Date: July 11th, 2012

Hey! New chapter today! I'm going to start putting the dates when I update each chapter.

I have something to ask you guys: I need suggestions for nicknames for Sai to use on the others. By others I mean, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Kankuro, the whole shebang! The only ones I thought of were for Hinata and it was Wallflower. You can give suggestions through PMs or reviews. Just as long as I get them.

Since yesterday (July 10th) was Uzumaki Kushina's bday, I'll let her do the disclaimer.

Kushina: Hey everybody! Epic Otaku Cherry does not own Naruto! If she did...um, what have you not said, yet? Oh! Sai would hang out more with Ino and the two would start develop feelings for each other. I mean, Ino did say he was cute, and even though she was probably half-serious, she said she liked him. Anyway, go down and READ!


Chapter 6: A Backstory

Recap no Jutsu!

"…Someone who was protected their whole life at the cost of others' lives wouldn't know anything! You don't deserve to live! It's all your fault Father is dead! Why couldn't you or your father have died instead? Or better yet, both of you!"

Normal POV

At Neji's last comment everyone but Hinata, Shino, and Gaara gasped. Hinata because she expected this; Shino and Gaara for obvious reasons. Shino settled glowered in anger and plotting his untimely death, however.

Tenten, however, was pissed, but decided not to say anything. It's not my place to say anything now. I'll just give him a piece of my mind later…

Lee was downright disgusted. Yeah, that's right; disgusted. Angry or not, this is not how my rival and best friend –whether or not he thinks so- behaves. That was just out of line! I've never seen Neji so unyouthful and so…mean!

By now, Naruto was both terribly curious and pissed off. "Hey, Lee. You're on Neji's team right? Why does he hate his family so much? Isn't Hinata his sister?"

(A/n: Hinata had called him "brother" at the beginning of the match; I'm just too lazy to add it in.)

Lee scratched his head in thought. "Yes, but I only know the basics of what really happened. First of all, he and Hinata are cousins, on their fathers' side. When Hinata was little, there was an attempted kidnapping of Hinata by Cloud ninja and in the end, Neji's father was killed. If you want details, you're going to have to ask Tenten. He's closer to her. I think their closeness is youthful, really."

Team 10, Team 7, Sai, Shino, Lee, and Kurenai all turned to Tenten, expectant. She sighed, turning to them.

"Though Neji might be pissed, who cares; I'm pissed at him myself." She responded. "Like Lee said, there was an attempt of kidnapping Hinata by Cloud. It was her 3rd birthday and Neji was already 4. The Cloud ninja had a perfect chance to get close to the Hyugas, as they had just signed a peace treaty with the 3rd Hokage. That night, someone had snuck into Hinata's room and abducted her. Hiashi, Hinata's father and clan head heard them and killed the abductor, taking Hinata back safely. Now, here's something I should add; the ninja that abducted her was close the leader of Cloud; the one that signed the peace treaty. The leader was angry and said accused the Hyuga of violating the treaty, since one of their ninja were killed."

"Wait a sec," Naruto interrupted. "Wouldn't Cloud be in violation? They did try to kidnap the heiress after all."

Tenten shrugged. "You'd think. But I guess not, since, to keep everyone happy without a war breaking out, the 3rd had to suggest leverage for the kill."

"And that was…" Shikamaru prompted.

"A life...for a life." Tenten answered; her expression grave.

Kurenai gasped slightly in horror. "You don't mean…"

"Yup. They specifically demanded the life of the killer, which was Hiashi."

"But Hiashi is alive. I've met him several times myself," Shino questioned.

"Exactly. Another thing; Neji's father, Hizashi, and Hinata's father, Hiashi are twins. The only reason that Neji is a branch member and not a Main house member is because Hiashi was born first.
In consequence of them being identical twins, they looked a lot alike. Of course those who knew them could tell them apart. Or you could tell them apart if you look closely enough; twins aren't clones."

"Wait! Can you explain the details of the Side and Main Branch thing?" again, interrupted Naruto.

"Baka! She'll get to that!" Sakura hit Naruto upside the head. Groaning, he turned back to Tenten.

"I'll get to that. Anyway, since the clan head can't die, Hizashi had offered himself to be the sacrifice. Despite what others may think, Hiashi protested at first, not wanting to lose his brother. But Hizashi insisted and it happened. Of course, Neji doesn't know that his father offered himself up; he thinks that Hiashi and the clan made him do it. That's one reason for his hatred to his family."

"And the other? *munch* " Chouji. Duh.

"Aside from outright hatred, it was the Main-Side branch system. There really are more branches, but they're referred to as the Main and Side. There's only one Main family though. (Hinata's and the Elders and stuff). I'm not going into the details, but to protect the Byakugan and the heirs and the Main families, the side Branch's duty is to protect the Main with their life. To keep the Side from revolting or getting their Byakugan taken, every Side member is given the Curse Seal at a young age. I think it was called the Caged Bird Seal. That's why Neji makes all those 'caged bird' references, for the most part."

"What does it do?" Kakashi had actually put his book away, interested in what Tenten was explaining to them.

"Older Main members can activate it, and some younger ones, too. When activated, the Seal can inflict intense pain to the wearer, making them submit. If activated for too long, it might kill them. That's because Seal is on the forehead and is connected to the brain and eyes."

"I don't see how this protects their Byakugan," Kurenai speculated.

"Anyone with the Seal cannot have their Byakugan taken. Their eye might be taken out of their body, but the Byakugan will not work and will be entirely useless, like a regular eye. No kekkei genkai; nothing. However, it the eye of a Main member was taken, the Byakugan can still work, since they don't have a curse mark. Like Kakashi-sensei's. It's not his Sharingan by birth and was implanted, but it still works.
Neji-kun had seen his father's seal activated and was frightened by the pain it inflicted on his father. He was also angry; moreso because it was Hiashi who had activated it. He hates the system and the Main family for the treatment of the Side and the death of his father. He hates Hinata-chan for being the heir and being weaker than her 5-yrs-younger sister; even more because he blames her for his father's death. She was 3! What could she have done...?"

By now, Tenten was grumbling to herself, and the others were satisfied with the info and turned back to the match. Kurenai and Kakashi weren't satisfied, though, unfortunately for our bunhead.

"And how do you know all this? I train Hinata personally myself, and I didn't know most of this." Kurenai asked Tenten suspiciously.

When hearing the question, the others' attention was focused back to her.

"Hehe…uh…well... Uh, Neji-kun told me most of this, obviously. Some I got from Hinata-chan and Hanabi-chan, her little sister. Despite what others may think, she's actually not that bad. She's just like a robot because her father governs everything she does. She needs to get a backbone…" Again, she was rambling.

"Ahem!" grunted Kakashi, getting her attention.

"Oh, right! The rest I…well I…um…" she looked to the floor, embarrassed.

"You…" Sai prompted.

"I snuck into the Hyuga manor and got some of it, okay! And Ko, a branch member and Hinata's caretaker told me some stuff too! Satisfied? You. Can't. Tell. Anyone. Ever! God knows what they'll do, they trust me, you know! The guards all know me and hardly give me a second glance and let me in the Manor once they see me!"

"Why'd you sneak in?" Asuma asked, curious.

Tenten sighed. "I knew something was up with the way Neji told the story besides his obvious bias; something was missing. And Hiashi may not be the nicest person but he wouldn't just offer up his twin brother to die! That's terrible! So I snuck into the records in the Manor to get some of the documents and I just asked Hokage-sama for the ones he had and he gave them to me! I would show Neji-kun, but when I brought up the suggestion of his father offering himself up, he blew up at me and started his 'Fate' and 'caged bird' speeches! He didn't train with me for 10 days! 10! I'll tell him when he gets off his high horse."

"A) Hokage-sama just gave them to you? Why do I have a hard time believing that? B) Why is 10 days such a big deal?" this time, it was Shikamaru.

"Yup, he just gave them to me. I guess he knows I'm trustworthy. 10 days is a big deal because Neji-kun is a train-a-holic, and I'm his training partner. He trains with Lee-kun and Gai-sensei sometimes, but to stay rounded or when Lee-kun challenges him. Before you ask why I'm his training partner, look at Gai-sensei and Lee-kun."

They did. They turned back, shaking their heads with a look of understanding and some, pity. It was hilarious, really.

"Get it now? Neji-kun and I train at least every 2 days. 10 is our record for not training when we're not injured, sick, or on a mission or break."

Having no more questions, the spectators turned back to the fight, to only to see that things had taken a turn for the worse.


What'd you think? Don't forget to review and PM! And review!

I DO need those suggestions for Sai's nicknames, people!