Chapter 4
Reishi walked into the clearing in the training field feeling slightly irritated with everything. He had woken up this morning only to find some kind of trap set to go off in front of his apartment when he opened the door. Thankfully, he still had the skills he had from when he was a prankster. The trap had been a low quality one with a launcher set to activate when the door was opened launching a rather scary number of senbon and shuriken into his door, thus being him. Now as he looked around the clearing, he could see that something was wrong. There was no training posts, no places that would make it a training ground. Sighing, he was about to perform the release to a genjutsu, when he had to dodge several kunai being thrown at him. Kunai? He thought, performing a perfect backflip to escape only to dodge a roundhouse kick being thrown at him.
The attacks continued to appear out of nowhere, kicks, punches and throwing weapons seemed to come out of nowhere. Luckily Reishi had a backup plan. Performing a seal less Kage Bunshin, he used the replacement to get away from the attacks long enough to have the genjutsu released. What Reishi saw pissed him off greatly. Sasuke and Kakashi were tag-teaming his clone while Sakura threw weapons at him from the trees!
Useless IDIOTS! Reishi growled, his chakra flaring slightly more than he wanted. Taking a few calming breaths, he switched places with his shadow clone, leaving it to take care of Sakura as he proceeded to show why he was not the knuckleheaded idiot they thought he was. Taking another calming breath as the two attacking him let up momentarily.
"Sasuke." Kakashi whispered, apparently thinking he was still hidden in the genjutsu. "I felt a chakra wave a second ago. Leave the dobe to me and go check it out. We don't need a witness while we deal with this."
"Hn." Sasuke seemed to just jump onto the tree and promptly ran up the tree and searched for the errant wave of chakra came from, not even bothering to activate the Sharingan to find it.
Kakashi simply shook his head before he turned to the task of 'taking care' of the boy in front of him, only to feel a rather sharp metal against his skin. "Now, Kakashi-teme, explain to me why you are attacking me? I seem to remember you being ordered to stay away from me after I showed you your ass the last time." Reishi asked, his voice as cold as Ice as he held one of his twin swords against Kakashi's neck. "And what is with this pathetic genjutsu? Has to be something you stole and taught Sakura-baka. Am I right?" he asked.
"That is none of your business, Naruto." Kakashi said deeply, trying to sound vicious. "You never wanted to train anyways." He growled, trying to make the boy angry.
"Kakashi, if I really was Naruto, do you think I would be here right now? You on the other hand, have something that you need to realize about me. I have more control than him. If he were to hear you say something like you did, he would have cried and ran away. NOT however tempted to slice your neck." Reishi growled. But suddenly however, he burst out laughing. Pulling back the blade and sliding it back in its sheathe, he laughed even harder as he was soon forced to hold himself against a tree trunk.
"What is so funny, Naruto." Kakashi growled, looking around for his team.
Reishi suddenly became serious again as he wiped a tear from his eye. "Okay, last time, Kakashi-teme." He said, sucking in a deep breath. "MY NAME IS REISHI NAVUMO!!!" he shouted, using a small bit of his chakra to enhance his voice. But unfortunately (for Kakashi), the chakra was still more than he intended to use and Kakashi was thrown back through several trees, effectively knocking him out.
Kit, you just did the 'Lion's Roar' on your former sensei!the Kyuubi laughed heartily as he surveyed the damage in front of his container. And you didn't even use my chakra!
Of course I didn't use your chakra. Reishi smiled, scratching the back of his head. My clone is still bringing in Curly and Banshee. He explained, watching his clone bringing in several small scrolls. I knew there was a reason for buying extra large storage scrolls. He smiled, looking at them. He immediately sent the clone to Kakashi's expected location with a pair of chakra cuffs.
He made another clone and sent it to the Hokage Tower with the two captive scroll, with a note explaining it.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hokage's Tower
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sarutobi Hiruzen was growling as he read another form reporting that Reishi attacked a member of the Hyuuga Main Family. He denied the form and threw it in the denied file, which seemed to be filling up a little bit lately. Probably due to everyone wanting into the Namikaze clan compound since they thought that it had been going on long enough. Stupid fools. He thought. Wait until the Chuunin exams. The Heir to the Namikaze clan is going to kick all of your asses. He sighed, filling out more paperwork. Work requests, mission requests that hadn't been done. Even an increase for materials from Wave, only to be delivered by whatever team Naruto had come to belong to. Taking out his pipe, Sarutobi began putting more tobacco in it, only to spit it out of his mouth when Reishi popped it with a shower of leaves, two scrolls and an unconscious Kakashi over his back. "What the hell, Reishi?!" he shouted.
"Sorry Sarutobi-sama." Reishi grunted, tossing Kakashi to the ground, chakra cuffs still locked into place. "I have several deliveries for you." He said, handing the Hokage a small slip of paper and slapping the scrolls onto the floor and unrolling them.
Sarutobi glared at Kakashi before opening the slip of folded paper.
Sarutobi-jiji, these three attacked me on my way to my spar with Neji and the Hyuuga. Please deal with them accordingly. They slid a genjutsu and proceeded to literally try to kill me, which is even acknowledged by Kakashi who said he was going to 'take care of me'.
Reishi
P.S. If you wanna see the stick taken out of the Hyuuga Families ass, watch me put my feet up Neji's ass. Please.
Sarutobi snarled as he looked at the Jounin, who seemed to be waking up with a groan. Moving to the man, he frowned. "Reishi-kun, the note said that there were three." He said, taking a look behind him to see the now apparent clone unsealing whatever was in the scrolls, which turned out to be both Sakura Haruna and Sasuke Uchiha, complete with leaves and branches… and black chain entrapping the two of them. "Enough said."
"Hokage-sama!" Kakashi cried. "I demand that Naruto Uzumaki be arrested for assault!" he shouted. "He has not only deceived everyone to think that he is dead, but he attacked me and my squad outside training grounds eight!" he shouted, visibly wincing in pain.
"Shut up Kakashi." Reishi's clone shouted. "The boss was going to his spar with the Hyuuga and you attacked us!" he growled, pushing Sakura over from her sitting position. "This one had yelled out your entire plan, Kakashi-teme."
Sarutobi smiled angrily at the Jounin. "So this is your way of telling me you lied on a mission report, Jounin Kakashi Hatake?" he asked. "Then again since I know for a fact that Naruto did in fact die, I can't say that you did lie. But I can tell you one thing, the village will find out that their precious Uchiha is nothing but a traitor." He explained, watching the clone kick said Uchiha who had for some reason not woken up.
"But Hokage-sama, he's standing right there!" Kakashi shouted. "The demon is right there in front of you!" he growled, struggling against his cuffs. "Danzo-sama said that if the demon was ever discovered to be alive, then we would be charged with treason and killed!" he cracked.
"Oh you're an idiot, Kakashi." Sarutobi sighed. "You and your team are under arrest for assaulting a fellow shinobi of Konohagakure." He said, signaling for ANBU to take them away. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a match to see."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Training ground 7
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Reishi smiled as he looked around the true clearing of Training Ground Seven. Standing around the training post and the memorial statue, stoof several dozen people. The eight members of the Hyuuga clan stood away from the group, all except for Hinata, who stood with her team as they all balanced on the posts while Kurenei watched. Neji was looking from both Hinata to Reishi, anger in his eyes as he watched her train. Reishi had to laugh at the look on his face as Kurenei began throwing kunai and shuriken at the three who then had to move or jump out of the way. Reishi could barely hold in his laugh as he heard Kiba getting stabbed in the butt by a kunai. Four members from the other clans seemed to be here, surprising Reishi ever so slightly. It seemed like the Clan Heads, their Heir, and their wives were there, along with a single bodyguard it seemed. "Wow." Reishi smiled, looking at everyone. "I know I expected the Inuzuka and Aburame clans here, but the Nara and the Akimichi clan too?" he laughed as he walked closer to the group. "And Anko-sensei. What are you doing here?" he asked, watching her walk through the clans to swat him on the head.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me that you challenged the Hyuuga to a duel?!" she shouted, a dango stick sticking once again out of her mouth. "I had to find out from Kurenei!"
"Hey, damnit! It just happened last night damnit!" Reishi growled. Gesturing over to his team, he had to ask his teacher. "So I guess your beginning your help to my team as well?"
"Of course." She smiled. The smile instantly died however. "I know I couldn't do anything for that brat of a gaki, but if he wanted you to be there for people, the least I could do is be there like you asked me to be."
Reishi simply smiled before wrapping his sensei in a giant hug. "Its okay, Anko-sensei." he said.
Just then, Anko let out a cry of misery. But the misery stopped as she felt more hugs being given to her from other sides.
Needless to say, Anko jumped out of her skin when one of them rubbed her ass affectionately.
Reishi on the other hand was laughing his ass off while he high-fived his clones each in their own way. They promptly dispelled in an instance before Anko could get her bearings.
As Anko landed on her ass, most of the clearing was brought to an abrupt ending as they saw a young student pull a prank on Anko, right in front of them! But quickly the Clan Heirs burst out in laughter. "Inouichi-sama, where is Ino? I thought she would be with you?" Reishi asked, looking around the platinum blonde.
"Well, Reishi-kun, she couldn't get away. Said something about working an issue at the store." Inouichi lied, rubbing his neck as his wife glared at him.
"Not only that, Reishi-kun." Mrs Yamanaka smiled. "The request was for the clan heirs and family, not people who forsake their clan." She said, her smile dying instantly.
"What the hell?!" Reishi shouted, causing everyone to look over. "Oh, sorry." He muttered, clearly embarrassed. "Can we talk about this later?" Reishi asked, clearly distraught about what he had heard.
Receiving a nod from the Clan Head, he walked over to Neji and the rest of the Hyuuga. "Shall we get this going?" he asked, looking Neji in the eyes.
Turning to Hiashi, he sighed as he looked the man over. He was clearly upset about something. "Sign this boy." He growled, holding out a scroll.
Opening it, Reishi began slowly picking apart the scroll for anything stupid or underhanded. Seeing something, he sighed. "Hiashi-sama. You have here that if Neji doesn't fight to kill me, the entire deal is off." He growled, making Neji seem to perk up, as if he didn't know anything about that. His face became somewhat harder when Hiashi glared him down. "I am making sure that everything is good to go." Reishi sighed as he made a clone. Signing the scroll, he smiled before handing it to the Hyuuga. "Please sign, Hiashi-sama." He said, holding it out for the clan head.
The Clan Head growled at the boy when he did not relinquish the scroll. Signing the form, he was shocked to see the boy roll up the scroll and hand it to the clone. The clone was gone instantly.
"Now, Neji-san." Reishi smiled, holding out his hand. "Lets have a good spar." He said, gesturing to his outstretched hand.
Neji looked at him like he was stupid or something.
"Your supposed to shake my hand, Neji-san." Reishi grinned. "After all, this is a friendly spar."
"Kick his ass Reishi-kun!" Tsume said from the side of the clearing, Hana and another of the clan beside her. "Show him what you got!"
Simply sighing, Reishi smiled as he waved to her and the Aburame clan next to her.
"Why do you smile?" Neji asked, finally showing the use of words. "Your fate was decided when you stepped into this clearing."
"Ah, Hinata-chan mentioned something about you being absurdly obsessed with 'Fate this' and 'Fate that'." Reishi sighed, folding his arms behind his head. "Well, guess what." He smiled, drawing Neji's attention away from everything. "I'm sure Fate hasn't hit Abraham with a Wiffle-ball bat today, so it and you can go right to hell." He sneered, causing several of the bystanders to gasp at him.
Shibi Aburame came forward between the two. "Please keep this fight clean and don't kill each other. The first one unable to fight is the loser," he began before he looked at Neji. "Fate or no fate." He said, his bugs swarming lightly behind him as he lowered a hand. "Hajime!" he shouted, taking his hands away.
As soon as that hand was gone, Neji was in Reishi's face quickly enough, thrusting in with palm strikes that were very hard for Reishi to dodge. But thanks to Zabuza and Kyuubi giving him pointers, Reishi had been able to train hard on his speed. After several minutes of dodging, Reishi growled out and screamed at the Hyuuga, causing him to back off, holding his ears in pain. Acting quickly, Reishi sweep kicked out, causing Neji to slam into the ground gasping in pain. A second later, a pair of fists slammed into Neji's stomach courtesy of two Kage Bunshin. "Come on Neji!" Reishi yelled from a foot or two away. "GET UP!" he ordered. "I don't want no fucking easy win from you!" he yelled. "Come and get your revenge, boy!" he yelled boisterously. "You told me my fate was to lose." He growled. "Where's the proof!?"
Hiashi growled as he looked at both of the boys. Get up, Neji. Or else your not going to be rid of that seal ever! He growled, holding a kunai behind his back in case something goes wrong with the fight. He remembered the conversation he had with the Elders last night after he had finished with the boy.
Xxxxxxxxxxx Flashback Begin xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hiashi looked on at the Hyuuga Elders. They had summoned him almost as soon as he walked through the Hyuuga Compounds entrance. "You asked for me, wise Elders?" he asked, wishing just to have things over with.
"Hiashi-san." The eldest of the men in front of him began. "We have been informed that you just finished dealing with some scrap of a Genin outside of the Hyuuga Entrance. Explain yourself."
Hiashi sighed as he began to explain what had happened. The elders seemed to look at him oddly. "And you expect us to go through with this deal, Hiashi-san?" the only female of the group growled at him. "You think that we will let you deal with this shinobi and abolish any chance of having the Caged Bird Seal on anyone in the future? Including that failure of a daughter of yours?!" she shouted.
Needless to say, Hiashi did not have a good night.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Flashback End xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Neji was now back on his feet, his ribs hurting ever so slightly as he stood up straighter. I do not want to kill you, shinobi-san. He thought. But if I must, I will. I must protect Hinata-sama. He thought, remembering the events of last night.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Flashback Begin xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Neji was having a quiet night once again, reading a scroll of Taijutsu that Gai-sensei had given him. Just as he was about to put everything away, he sighed as he heard a knock on his door. Quickly opening it, Neji was shocked to see one of the Hyuuga Elders standing there, a sneer of disapproval on her face. "What may this one do for you, Elder-sama." He asked as he bowed obediently.
The Elder seemed to smile ever so slightly at his words. "Neji-san. I have just come from a meeting with the other Elders and Hiashi-sama." She began as she placed her hand on his head. "It appears that tomorrow you are going to be given not only a chance to show that strength that we have blessed you with, but a chance to replace Hinata Hyuuga as clan heir." She smiled at Neji as he gasped slightly, his eyes widening. "But that is not all, Neji-san." She whispered, low enough for him to barely hear her. "For you see, your opponent tomorrow has made threats against the Hyuuga clan, saying that he will kill Hinata and Hanabi-sama if he wins the fight tomorrow. Your future depends on you winning tomorrow." She explained. "Kill this upstart shinobi." She growled, anger now replacing the serenity on her face. "Show him everything that makes us strong. Remind the other clans why we as the Hyuuga deserve to be honored and accepted."
Neji was then left alone to his thoughts before he slept, thoughts of victory polluting his dreams.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Flashback End xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Neji growled at Reishi as he activated his Byakugan. But as he looked at the boy, he could only scowl at the boy. "Why can't I see your chakra, destroyer-san?" he asked, now gripping a kunai in each hand.
"Destroyer?" Reishi asked, looking around the clearing. "Are you talking about me?" he frowned.
"You are the only one I am to kill today."
"Well, okay." Reishi sighed. "I guess I should introduce myself, since you are giving me some kind of nickname." He sighed again, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "My name is Reishi. Not Destroyer." He said.
Whatever Reishi was about to say was interrupted as he was pressed into another set of punches and kicks. I don't care if I can't see your chakra pathways, Neji thought as he proceeded to attack the boy before him. He insults me and my family. Therefore he must die.
Reishi smiled as he saw the look in the other boys eyes turned cold. "So you finally want to kill me." Reishi said as he blocked a powerful punch to his shoulder. The blow seemed to hurt rather intensely. But he had been hit harder by Sakura so he simply shrugged off any pain that he was feeling. He looked down at Neji's feet only to receive a jolt to his stomach, right above what should have been a major chakra point. Looking back up to look the Hyuuga in the face, Reishi coughed up a large amount of blood on the ground as he fell to the ground in pain. Okay, that hurt. He growled to himself as he landed on his hands. Didn't expect him to miss like that.
He can't see your points, kit. The Kyuubi growled. He has nothing to aim for, so he has to hit something. The bijuu explained. And by the way, you had a small puncture from that attack, so please be careful. He warned.
Got it. Thanks. The former blond smiled in his mind before his head was kicked up causing him to fly backwards creating a small trench in the ground. Why that dirty bastard! He thought as he raised his head to glare at Neji.
"You are beaten, Reishi-san." Neji said flatly. "Take your punishment and leave." He began. "Or I will kill you."
"Chu Chu Motherfucker." Reishi growled, raising himself up to his feet, suddenly feeling better as he felt chakra flood his body. "I don't care if you kill me. I have my reasons for this, Neji, and I won't give up!" He yelled, getting into an odd stance that made everyone wonder. Reishi's arms were at his sides, with his left foot raised in preparation for moving. But his head was tilted back as if to look at the clouds. "You can hurt me, Neji. Shit you may kill me. But you will never, EVER break me." He said, making Hiashi growl in his throat at the lack of respect that Reishi was still showing. "Why don't you show me that anger, since I know you have so much in your head it practically swims in there. Doesn't it." He asked. "Your father I do believe died for your uncle. Isn't that right?" he asked. "I learned from the Hokage that as soon as that happened, you were different. Cold." He frowned.
"You have no right to talk to me about my father!" Neji growled as he raced in to attack. "You are in my field of divination, Reishi." He shouted, getting into a familiar stance that caused Hiashi and the rest of the Hyuuga clan to gasp. Reishi was shocked too, since he knew that the attack he was about to hit was in fact a Main Family technique, not even taught to the Branch Family. "Sixty-Four Palm Palms! (No idea what the Japanese name for it is. If you know it, please send it to me in a review)" Neji shouted.
Reishi braced himself, hoping that this plan of his would work.
"Two Strikes!"
"Four Strikes!" the Hyuuga shouted, hitting points on Reishi's body.
Reishi could only smile. His plan was working. He had to fight the pain until the last possible second, then commit.
Just as Neji finished the thirtieth strike, he growled at the loosing fight with the boy in front of him. But just as he was about to finish the final burst to the attack, Reishi shouted something he could barely hear before he was engulfed in a large explosion, hot fire coursing out of his enemies body, before Neji realized the shinobi in front of him was not there anymore. Instead it was almost too much pain for the young Hyuuga member to bear, until he shouted the name of his ultimate defense. "KAITEN!" he shouted, swirling in the aftermath of the explosion.
Hiashi looked on as Neji continued the attack that he as the Clan Head did not know he had learned… the Sixty-Four Palms and the Kaiten were not Branch Family techniques. They were meant for only the Main Family. Truly Neji is a prodigal genius of the Hyuuga if he figured this out on his own. He thought as he looked to the Elders as they each smiled smugly at the fight.
But what they heard next made everyone else in the field gasp. They heard clapping from one of the trees nearby. "Bravo, Neji Hyuuga!" Reishi's voice called out in the midst of the clapping. "One more reason to wonder what the Hyuuga clan would become if they took that amazingly long stick out of their asses!" he called, making the Elders of the clan growl at him.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Anko xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Anko could only gasp as she watched her student fight. She smiled smugly as she remembered how he had done almost the same thing with her during her test. She sighed as a frown crossed her face. God this kid reminds me so much like Naruto it isn't even funny. She thought sadly, thinking of when she asked to train Naruto so many months ago.
Xxxxxxxx Flashback Begin ~Four months ago xxxxxxxxx
Anko was standing before the Hokage as he sat in his desk. "Sarutobi-sama. I must make a request of you." She stated cautiously.
Sarutobi simply chuckled as he continued to file the paperwork at his desk. "And what would this request entail, Anko-chan? Dango to be served at a reduced price? Sake to replace our water supply?" he asked laughingly.
Great, Anko thought. I begin to try to be serious and not spend all my time with Ibiki, and the Hokage grows a sense of humor! She growled to herself. "This is serious Hokage-sama."
"Oh really?" Sarutobi began, finally looking her in the eyes. "I've already told you that I cant send you after Orichimaru." He sighed as he looked at her face as it showed no emotion except maybe hope. "What is it that you are wanting of me, Anko-chan?" he asked.
"I want to train Uzumaki." She began. "I've watched him for the past couple of years when I could." She said, holding back the need to squirm. "I know about his burden and I don't give a shit about it. In fact I could easily sympathize with him on the aspects of this village." She explained. "We've both been put through a lot of shit, Hokage-sama." She said, pathetically trying to hide what emotions were going through her. "I think I could help him, and maybe, just maybe, he can become something that we desperately need." She sighed, holding her emotions again.
Sarutobi didn't even bat an eyelash as she looked at her. "Anko-chan, nobody would take either of you seriously." He began. "He isn't even close to being ready to be a genin, much less apprenticed to someone." He said, looking away from her, his mind seeming to flare through things. "If he graduates this year, the council and myself have agreed that he will put him in the team with Hatake Kakashi and Sasuke Uchiha, so that there is someone to give us control over Naruto's burden." He explained, tossing more paperwork into his finished pile. "I can't give you an apprentice, Anko. Everyone in the council and even your fellow Jounin would think that I was playing favorites. Nobody is able to take an apprentice without first being on a team. That is Konoha's Law."
"Just fucking great!" Anko shouted. "Your giving Naruto over to an Uchiha cock-sucker?!" she asked. "Naruto wont learn SHIT from that bastard!" she shouted before disappearing from the office.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Flashback End xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Anko shook herself from her memories as she wiped the tears strolling down her cheeks. She quickly returned her attention to the fight in front of her as Reishi seemed to be taunting the Hyuuga.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Reishi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Reishi could only smile as he glared at the swirling chakra that was Neji. He had replaced himself with one of his Exploding Shadow Clones in the hopes of hurting Neji to the point of him being unable to fight. But as he saw through the smoke, Neji was not a typical Hyuuga clan Member. "So, the Kaiten huh?" he asked, watching the Hyuuga stop his spin. But as he looked at the Hyuuga stumbling, he could only sigh. "That last attack took a lot out of you, huh?" he asked, walking to help his opponent, only to be brushed away by a badly burnt hand. Reishi took a closer look at Neji at this point.
Neji looked like shit, and that was putting it mildly. Burns covered his face and his arms. Thankfully he wore the bandages over his legs and his right arm. Reishi could only whistle as he looked at the rest of the boys clothes. Several of the clothes Neji were wearing seemed to be irreparable at the least. But as he tried once again to help the boy, he was pushed back bodily and saw Neji getting back into the Jyuken style stance. "Neji enough, don't you understand that I don't want to kill you? I want to fight as equals!" he shouted. "Hinata-chan would hate me if I killed you so please, YIELD!" he shouted in despair.
"NEVER!" Neji shouted against the pain in his throat. "I would sooner die than to have you beat me!"
"Neji, please! This has nothing to do with proving Fate right or wrong!" Reishi shouted, a lone tear in his eye. "I don't care what you think, I am not a cold-blooded murderer!"
"It doesn't matter!" Neji shouted back as he ran into the attack, hoping to kill the boy quickly.
"NO!" Reishi shouted, gathering chakra into his lungs before he took a little bit of the Kyuubi's and blew out a forceful wail of chakra at Neji, forcing many of the area in front of him to uproot and fly away. Neji was not so fortunate. He had tried to stick to the ground, much like everyone else, but had been kicked back with dust blowing him into an uprooted tree trunk, effectively knocking the poor boy out. Anko quickly ran up to the boy and checked him for vitals.
"He's alive." She huffed, pointing toward Reishi. "Winner, Reishi Navumo!" she smiled as she walked over to the boy and ruffled his hair, once again catching herself from prying off his mask and kissing him on the cheeks.
Hiashi roared out in outrage as he began running at Reishi. But before he got there, several ANBU appeared, the Hokage in tow behind them. "Is there a problem, Hiashi-san?" Sarutobi began, holding several scrolls at his side as he looked from Reishi to Hiashi, and then to Neji who was being awakened by Hinata. "Did I miss the fight?" he asked Reishi.
"Yeah just barely, Hokage-sama." The boy smiled. "Neji has the skill of not only a Main Family clan member, but that of a Chuunin as well." He smiled again, scratching behind his head once again.
Neji had awoken just in time to hear what Reishi had said. Even through the pain he was in, he could barely contain the pain from his face as he frowned. The gasp of pain must have alerted Reishi for the boy was immediately at his side, helping him up with much care. "I appreciated that spar, Neji-san." He whispered. "We should do it again some time." He chuckled as Neji looked at him like he was retarded.
"I…" Neji winced as his ribs suddenly burst out in pain. "I think that… I would… like that very much." He said, trying not to scream from the pain. "I am sorry if I hurt you too badly."
"Not really, my young friend." Reishi smiled at him, then to Hinata. "I had hoped not to use the Exploding Clone however. You kinda had me there for a minute." He said, patting the boy on the back.
Unfortunately for Neji, Reishi hit a particularly bad burn that had gotten through Neji's Kaiten and thus caused the Hyuuga to hit the ground in screaming pain.
Hinata surprised everyone by slamming a fist into Reishi's face, causing him to fly backward. "Reishi-kun! Neji-nee-chan is in severe pain! You shouldn't do that to him until he is better!" she yelled, causing Neji and Hiashi both to look at her with surprise, only to see her turn and become redder than a tomato before she passed out in embarrassment.
Neji was soon transported to the Hospital for treatment. When the Nurse's and Doctors on call told them that he would make a full recovery, Reishi was the first one bursting through the door to his room. Hiashi could only chuckle absently at the idea that such a major hitter that Reishi seemed to be was so concerned for his own opponent. Turning to the Hokage, he sighed at the leader. "You have a wonderfully gifted shinobi, Hokage-sama." He said, causing the Hokage to look at him. "I hope to see more of his exploits in the future." He explained.
"I will take that into consideration, Hyuuga-sama." Sarutobi smiled. "Are you going to be able to comply with the rules of the spar, Hiashi-sama?" he asked.
Hiashi seemed to stiffen abruptly. "I… I am sure I will be able too. Since as soon as I am able to talk to my nephew, I will be removing his myself. He is a good fighter and deserves the honor."
"That is good, Hiashi." The Hokage said with a deep-rooted smile. Everything is changing. He thought as he looked at the younger Genin who seemed to be talking animatedly about the fight, even so much as exaggerating some of the aspects of it.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Neji's Room xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"So, Neji-san." Reishi smiled as he listened to the young Hyuuga's reasons for downright hating the Hyuuga Main Family. "Your father seemed to sacrifice himself for his brother." He asked absently. "But you think that your brother and the Elders ordered him to do it?" he asked, getting a few fingers 'nodding' in answer. "Neji, I think that you should forget your hatred." He began, causing the Hyuuga's eyes to widen in shock. "Don't get me wrong, Neji-san. Hinata had no reason for her to be blamed. Hatred can only do so much for someone." He explained before sighing. "I must confess something to you, Neji." He began as he took a seat.
"I use to be a loud knucklehead for everyone to hate and loathe. Hell my own best friends hated me. I have just as many friends outside the village that they can fit pretty much in a stagecoach." He smiled at the thought. "But coming here? Coming to Konoha I have many friends. Hell I am in line to make a new clan when I and the Hokage feel that I am ready. But that is neither here nor there." He chuckled. Stopping himself, he stood up straighter. "Something else, Neji." He frowned. "I heard from Hinata that you think of others as weak." He sighed, his shoulders visibly shrinking. "Let me tell you something." He began. "If you think that someone is weak, then help them. It's the only way for both you AND them to get better."
He could barely hear Neji's response of: "Nobody would learn from me."
"I know that Hinata has said that you would make an amazing instructor for the Hyuuga in the future." Reishi explained. "I happen to know that you are passionate about what you believe it, and it shouldn't change a damn thing."
Neji simply nodded before wincing in pain. "Shit, Neji quit moving!" Reishi shouted as he walked closer to the Hyuuga. "Your gonna be stuck in here longer if you don't stop moving!" he shouted in aggravation. Reishi himself remembered his many times of being in the Hospital. "Hey, my friend. I need to go, and Hiashi-sama looked about ready to burst when he knew you were going to be okay. So I will send him in okay?" he asked, getting another finger nod from the boy. Reishi quickly exited the room, where he was replaced by the Hyuuga Clan Head.
"Neji-san, we must talk Nephew." Hiashi said gravely, causing the boy to become confused.
Training Ground 44 ~ Two weeks later
Reishi was growling as he supported himself on the sharpened point of a kunai with his finger. He was training under Anko again, and could barely contain the happiness he felt as his team trained with her at the same time. Even though his training was much more brutal. Just as he was about to quit for a minute, he felt something crash into his upraised back. Looking around as he raised himself back up, he sighed as he spotted Neji standing above him. "Hey Reishi." Neji chuckled as he held a rubber kunai in his hand. "Wanted to know how your training was going."
"Oh now your being a teme again, Neji-san." Reishi chuckled as he stood himself up. Then as he dusted himself off, he saw that Lee and Tenten were there, all of them laughing at his predicament.
Just as Reishi was about to say something, he was forced to dodge a hailstorm of kunai and shuriken from Anko, wherever she had positioned herself. She had left them to train and said she would be watching them from afar. Meaning that if they slacked off she would turn them to pincushions. But just before the attack landed, the kunai and shuriken met something not entirely expected… Hinata's own Jutsu, the Protection Palm. She had developed it when she had decided to do something different from the other Hyuuga after Reishi had defeated Neji. The only other surprising thing that Hinata had done, was go in front of the Hokage and proclaim that she would be taking the hat from him. She had even begun to start pulling pranks on her clan! Well she had been getting help from Konohas former prankster king of course. But she was coming into her own, even though she had begun acting like his former life. It made Reishi wonder what would have happened had Naruto still been alive.
The kunai were bent to hell, and the shuriken were surprisingly sliced in half by the beams of chakra extending from Hinata's palms (yes I am talking about the jutsu she used in the bug hunt episodes, I just don't know the name of it). As the weapons hit the ground, Reishi looked to his near blood brother who could only gawk at the progress she was making.
But the jutsu wasn't finished, as Hinata quickly hit her knees in exhaustion. "Hinata-chan!" Reishi shouted, catching her before she hit face first into the dirt. "Are you okay!?" he asked, watching her nod her head before passing out completely. "I HATE chakra exhaustion!" Reishi growled as the girl crumbled in his arms. "Hey Anko-sensei, can you give me any pointers on what to do to give her more chakra?!" he shouted into the forest, only to have to reflexively jump out of the way of a snake summon hitting where he had been. "Okay, exercises are over, ya sadistic brat!" he shouted, causing Neji to chuckle at his problems with his sensei.
Anko quickly dropped from an above tree and walked slowly over to them. "She's just unconscious, Reishi-kun." She smiled, giving him a wink.
"I would hope so," Reishi began. "I would hate to see what would happen if I have to take her to the hospital just for that, and cause you to not get your fun tonight." He said, causing Anko to glare at him over her shoulder as she walked away.
"Okay, if you guys could possibly STOP BITCHING and get her to the hospital?!" Kiba shouted from the kunai stands. "I have to stop myself here soon enough, so get back here so you can carry me too!" he shouted.
But before he could struggle anymore, he was knocked over the kunai quickly by one of Reishi's chains. "There." Reishi chuckled. "Now you don't have to worry about chakra exhaustion." He smiled as he helped Shino slowly right himself. "Come on everyone, lets get Hinata to her bed and go get some food." He smiled as he quickly led the way to the Hyuuga Compound.
Council Chambers ~ Three Days Later
Sarutobi could only growl as he looked at the assembled members of the Civilian Council. "Why have you called me here, oh wise Civilian Council?" he growled, looking them in the eye. "And where is the Shinobi Council not here?" he asked.
"Sarutobi-sama," Danzo grunted from the other side of the chamber. "It has come under the attention of this council that not only is the Uzumaki demon been killed, but his body has not been recovered. Why has a team not been sent to retrieve that damn things body?!" he shouted from his chair, Koharu and Homaru nodding in confirmation.
"If the esteemed council as you so put it, would have read the mission report from Team Seven, you would find that the body was burned and destroyed, thus removing the need to search for a body." Sarutobi growled as he stared down the War Hawk and his little hippie road bitches. "And it is none of this council's concern what happens to the body of one of this villages shinobi. So why don't you tell me what the hell you all really want!" he ordered.
"Sarutobi-sama," One of the councilors began as he stood. "I would like to bring to this council's attention that there has been a new face in the village, a young boy it seems that now bears the Leaf Protector around his left and right forearms."
"Oh really?" Danzo smiled behind his hands.
"Oh you mean Reishi Navumo?" Sarutobi laughed. "You people have your heads so stuffed up each other's asses to pay attention to notices being sent out. I guess that's why I have so much paperwork in my office." The Hokage laughed. "Leave Reishi alone, Council Members." He growled. "He is off limits to anyone here. I sent for a friends best student, and thus you should not be concerned with him." He said, then thought of it. "Unless you deem fit to piss him off." He warned as he stood up to leave. As he was near the door however, Danzo showed his voice once again.
"Hokage-sama, I want this new shinobi to be entered into my ROOT division." He ordered, shocking the Hokage. "If your 'friend' really wants the best for his students, then my ROOT is the only place for him."
"Danzo-san, I do believe I just said that nobody is to touch the boy." Sarutobi growled, looking the old war hawk in the eye. "Get that fucking eye off of me, and leave him alone!" he ordered, shoving the doors open and walking calmly down the hall to his office.
Danzo was visibly shaking as he watched the Hokage leave the Council Room. "It seems…" he began as he looked through the assembled council. "That our esteemed Hokage has left us no choice but to either bring this newly appointed shinobi into my ROOT program or kill him. I will not allow a potentially gifted shinobi be swayed to the forms of the Hokage's thinking." He growled, receiving nods from everyone in the room.
Unbeknownst to the members of the council however, an elongated shadow was present during the entire conversation, soaking it all in. Reishi Navumo could barely control the angry growl emanating from his throat as he watched the Civilian Council came up with another plan to either kill him or imprison him.
I want to kill that man, kit. Kyuubi growled out from her cage. He stinks too much like an Uchiha to meet with my standards. She growled.
I know Kyuubi-chan. Reishi growled as he tried half-heartedly to look through the wrappings on the old War Hawk. Besides, he supports war too damn much for my own liking.
Zabuza's ghost seemed to hang in the recesses of Reishi's mind, hiding unless needed. 'For Protection' he always said when asked. He gave a large smile as he realized what the kid was thinking. You like that psychological warfare, don't ya you little shit? The former missing-nin laughed.
It worked for you Zabuza-sensei, didn't it? Reishi asked, causing the demon of the mist to growl at him.
Have to rub it in, don't ya?! Zabuza growled in a huff. Every time I talk about psych and everything, YOU have to bring it up!
Hey, I learned from the best of the best, remember that. Reishi laughed.
Yeah and you were a better pupil than Haku. The ghost sighed, his face turning downcast.
I'm sorry for bringing up bad memories, Sensei.
Oh well. The nin began. You do realize though that you are almost done learning everything from me, right? The missing nin began as he opened the scroll that was near him at all times. That after team meeting training has really paid off. He explained.
Reishi could only smile as he looked over what he already knew. Now if I only knew my elements! He thought, idly extending a length of chain as he passed through many of the streets. Almost unknowingly, he found himself in a training ground far from wandering eyes. Taking a quick look around, Reishi sighed as he pulled out both of his blades. I wish I could trust myself with these damn things! He growled to himself. "If only I could understand how to use these, I would be even stronger!" he shouted to the skies.
Reishi would learn to choose his words differently.
AN: Okay, I ended up with a longer chapter than usual, but I was hoping to set more plot than usual. I know it seemed odd for a fight with Neji so soon, but I happen to like Neji AFTER Naruto pulled that stick out of his ass rather than before, and felt that it would make the story a little bit better. Another thing, since everyone seemed to think that Anko would be a good chick for him, and I think that she is also someone in the need of some major loving she is in, but I am also adding Tsume in there at a point soon enough with a small twist MUAH MUAH MUAH!!!!