Disclaimer: I don't own it, and never will...
A/N: Here' s the next chapter...dun dun DUN! What will happen this time?
Chapter 4
"I officially call to order the 84th meeting of the SasukeSeven," Ino announced, banging a hammer very officially on the counter. She got to be the leader of the meetings because the top-secret organization, the SasukeSeven, always met in her flower shop after hours. It made her feel important to bang a hammer around, even when it wasn't really necessary.
"You've been keeping track?" Tenten asked skeptically.
Ino frowned and glared at the other girl. She'd always disliked her, and knew the feeling was mutual, ever since they'd quarreled about the name of their group many years ago….Naturally, Tenten had wanted to call the group the SasukeTen, after herself. Ino thought that horribly selfish, since there were only four actual members, five if you counted the one uninvited guest who always seemed to show up…
"No, no, it's the 85th!" Orochimaru whined. "Don't forget the one we had when Sasuke accidentally kissed Naruto!"
"Orochimaru! Go away! We don't want you in our club! And don't remind us about that absolutely sickening day!" Sakura shuddered. "Ick……that was just nasty. Poor Sasuke….he's been through so much…" She sidled closer to Hinata and away from Orochimaru.
"But ladies…" Orochimaru groveled. "I'm a devout member! When have I ever done something to Sasuke that was not for the greater good? I even got you all those pictures for—"
Hinata turned beet red at the thought and squeaked. Though she'd never admit it to Orochimaru, she still kept those pictures under the seventh tatami mat on the far left side of her room. And she had a feeling Tenten kept her copies someplace special too, but she'd never actually figured out where.
Orochimaru observed her reaction and smiled. He was pleased that he still had some leverage in this wonderful group. Imagine his delight, when, upon his return to Konoha, he'd found an entire group dedicated to the one and only Sasuke! They had a misleading name…but he ignored the strange choice. It wasn't his problem that they couldn't count.
"Orochimaru!" Ino slammed her coveted hammer down. "The SasukeSeven is a group of girls!! Teenage girls! You're just a messed-up old man!!" She followed her outburst with three more strikes of the hammer. Tomorrow, her mom would probably yell at her for destroying the countertop….again.
"Oh, come now!" Orochimaru flicked his wrist in a feminine manner. "You've put up with me for the last 84 meetings. What will one more hurt?"
"U-u-uh….he is r-right," Hinata admitted. Sakura raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Tenten shrugged her shoulders and stood up.
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that……Sasuke's new concept of fashion is absolutely unbefitting of him!"
The other three girls exchanged pained sighs.
Orochimaru looked confused.
"What? That's what the meeting's about? And here I thought it was some sort of emergency or something."
"I-I-it is an e-emergency," Hinata fiddled with her headband. It felt funny on her forehead, and it pushed her bangs into her eyes. Luckily, she'd only run into one wall so far, and her forehead had been protected…
"What kind of an emergency? I think he looks positively ga—" Orochimaru shut his mouth.
"—THAT'S THE PROBLEM, YOU SICK MAN!!" Sakura bawled.
Ino banged her hammer. Silence fell.
"Order! Order! Clearly, there's going to be a conflict of…interest…," she stated, inserting a fake gag for emphasis. Orochimaru pretended not to notice.
"I object!" Tenten growled. "He's not even a member! Why should we care? It is an emergency! We have to do something before Sasuke is ruined!"
Mentally, Ino agreed with her words, but because it had been Tenten who said them, she felt compelled to attack.
"So what if he's not a member? He's still a part of the SasukeSeven, whether you like it or not, he does more for Sasuke than you do!"
Simultaenously, Sakura and Hinata's jaws dropped. Orochimaru tried to smile pleasingly. He'd just found an unexpected advantage.
Neji moped around the deserted part of the Hyuuga complex. There was no denying it anymore. His life positively sucked. A bird chirped and flew out of a tree. He watched it wheel around gleefully in the sky, wishing the whole time for it to drop dead. It wasn't fair. If he couldn't be happy, no one should be happy! The world didn't understand him at all! His destiny sucked, and there was no escaping it.
He stood up because he was tired of sitting, but found he was instantly tired of standing. He settled for a squat, and glared holes into the shrubbery concealing him from the rest of his clan.
In the distance he could hear the sound of people laughing and talking. It just made him feel even worse.
How could Tenten just leave him like that? Didn't she care just a little bit?
"She doesn't care about me," he pouted. "No one cares about me…."
The world had abandoned him, and so it was time for him to abandon the world. Of course, it wouldn't be right if he just decided to abandon the world. No, he had to let the world know, somehow.
Neji understood what he had to do. At least he had a purpose again. It was the only thing that'd gone right for him so far.
"He's probably moping in the bushes on the edge of the Hyuuga complex," Lee said. "He always goes there because he thinks no one knows about the place."
"Good job Lee!!" Guy grinned, his bright teeth sparkling painfully in the sun. "It is truly wonderful you know your teammate so well!" Lee smiled, proud that Guy was proud of him. He'd do anything for Guy Sensei, so spying on Neji was no big deal. It was easy too; the Hyuuga was too involved with his own air of self-importance to notice being followed. That, or his sense of importance was inflated with the knowledge that he had a stalker. Lee wasn't sure which it was, and he didn't think too hard on it. It made his head hurt. Why couldn't all people be as open and understanding as Guy Sensei?
The two quickly arrived on the scene, only to find no one sulking in the bushes.
"That is strange," Lee muttered.
"He isn't here," Guy remarked.
"No, he isn't," Lee replied. They looked around at the obviously empty area for a while. Finally Guy straightened up and posed animatedly.
"Then that can only mean one thing……!!"
"What Guy Sensei?!"
"That he is….somewhere else!!" Guy let his pupil absorb the fact, before pointing in a random direction. "We must look elsewhere! Come, Lee!!"
"Yes Guy Sensei!!"
Everyday, Lee was astonished at how lucky he was to have Guy as his Sensei.
Sasuke managed to get halfway to his hairdresser's before someone stopped him.
"Uchiha. Wait. I need to talk to you."
It was Neji. Sasuke turned slowly, dramatically, to face him. A Hyuuga never talked to an Uchiha unless it was a matter of great importance, or a challenge of supremacy. Haughtily, Sasuke turned his nose to the air.
"What is it, Hyuga?"
Then he got his first look at Neji. He'd never seen him like this. Usually, the Hyuuga radiated arrogance and power, so much so that it almost appeared as an aura around him. But now….his head bowed to the ground, and his voice was dull. Sasuke wondered what had reduced him to this. But he couldn't appear too curious, so he refrained from asking if there was a problem.
"Come with me. We have to talk," Neji repeated lifelessly.
"Why should I?" Sasuke asked. He glanced down the street. His hairdresser was only a few blocks away! He wanted to get there quickly, so that he could correct his emo problem. Hopefully, he could rid himself of the Hyuuga quickly…even if his curiosity was growing by the second. It delighted him to see he wasn't the only one having a hard time.
"Come with me…." Neji's voice got even softer. "Please."
Sasuke almost fell over. Natually, his Uchiha blood forbade him from such an action, but it was a close call. Had the Hyuuga just said 'please'? It must really be serious. He gave a last longing look down the block, sighed, and replied:
"Fine. But make it quick. I have a lot of very important business to attend to."
Neji started walking wordlessly. Sasuke decided he was supposed to follow, but he was miffed that Neji didn't even bother to follow up his 'please' with a 'thank-you'. If he was going to grovel for assistance, he should do it right!
Neji led Sasuke to his favorite moping place, not even bothering to notice the many large footprints left in the dirt and a lingering sparkle. Sasuke did, but said nothing. It was the Hyuuga's business what he did in his spare time.
"No one ever comes here," Neji mumbled. "So we're safe here."
Sasuke arched a graceful Uchiha eyebrow. The Hyuuga clan was really losing it.
He stamped his foot impatiently.
"What do you want? I already told you I'm busy!"
"Sasuke, I have a favor to ask. But you're the only one who I can ask, because you're a master of it yourself," Neji began. This time, not even his Uchiha blood could stop Sasuke from stumbling in surprise.
"And I wouldn't normally ask a favor of an Uchiha," continued Neji, "but I don't have a choice. The world has forced my hand; this is the only thing I can do."
Sasuke was interested now. Flattery was good, but a Hyuuga begging for help was priceless.
"I don't know, an Uchiha normally wouldn't grant a favor to a Hyuga…" Sasuke remarked, pretending to inspect his nails. He couldn't help playing with Neji, not when he was just asking for it.
Neji scowled, but bowed his head even lower.
"Please Sasuke. You must. I need you to…"
Sasuke drew in a breath. This was going to be good, maybe something even worth missing his hair appointment for. He waited for the wonderfully pathetic request that was sure to come--
"…teach me how to be emo."
--and froze.
"I mean, you're the only real emo ninja in Konoha. I thought you could teach me all the minute techniques. I'm sick of being what everyone wants me to be!" Neji said.
Sasuke found he was almost shaking in anger.
"DAMN IT HYUUGA!! I AM NOT EMO!!!" Sasuke roared. "STOP THINKING YOU KNOW WHO I AM OR HOW I FEEL!! I WILL NOT TEACH YOU TO BE EMO, BECAUSE I AM NOT EMO!!"
Neji could only watch with wide eyes. And Sasuke wasn't done yet.
"AND EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT YOUR STUPID MOPING-PLACE!!!!"
With that, Sasuke stomped off, snarling and growling ferally under his breath, leaving behind a very, very, very shell-shocked Hyuga. After several minutes he collected himself enough to squeak:
"B-but no one knows about my moping-place..."
"Oh! See Guy-Sensei? I told you he would be here!"
A/N: Kekekeke...poor Neji, poor Sasuke...hehehe. Anyway, I'm sure you noticed that Sasuke never quite made it to the hairdresser's. So, I'm still open for suggestions as to his new hairstyle, though I think I have one picked out already. But please tell me what you think! I love hearing from all of you!