When Fate and Destiny Collide
By: maliciousfate

Chapter: Nine
"Preparations and Mistakes"

Everyone was silent in the dinning hall that morning. There were the occasional whispers from the large group positioned around the table, but nothing more. Everyone was all too eager to hear what this important meeting was all about.

I sat in the middle of Neji and Hinata silently trying to keep myself from dropping my head onto the table and falling asleep right there. I hadn't gotten much sleep last night and Neji awakened me very early this morning saying we were all needed in the dinning hall because Hiashi had important information to discuss. So now here we all are; the whole Hyuuga Compound and two from the Desutinii Clan. At 5 am.

I looked over at Neji who was sitting silently arms-crossed with his head bowed and eyes closed. A large smile crept onto my face as I saw a little shinny line of drool was falling from his lip, he was fast asleep.

Revenge was sweet.

I held in a laugh, he looked adorable while he was sleeping, not to mention he had kept his hair down, like promised, so that only added to his cuteness. I slowly leaned over, making sure not to draw any attention, and elbowed Neji in the side. Quite hard might I add.

"Ow! Holly shi-" Neji stopped himself as he clutched his side. Everyone turned their attention over to him, all with raised eyebrows. I couldn't help it; I opened my mouth and let a few laughs escape.

Neji blushed a deep red; apologizing immediately, then began to fiddle with his hands. This was a new side to him I hadn't seen yet. Everyone slowly turned their gazes away, but a few kept glancing back.

Neji turned and sent a deadly glare my way.

"What the hell was that for?" He hissed in my ear so only I could hear him.

"You know Mr. Hyuuga, cussing isn't very proper." I smiled at Neji's continuous glare, I needed to get him back for waking me up so early.

"You didn't answer my question..." He kept his glare on me and I could easily tell he was gritting his teeth.

"Sleeping during a very important meeting is bad manors Mr. Hyuuga and you of all people should know that." I said sweetly inspecting my nails as I did so. I was so getting him back.

"Hn" He turned his head away from me, he knew he wasn't going to get anything else out of me. Smiling victoriously I turned my attention on Hiashi as he slowly made his way into the room.

Hiashi didn't look like his normal cheery self. His normally pressed clothes were ruffled and open, and I thought I even saw a button mission from his shirt. His hair wasn't too neat either, it was in a tie but the pieces that fell from it were messy and out of place. I could already feel what he was going to tell us wasn't good.

"Thank you all for coming on such sort notice and at such an early time. However, the reason we are here is not for such exciting news as from our last meet." He glanced at Neji and myself making me shift uneasy in my seat, Neji straightened his posture slightly.

"The reason we are here is because late last night we have gotten word that one of our ally villages are in need of our assistance." I leaned forward in my seat,

"Was that the reason to why that man was running in the halls last night?"

"I have decided that we will assist them, I have already chosen whom I believe will be most helpful in this type of mission. This mission is much more advanced then the ones in the past and we need to take as much precaution as possible. We also heard it would be quite dangerous." He paused, looking around at his clan's reactions. I looked around also, my eyes falling upon Hinata. She was shaking and fiddling with her hands. She didn't want to go on the mission, it was obvious.

"Hinata?" I whispered leaning over to her. She tried to hid her fear as she turned towards me.

"Are you alright?" She nodded her head weakly and continued shaking, not very convincing. I felt sorry for her, I knew she had no choice in the matter of leaving on this mission. Her father was the leader and she was his daughter; heir to the Hyuuga clan, in turn making her go on every mission that they saw fit for the heir. In short, all missions..

I forced the best smile I could muster putting my hand softly on her own; trying to show her it was alright. She tried to give me a smile back, but failed miserably. Solemnly she returned her gaze back at her father who started talking once again.

"Very well- let me mind you, there isn't going to be a large group going. On the contrary, only about four. So they must take the-up-most precaution when leaving." He paused and looked around at everyone once again. Everyone was either sitting restlessly in their seat or holding their breath. The Hyuuga Clan would stop at nothing to help an ally village. Such honor and pride made me envy their clan even more. Oh, what I'd do for my clan to learn from them..

"Alright now then, these are the people whom I saw fit to go on this mission. When I call your name please proceed to your rooms to gather your things, you will be leaving early tonight." I swallowed and continued to gaze wide eyed at Hiashi as he started naming off the four selected people.

"Yuuhi-" A man I had never seen before, appearing to be in his early 20s, calmly stood and left the room with a proud expression adoring his face.

"Neji-" For some reason at this, my fists tightened as some of Hiashi's words began to reply themselves in my mind.

"We also heard it would be quite dangerous" I bit my lip trying to concentrate on anything other then this new feeling building deep inside my stomach.

"Hinata-" I glanced quickly to see Hinata's eyes grow as she shakily stood from her seat. She paused for a bit, before she slowly made her way behind Neji out the room.

"And the final person I had chosen will be...Tsuki." It took me a few seconds to register what he had just said. And I soon felt myself needing to breath, apparently I had forgotten how to.

"Me! He's letting me go on this mission? After what, three days being here?"

I bit my lip trying to contain my excitement. I slowly stood and started to walk to the large doors. As I walked on I could feel many eyes on my back, obviously I wasn't the only one surprised they had picked me to go on this mission. I passed the head of the table where Hiashi stood and my father sat, I glanced quickly over at the two. Hiashi gave me a smile and a small nod, my father on the other hand wasn't even looking at me. His expression was truly confusing. He had a wicked and cruel glint in his eyes as he stared out at the table of the remaining Hyuugas. Not wanting to worry my mind about it, I quickly left the room.

At about 2 pm I was sitting in the same position I had been since arriving in my room. With an assortment of sharpened kunai, twin-bladed kunai, shuriken, poisonous needles, vials of medicine, and quite a few scrolls all surrounding me upon my floor. I had my hands in front of me debating on weather it'd be more appropriate to bring my favorite pair of duel black shuriken or the pack of my beloved kunai I had received from Amy before arriving at the Hyuuga Compound.

I let out a loud sigh as I dropped them both into the giant pile of wanted weapons. This was going to be difficult

"Having some difficulties?" Came a familiare voice from my doorway. I turned slightly around to see Neji leaning casually against the door frame, arms crossed; smirking at me.

I rolled my eyes as I turned back to my seemingly impossible task surrounding me. Why did I have to be the person who loved all weapons I had received?

"Yes, yes, yes, ok that one can go, yes, yes, yes, damnit!"

I stood from the pile frustrated, as I stood the few weapons that were sitting on my lap clanged down to the pile.

"Where's Hinata?" I asked Neji who was now lying on my bed staring at me quite amused. Didn't he have packing to do?

"She's on business with her father. She already packed." He smirked.

"Fantastic..."

"Are you almost packed? The sun is nearly down." My eyes widened. How could the sun almost be down! I hadn't been packing that long! Had I?

Rushing to my nearest window I threw open the curtains and got a face full of sunlight. I glared at Neji.

"Jerk..." He laughed.

"You are an interesting one Tsuki Desutinii."

I rolled my eyes once again, flicking a slightly dulled kunai at him, he merely caught it and chuckled lightly.

I shook my head and went back to my endless pile of unpacked weaponry. But strangely, I had an easier time deciding now. I had finally finished my packing with two shimmering black twin-bladed kunai that I strapped to the back of my calf, a large pack of poisonous needles that I placed inside my kunai pouch on my left thigh. I also took up a few scrolls that would appear to be useful and stuffed those inside my tan bag.

With one final sigh I pushed the expanded bag under my bed and rolled onto my back facing the ceiling. But as I did my face reddened and my eyes widened. Neji's face was about two inches from my own, his eyes gazing down at me from his position at the edgeof my bed. It seemed he hadn't left a long time ago like I had originally thought.

"Finished?" He asked smirking.

"Yes, need something?" I replied standing up quickly. Trying to rid the blush from my face.

"Where were you last night?" He questioned still smirking.

"Out." I walked into my bathroom to make sure I had everything and just to find a place where I could avoid Neji, who's very presence kept constant blood in my face.

He, on the other hand, had other plans as he followed right behind me.

"That didn't answer my question." He seemed annoyed, but that only made me smile. He seemed to have the strange ability to make me blush so easily, I had the right to annoy him.

"Why do you want to know Hyuuga?" I glanced back at him, he was sitting on the edge of my white granite tub, arms crossed.

"Would you quite calling me Hyuuga, its Ne-" I cut him off.

"I would If you'd tell me why you're pestering me." I opened a drawer at random.

"You were out till four in the morning." I bit my lip slightly

"No wonder I was so tired this morning, I only had an hour of sleep."

"I was looking around out back." I replied. It wasn't lying, was it? I was outside after all.

"And...?"

"That's all I did." I turned away from him and opened another drawer.

"Until four in the morning?" I mentally sighed, what could I expect? He was Neji Hyuuga after all. Hinata had told me if Neji didn't know something he'd find out one way or another. And now was a time where it showed. But for some reason I felt as though I shouldn't tell him where I was, or the fact someone was with me

"Y-yes! Till four in the morning!" I tried to keep my voice strong, as I tried to get him off the subject. "-why do you think I was so mad when you woke me up this morning?" I walked back into my bedroom, Neji at my heels.

I stopped, and face him.

"Ok Hyu-Neji, what do you want? You're acting kind of weird."

"Oh, nothing." He smirked one last time before he turned on his heels and slipped from my room without another word. I stared at my door after he had closed it, letting another sigh escape from my lips.

"Damn boy..." I let my body fall back onto my plush bed, closing my eyes.

"And I have to marry that boy" I rolled over onto my side. It was still weird saying that, even now it was hard to believe I was still getting married. Half the time I thought I was on a long sleepover with a long lost family of mine. But each time I did think of that, the thought was instantly demolished.

I sat up and looked around my room silently. Boredom soon took over. Walking to my window I looked outside, everything was calm and a constant breeze was sweeping through the trees. Everyone must have been either in the Dinning Hall or out somewhere in the huge Compound. I had about six hours to blow before I had to leave, this gave me the perfect opportunity to train.

The wind had picked up a lot since the night before, blowing my dark hair into my face. I pulled out two poison needles and pinned my hair up in a lose bun. Taking in a deep breath I took my stance, eyes closed. Then I waited and waited. Waited, waited, and waited some more. Listening to the sounds of the trees, the flapping of a bird over head, and then the snap of a branch.

I tore my eyes open and flung forward jumping into the air. I preformed a few fast hand signs then started to spin, faster and faster until my whole body was a whorl wind of speed and power. Pushing forward so my whole body flew through the air aiming at that single branch that had snapped from the large oak feet away from me. I pushed towards it, palms out and aimed.

I landed lightly back onto the green grass as wood chips began to float down around me. I frowned, that was far too easy. It would be a lot harder training against something that could fight back, and it'd give me an opportunity to sharpen my skills.

I looked around my surrounds to find that I was the only living thing around, except the birds that still flew gracefully overhead. I frowned, getting annoyed. I bet if Hinata wasn't out with her father I could ask her to train with me.

I soon grew bored and let my body rest on the grass under the shade of a Sakura tree. I had to give the Hyuuga Compound some credit, it was extremely peaceful here. I could easily see myself lying under one of the many Sakura trees happily reading a book as the light wind picked up my hair.

I sighed at the thought, I've missed a lot of pleasant opportunities back at my home. I found myself tossing a kunai into the air catching it with one hand as my thoughts filled themselves with the glorious thoughts of relaxation. My eyes soon closed and I kept tossing the kunai without dropping it. A smile fell crept onto my face.

"If the Hyuuga Compound had some hot spas, that'd be amazing. I could easily waste weeks there. Or, if they had a massive library. I'd be in heaven."

The absence of my kunai coming back into my grasp made my eyes open. Someone had caught it while I was tossing it carelessly into the air. And that person had to be Neji.

Didn't I just see him a few minutes ago?

He reached his hand out for me to take, which I did a little hesitantly.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked brushing a few stray grass blades from my shirt.

"Hiashi has decided to move the time of our departure." He said while twirling my kunai on one finger.

"What time has he chosen?"

"Now." He flicked the kunai into the air towards me, I didn't catch it. It hit my shoulder lightly without injury and fell to the ground.

"R-right now?" I asked in disbelief. We had just been informed that we'd be going on a B-rank mission this morning, and now they'd decided to move up the time? Something had to be up.

"Yes, right now. Hiashi and Hinata are already by the carriage that will be taking us close to the Leaf Village's edge. So I suggest you hurry to retrieve your things." He said quickly as he started towards the compound.

"Have you figured out where this mission is going to be?" I asked running to catch up to him. He shoved his hands into his pockets before replying.

"He hasn't told us directly yet, but between you and me, I heard its going to be in the Hidden mist Village," He looked into the blue sky and smirked. "- Your old home."

I didn't need Neji's confused expression to tell me that my face had drained of all color.

"W-what?"