Tai: Well, it's an update so no complaining about the length...or lack thereof.

Disclaimer: Don't own.

As he sped along the rooftops through town, Neji barely noticed that his cousin and the unusual Aburame were quite some distance away. His attention fell solely on the race, inwardly muttering about how little his speed seemed to have improved over the years. Kiba was two leaps ahead of him, a distance that was more than twice the distance anyone had managed to have over him in quite some time. He was used to being the fastest in a race, but against Kbia…

'Now he's got some good legs on him. I wonder where else that strength resides…' 'Shut Up. I'm ignoring you.' Neji thought bitterly, digging deep to find any extra speed that would help him catch the Inuzuka. 'You have a funny way of ignoring things, considering you're still talking to me.' The Ookami shot back, making the boy inwardly growl. He avoided thinking anything except how to win the race; he needed to increase his speed…somehow.

After well over ten minutes of racing, the tan male ahead of him dropped down towards the street, walking straight over to a fairly small restaurant on the other side. Neji inwardly growled again, he'd lost the race, not by much, but it was still a loss. He dropped to the ground next to the Inuzuka, looking over at him slowly. The younger had started the race, but it was subtly so that neither had a head start.

"Hinata and Shino will know where we are. Come on, lets go eat." Kiba grinned, flashing a fanged smile at the other. Neji simply nodded, his lilac eyes not portraying any hints of annoyance that he was truly feeling. They entered and ordered their meals, settling down at the back of the restaurant, neither really interested in talking.

Neji slowly stopped paying attention, absentmindedly eating his ordered meal as the others talked, his mind beginning to wonder just why he had the demon inside him.

'Come on Hyuuga, you can't ignore me forever. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, so you're just going to have to live with it…or die with it if that's what the Hokage decides is "Best for the Village". Which, just so you know, is what the last two I've encountered have decided. Why should this one be any different?'

'Tsunade-sama isn't like that. There's already one demon living in the village, it'd be hypocritical to kill me when he's run rampant without control for the last fourteen years. I have the Hyuuga Branch Family seal keeping me in line, they have control over me, I'm no threat.'

'For now.'

'What's that meant to mean?'

'Don't you worry. Now, this other demon that's in town, what is it? Is it the three-tailed whosit? Or the six-tailed whatsit?' An amused laugh echoed through Neji's mind. 'No, no, let me guess, it's the nine-tailed who'syafather.' The laughing continued, puzzling Neji slightly.

'Those pathetic tailed demons make me laugh. They go around flattening mountains, causing tsunamis and generally wreaking havoc, and they're stupid enough to stick around and get caught, or even funnier imprisoned in children!'

'And you don't find it even the tiniest bit ironic that you're trapped inside the body of a teenager, considering the tailed demons still in humans would be, at this point in time, inside teenagers also? You haven't even been in existence for years.'

'…You're a real killjoy, you know that? Besides, my power is far greater than theirs.'

'Then how come my forefathers managed to steal your eyes after killing you?'

'…Shut up…'

"…How does that sound to you, Neji? Neji? Neji!" The Hyuuga prodigy was snapped from his daydreaming by the harsh voice of the Inuzuka seated across from him, a frown set upon the tan boy's features. "Neji, were you even paying attention?"

"Yes." The Hyuuga lied, his lilac eyes upholding the lie, just as they always had. That was one huge advantage to being a Hyuuga, the whole eye contact when lying thing was much easier.

"And? Yes or no?" the golden-eyed male questioned, smirking at the older. Either way, the prodigy knew he was trapped; he hadn't a clue what the Inuzuka was proposing. "No."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Kiba asked, raising an eyebrow. Neji let out a mental sigh, before finding the room seemed to be spinning uncontrollably. His body was still, but his mind was gone, flowing around his head as if trapped in a vortex.

"How about we go swimming?" he heard himself suggest, earning grins from both the Inuzuka and his cousin. "That sounds like fun, neh Hinata? Why don't you and Neji go get your gear and Shino and I will meet you at the compound. I know a great place we can go to, it's got a great area to train in too, so you don't have to sit around watching us the whole time, Shino."

A wolfish grin spread across the hyperactive male's face as the silent Aburame agreed. Neji continued to watch helplessly from inside his own body, control having been commandeered by his oh so wonderful demon companion he never asked for.

'Aren't we the most polite person in the world. I know you didn't want me to be here, but you don't have to be so rude about it. Besides, there's nothing wrong with an innocent little swim, I'll even let you take control of your body back.'

'You're only letting me have control because you don't have the energy to get me out of the way and control it for long periods of time.' The same swirling sensation overtook him again, and soon enough his control was back, the weight of his body heavy compared to what he'd just experienced.

'Enjoy your swim.'