Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way, shape, or form. All characters and settings used belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
AN: Hi! Third chapter here! It's pretty slow-paced right now, but there's a ton of confused and angry Neji right now. But there's a sort-of love confession at the end, so I hope you guys enjoy that!
And please remember to review. You and I both know that I'm not a perfect person, and one of my main goals as a writer is to improve. I'd love to get some constructive criticism to help me on my journey. So...tell me what you think?
Anyways, enjoy!
Chapter 3-Integration
by insert cliche
Who are you?
The question echoed in Neji's head over and over, like the broken music box hidden under his bed. It had been a gift from Tenten on his thirteenth birthday, he remembered dimly.
Who are you?
He didn't hear the crowd gasp, didn't hear Hinata-sama cry. Because all he heard was Tenten's voice, and all he heard was that question.
Who are you?
It was illogical. Tenten was supposed to have escaped from Konoha forever. She had left for a small civilian town called Wave, and had gotten through safely. She had given herself a new story, a new name, and a new life untainted by Konoha and her memories.
She had left them exactly two and a half years ago. She had left Lee, Gai, what used to be the Konoha Twelve, and everything precious to her. She had left him behind in the cage-that-was-their-home, with only a kiss to remember he by.
So why was she standing here? Why?
Why was she right in front of him, wearing ROOT clothes, and smiling like she didn't know him? Whywhywhy was she not gone? Why-
"Neji." Someone nudged him with an elbow. "Hyuuga, snap out of it."
He blinked, and found himself still standing in front of the ROOT-girl-who-was-Tenten. Shikamaru poked him.
"Hurry up and say something."
Neji shot a glare at the lazy chuunin standing next to him. He then turned to the girl.
"My apologies. Could you please repeat that question?" Even in the worst of times, his manners never disappeared.
Not-Tenten continued smiling in that unfeeling way. "Who are you?"
"I'm-" Neji coughed. "I'm Hyuuga Neji."
Not-Tenten's answer surprised him.
"Then I believe I've found you."
"Hokage-sama? Team Gai and Agent Four to see you, sir." The escort rapped on the solid wooden doors that led to the Hokage's office. He looked like he had been brainwashed by the Hokage-bastard's minions, Neji thought, but looks could be decieving. Not-Tenten was a prime example.
A voice sounded through the door. "Send them in." The doors were pulled open by their leader, and the four shinobi filed in. The team bowed to the village leader as the doors closed, but Neji noticed that Four stayed upright. It was strange, but he let the observation go.
Once they straightened out of their bow, Neji stared at Danzo, his gaze unwavering. He wanted answers, and even if he didn't get them, at least he had tried.
"Maito Gai, Rock Lee, and Hyuuga Neji. Your team once had a fourth member, am I correct? I believe her name was Tenten."
His teacher answered. "Yes, Hokage-sama."
"And she disappeared?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"And none of you know about her current status and whereabouts." This time, there was no question in Danzo's voice. The bastard sounded like he was gloating.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"Well then. In light of these circumstances, I have decided to assign one of my ROOT members to your team. She is highly capable and experienced fighter, and I believe she will do quite well in your team. She is one of my best in taijutsu, and will be able to keep up with your team's speed."
What circumstances? Neji wanted to scream at him. Why have you only decided to notice this now, instead of two years ago?
Lee voiced out Neji's second question. "Why now, Hokage-sama? I mean no disrespect, but our team has functioned as a three-man cell for over two years. Why have you decided to add another person after we finally finished coping with the loss of our metal dragon?" Neji noticed how Lee had spoken of Tenten with her nickname.
Once upon a time, she could have been famous in Konoha. Konoha's Metal Dragon, Mistress of Steel, Iron Flame. Even the villagers had started to give Tenten stories.
"After reviewing your team's performance," Danzo was saying, "I decided that perhaps the change back to a four-man team would boost your mission rankings. You three have taken 30 A-ranked missions and 10 B-ranked missions in the last year, but no S-rank missions. I would like to recreate Konoha's Taijutsu Team."
Gai smiled grimly at the compliment. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. I assure you that we will do our best." The man had stopped saying the word "youth" after his female student had left. Kakashi had attributed it to some form of shock, and not a single person had opposed the Copy-nin.
Lee smiled as well. "We will exceed your expectations, Hokage-sama. You will not be disappointed!" Lee, on the other hand, had gotten even brighter and happier. The boy said that "even with our youthful flower gone, we must not despair! We will all be happy for when she returns!"
Danzo smiled like a cat who had eaten a cage full of fat, plump canaries.
"I do hope so. You are dismissed."
Gai and Lee walked out quickly, no doubt ready to start training again. Not-Tenten trailed quickly behind the somewhat-Dynamic duo. Neji, however, followed at a more sedate pace. He was just about to pull the door closed again when Danzo spoke.
"One last thing, Neji. I forgot to add that she specializes in weapons. I think you two would make good partners." Neji saw from the corner of his eye that his leader was smirking. Instead of closing the door quietly, he decided to slam it. They both knew the others' game, after all.
Bastard.
Why hadn't he seen it? How had he not noticed that ROOT Agent Four was Tenten?
Maybe he had been in shock, Neji thought. That was definitely a possible answer. He was only human, and humans were allowed to make mistakes. Even big ones.
There were many things Neji wanted to do: hit himself on the head, shake himself, kill Naruto and everybody who had convinced him that a non-brainwashed Tenten was back, hit himself again, cause some more bodily harm, and stop being an idiot.
None of those happened.
Of course Danzo wouldn't let Tenten come back so easily; the bastard would make everything as painful as possible for everyone involved. He would flaunt his "possession" in their faces and watch them break before telling them the truth. As much as Neji hated him, Danzo's little plans were well thought-out and even better executed. Some people, such as Nara and himself, were sure to see through everything, but even they would be hurt in the end.
He sighed, and got up off of the small wooden porch connected to his rooms. It was just before nightfall, and Neji knew that he would not be able to sleep. At least he could pretend that his life was still normal.
He headed to bed, defeated.
It was nearly midnight, and he was still awake. Two hours of tossing and turning on the bed had done nothing but irritate him more, and he had decided to sit and meditate outside once more. It wouldn't hurt.
"Neji-nii-san?" A loose floorboard squeaked behind him, and Neji didn't need to turn around to see who it was. He addressed his superior while facing away from her in a rare show of disrespect. He knew that Hinata-sama would understand this time. She had loved Tenten like a sister, and Neji knew that she had suspected a deeper-than-friends relationship between him and his partner. "A-are you okay?"
When Neji turned around and raised a brow in confusion, she flushed dark red and looked down at the worn floorboards.
"Hinata-sama, when am I ever not okay?" Lies, lies, his mind whispered. He was never okay without Tenten. But nobody needed to know that.
"I-I mean that you're always hiding your emotions, a-and it's really bad right now. But everyone knows you're hurting, and we're all really worried-even Father. Could you please just let go for once?" Hinata had become uncharacteristically passionate. "Could you please act normal?"
Neji smiled sadly. "There is no such thing as "normal" in our lives, Hinata-sama. We live and die by the edge of our knives and survive with the steel in our hearts. You of all people should know that."
It was quiet for a moment. Neji felt the weak wooden floor sink as Hinata stepped towards him. She sat down next to him, legs dangling over the edge of the porch, moonlight eyes glinting.
In that moment, they were nothing but two cousins. They were not Main and Branch, subject to rules that would never be broken. They were two people, one comforting the other, and both of them missing a girl who had changed their lives.
The crickets chirped around them, becoming louder and louder with every moment that passed.
"Neji-nii-san, is that 'Four' girl really Tenten-chan? I've heard rumors all day, but nobody knows the truth. And it really does seem like her."
Neji sighed and smiled ruefully. "It's true, Hinata-sama. Tenten didn't make it out." They both knew what that meant. Tenten had been captured, brainwashed, and turned into a pawn.
"And she's back on your team?"
"All she knows is that she's joining a three-man cell who lost a member years ago. She doesn't know that it used to be her own team."
"What do Gai-sensi and Lee-san think?" Hinata was quite talkative when she wanted to be.
"The two of them are...coping. I suppose they're taking it better than I am right now." It was a momentary admission of weakness from Neji that startled even himself.
Hinata hummed quietly in agreement. The pair fell silent again.
After a while, there was one more question.
"Did you love her, Neji?"
The answer was immediate. He had acknowledged his feelings years prior, even before Tenten had left, and made no move to hide anything from his cousin.
"Of course, Hinata-sama."
A pause.
"I don't think I could stop loving her if I tried."
Please review. Any and all reviews are highly appreciated.