shikamaru had to wonder what it was about the North Country that made all their top fighters run off and join the Akatsuki. Or maybe they were just born criminals. It was strange.
The mouth-watering scent of charcoal-grilled eel filled the room, as servers made their way around with large platters. This was the traditional dish of summer, thought to give stamina during the long, hot days. Shikamaru plucked a bite from Hyuuga-san's plate, then looked up to find the eyes of Tsunade upon him. It certainly wouldn't do to appear to be insulting her by suggesting she might be serving poisoned food. Quickly, he lifted a bit of food from his own dish and leaned down to the Hyuuga. Plastering a fake smile on his face that would put Sai to shame, he murmured, "Eat this, please, she's watching." Hyuuga-san, surprisingly, complied, letting Shikamaru feed him.
As the servers were clearing the empty plates, the wife of the head of a small neighboring village leaned across the table, emanating sake fumes. "I think it's so sweet how you take care of your little blind Pet," she gushed, seeming near tears at the thought.
Shikamaru held his breath, but Hyuuga-san only looked mildly puzzled, as if he had no idea who she was talking about.
He was glad when an elaborate presentation of fruit was brought out, the last course of the banquet. The food was amazing, but he was counting the minutes until the dinner was over. Of course, then he would be in an even more troublesome and tedious business meeting. But this Hyuuga was unbelievably picky. Not only did Shikamaru have to taste every single little thing on the plate, but half the time, after he had gone through all that trouble, the Hyuuga would take a tiny nibble and then turn up his nose at the rest.
Not to mention that everyone kept looking over at them, no doubt because the Naras, who had always been steadfastly against keeping slaves and Pets, had shown up with one. It was enough to make him choke on the spiced kumquat he was eating.
###
Neji bit warily into what appeared to be an ordinary kumquat, and almost choked at the burst of ginger and hot pepper that filled his mouth. What was wrong with these people, that they felt the need to drench every single morsel in wasabi or chili or some other heavy spice? Could they not simply enjoy a nice piece of fresh fish or vegetable or fruit?
Not to mention that everyone kept gawking at them, no doubt because they knew he had killed Kidoumaru. Or maybe they had never seen a member of the Hyuuga clan in the flesh before. Whatever it was, he was counting the minutes until the dinner was over.
Not all the food had been terrible, of course. The soup was acceptable, and the grilled eel, while chewier than he was accustomed to, had had a good flavor. He still wasn't sure what had gone on with Nara-san suddenly deciding to hand-feed him, and he didn't particularly like it. Nara-san had said, she's watching; Neji had assumed he meant the Kazekage, but then that drunken woman across the table had been staring at them with that sad cow expression the whole time as well. And then she had started blabbering about Nara-san having a little blind pet…Neji wasn't sure what that was all about. He was pretty certain she couldn't mean him, as everyone knew Hyuuga eyes were sharper and better than average eyes. Maybe Nara-san's cat was blind.
Looking around the room, he was both relieved and disappointed not to see Orochimaru or any of his clan there, only Kabuto as the Naras had predicted. Well, as Nara Shikamaru had requested, he would not cause an international incident by attacking Kabuto in the meeting. He had to admit that did make sense. But in the event that anything went wrong; if either party backed out of the deal or some new twist occurred, and he was sent back to Otogakure, he intended to kill them all, starting with Kabuto.
Lord Jiraiya rose to give the final toast. Everyone raised their cups and there were calls of "Gochisoosama deshita!" around the room, the traditional way of thanking their hosts for the feast. Lady Tsunade stood and bowed and thanked everyone profusely for honoring her miserable hovel with their esteemed presences. The gong sounded, signaling the end of the banquet portion of the evening.
The Kazekage's scar-nosed clerk – Iruka? – also rose to speak. "Those who are attending the business meeting, please follow me to the meeting hall. The rest of the guests may go to the large room across from the meeting hall, where tea and dessert will be served. For those who have brought Pets, the Pet Room is just next to the meeting hall. Thank you."
"The Pet Room – ?" Neji whispered warily to Nara Shikamaru. "I am not going to –"
Nara-san motioned him to be quiet. "Let's find my father." They followed the throng of people heading for the meeting hall. Ahead of them Neji could see Nara Shikaku in the crowd.
"Petto-san," a voice called as they approached the entrance to the meeting room. They turned. A guard was standing outside a smaller room, with the wolf Neji had seen earlier sleeping nearby. The guard bowed to them as they came up and opened the door, gesturing inside. "The Pet Room is here, Petto-san. Please make yourself comfortable."
"Excu –" Neji began, but was rudely interrupted by Nara Shikamaru, who practically dragged him away down the hall, while waving for his father.
"What is going on?" Neji hissed furiously at Shikamaru, who just shook his head in a dumbfounded way.
"I don't know…I never attend these meetings…"
They waited while Shikaku wove his way through people to get to them.
"Dad, what's up with this Pet Room thing?"
"Oh yeah," Nara Shikaku said, not sounding all that interested. "Pets don't come in when it's a friendly business meeting. They stay in a separate room."
"What?" Neji said. "That is the most –"
"I didn't know this," Nara Shikamaru said. Looking at him, Neji was pretty sure he was telling the truth. But he also had a strong feeling that Shikamaru wasn't all that unhappy with this turn of events.
"Yep," Nara Shikaku said. "Pets, bodyguards, weapons…you have to leave them at the door and come in to talk. Now a hostile business meeting, that's different. Everyone comes armed."
"Kabuto is there," Neji said, trying to keep his temper in check. "How much more hostile can you get?"
"Apparently," Shikaku said, "the Kazekage has decided to treat Otogakure as a friendly nation for tonight. Which might be a good thing for us."
He looked at his son. For several seconds, the two of them seemed to be trying to communicate something to each other, evidently without much success.
Neji was fast losing patience with this. "I am supposed to sit around eating sweets with a bunch of girls while you – and Kabuto – decide what my fate is to be? That's insane! I will not do it."
"You can't go into the business meeting with us," Shikaku said. "That's a serious breach of protocol and –"
"— it would dishonor the Kazekage and start a war and so forth, yes, you've said that," Neji said angrily. "I don't care, you can talk all you want. This is my life we're talking about!"
"Look," Nara Shikamaru said quietly, "I know you have no reason to trust us. But try to be logical. If we wanted to give you to Orochimaru, we would have done it this morning, and not have to go through all this rigmarole."
Neji was silent. He definitely did not trust them. But he could not find a flaw in Nara Shikamaru's argument at the moment.
"I think my plan can work. But we have to do it the right way. Please. Just hang out with the Pets and let us try."
Neji crossed his arms. "What am I supposed to say to them?"
"Well, for starters," Nara Shikamaru said, "I'd go easy on the whole 'the South is a hellhole and keeping Pets is barbaric and demeaning' thing."
Neji shot him a death glare.
"Seriously," Nara Shikaku said, "do not insult them or start any arguments. Their Masters are powerful men. The last thing we need is a feud between our clans and theirs."
"Ask them about themselves," Shikamaru advised. "Or just keep quiet and listen. My friends tell me the Pets always know all the gossip and dirt."
"Pets are honored," Shikaku said. "They're not put in the same room with all the bodyguards and riffraff. They have their own room, right next to the meeting hall."
Only in a country like this, Neji reflected, could blatant segregation be referred to as an honor. But despite his misgivings, he followed Nara Shikamaru back to the Pet room, stepping around the sleeping wolf. The guard outside bowed and slid the door open.
"If this is such an honor," Neji muttered under his breath to Nara-san, "why is there a guard and a wolf to make sure we don't escape?"
The Pet room was a small, elegantly appointed room with many soft large cushions arranged against the walls, and a low table set with a pot of tea and several types of sweets. There were three Pets already in the room: the sweet-faced young – girl? – boy? – in pink, the flashy-looking blond in red and black, and the one he had seen at dinner, who had the Uchiha looks and coloring but was not an Uchiha. The two feminine-looking ones were sitting together by the table, talking and having tea. The non-Uchiha was in the far corner, drawing something on a small sketchpad. All of them looked up as Nara-san and Neji entered. Neji gave a little bow of greeting to the other Pets, and Shikamaru did also, which seemed to amuse them a bit.
"Okay, Hyuuga-san," Nara-san said, "just take it easy, have some tea and dessert. I'll fill you in on the meeting afterward." With that he headed off, leaving Neji alone with the other Pets, who were regarding him with avid interest.
"Welcome," the pink one said. He – she? – had a low melodic voice that did nothing to resolve that issue.
"He calls you Hyuuga-san? That's cute, yeah," the blond said.
"I am Haku," the sweet-faced one said with a small bow. "This is Deidara, and that one in the corner is Sai."
Feeling more out-of-place than he ever had in his life, Neji tensely took a seat near them.
"Don't be alarmed," Haku said. "It's not a wolf outside, it's Inuzuka Tsume's dog. All her clan are very attached to their dogs."
"That dog is like…her Pet, yeah," Deidara said, as if having an animal Pet was bizarre.
"And Sajin is not there to guard us. He's there to serve us and alert us if we're needed."
"Like if there's a big blow-up in there," Deidara said. His almond eyes alight, he mimed an explosion.
"Why do you look to promote violence?" Sai said from the corner. "It's not very likely in a friendly meeting anyway." Deidara made a rude gesture his way.
"Anyway," Haku said, "you might as well get comfortable. Those meetings can last for two or three hours. If you want anything, just tell Sajin and he will get it." He poured a cup of tea and held it out to Neji, then refilled his and Deidara's cups.
Deidara raised his to Neji before drinking. "Relax," he said. "You're one of us now, yeah."
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A.N.: Please don't forget to review! I deserve it for all my hard work, don't you think?