Chapter 4: Your Demons Are My Demons
Never did Hyuuga Neji think that he would see Konoha in the state that was displayed before him. Most of the large buildings and houses were now replaced with flames while a steady current of blood made its way down the street like a raging river. It was hard to process any sort of thought when shrill screams would constantly rip through his being. The people of the Hyuuga prodigy's village lay dead for as far as the eye could see. The sounds of battle were scattered around the village as well, most likely the few surviving shinobi making feeble attempts at saving their homes or themselves.
Then she appeared..
The very same pale beauty that had attacked his team only a week ago stood just down the street from him. With a smooth motion the woman held her hand up in front of her face revealing her long claw-like fingers, the blood oozing off of them and dropping to the already crimson ground. An abnormally long tongue slithered from between her bright red lips and licked the remaining blood from her claws. A moan sounded from her chest as the blood made its way down her throat. Finally she turned her glowing gaze on Neji with a wicked grin.
"The blood of your people is pure ecstasy."
The feminine voice echoed off the burning buildings and Neji felt the uncontrollable rage eating him alive. Before the ANBU captain could say or do anything the woman suddenly appeared a arms length from him, the claw where her index finger would normally be tickled threateningly at his Adam's apple. That same wicked grin now revealed fangs that looked just as menacing as the claws that were now only seconds from ripping his throat out. "Tell me boy, do you hate me? Do you loathe me? Do you want to destroy me? Rip me apart in the name of your fallen comrades?" Every word that the woman said tore through Neji like a kunai.
"I will kill you!"
Neji shouted as the rage had became too much to handle. His hands began to perform seals at a blinding speed but before the set could be complete the clawed hand wrapped around his throat and slammed him violently into the ground. "You have so many reasons to kill me, boy! I am the murderer of everyone close to you and a enemy of your beloved little village!" Her tall figure loomed over his body while Neji desperately tried to ignore the broken bones and stand. His Byakugan was activated and blood poured down his forehead from a gash on his scalp, "You speak of the obvious."
"You shinobi are blinded by your humane emotions and moral codes. Do you think you would be able to kill me if I were to address these weaknesses?"
Her words were ignored as Neji began to perform the hand seals once more but this time with even more speed. "Hakke Hasangeki!" The ninja slammed his open palm into the woman's stomach but something wasn't right. This wasn't the stomach of the woman who was standing there before, Neji looked up to see the face of Hyuuga Hizashi just before his jutsu finished with a massive surge of chakra that sent the man flying down the street. The gentle fist jutsu hit with so much force that when HIzashi landed it caused a massive crater. A look of pure horror dawned on Neji's face as he stumbled quickly towards the crater, "Father!" How could this have happened? That was supposed to be his enemy but it had been the father that Neji had missed for so long.
When he finally made it to the edge of the crater what he discovered cause him to drop to his knees in agony, tears streaming down his face. At the base of the crater was not Hizashi or the woman he had intended to hit, it was Tenten's lifeless and broken body. Her dead hazel eyes slowly glazed over while staring up at Neji, a single tear rolled down her cold cheek. This was no genjutsu, Neji had killed the only girl he had ever had feelings for. He dug his bloody fingers into the dirt as the tears poured from his eyes.
Suddenly a pain ripped through his beaten body as that same clawed hand tore out of his chest cavity. The giggle that came next told Neji that his attacker was standing behind him but it didn't matter now. Blood poured from his chest and mouth as the woman picked him up from the street, her arm still completely through him.
"Weak mortal…"
Neji shot upright in his bed, his chest was pounding and a cold sweat dripped down his forehead. His right hand immediately touched where the hole in his chest had been. Just a nightmare, pull yourself together. Despite the revelation of it just being a dream there was still a uneasy feeling tugging at his nerves and making him sick to his stomach. This was what fear felt like, Neji had come to discover this during the fourth shinobi war.
A knock at the door snapped Neji from his deep thought and he looked at the clock, it was three in the morning. Who would be at his door at that hour? The ninja stood up and stretched his limbs quietly before brandishing a kunai and creeping over to the door.
"Who is it?" He asked sternly, his grip on the blade tightening.
There was a slight pause before the other answered, "I-it's Tenten."
Neji immediately opened the door to the very same hazel eyed kunoichi he had killed only moments ago. A undeniable feeling of relief engulfed him as he took in the sight of his old teammate. Only a nightmare. " Is something wrong, Tenten-chan?" Neji asked smoothly and pushed long black lock of hair from his face. A slight blush became aparent on the girl's face as she looked at the man in front of her. That was when Neji realized that he had on nothing but a pair of shorts, the cold sweat from earlier still rolling down his etched muscles. He fought away the embarrassment and motioned for her to come in before he walked over to a dresser and pulling a simple black t-shirt over his bare torso.
"I just wanted to talk." Was all the girl said as she took a seat on the corner of Neji's bed and tried to conceal the blush that still grazed her face. It was very odd to see the Hyuuga in something so casual considering he normally wore shinobi attire or kimonos. He quietly rubbed his forehead before taking a seat on the bed beside Tenten, "Is everything okay? It is pretty late."
"Oh yes, Neji-kun. I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I don't usually drink like that and I overstepped my boundary." Her words were just as cluttered as her thoughts had been. Nerves could be so bothersome at times.
Neji glanced at her through the corner of his eye and slowly shook his head. "Considering that you did nothing wrong I see no reason for you to apologize." His constant formal way of conversing really made him sound like a ass but Tenten had been around him long enough to know better. He knew well that she was attempting to apologize for the kiss on his cheek that still lingered even after a shower and several hours of uneasy sleep. Neji really didn't know how to approach the situation considering that these sorts of emotions were uncharted territory for him. Finally he spoke once again, "You aren't typically one to apologize for your actions, Tenten-chan. What is that you really want to speak about?"
Busted. Leave it to Neji to see completely through her façade and automatically attack the truth. Of course, that was not what she really came to speak about. Tenten had no intention of apologizing for a simple kiss to the cheek, even though it would have been a lot nicer if she had just planted it on those smooth lips. "Caught me, Neji-kun. I actually came because I can't sleep. I have had this bad feeling ever since that woman attacked you and your team."
The Hyuuga simply nodded his head while his white eyes attempted to stare a hole into the ground at his feet. "What is it that you want to know?" His words were short enough to show that he shared the very same feeling that Tenten was suffering from. The beautiful woman beside him lay back against his bed and folded her arms across her chest. An audible sigh escaped her lips that alerted Neji of her frustration.
"I know it is not the way of a kunoichi, but I can't deny the fact that that woman sent chills down my spine. Do you think you will have to face her again?"
"If the Hokage asks that of me then yes, I will. It is my duty to do so; she was able to get away with a valuable scroll."
Tenten adjusted herself on his bed sheets with a nervous effort and an awkward silence ensued. Finally, Neji could not stand it any longer and turned to Tenten with a very odd expression. "What is it that makes you so uneasy? I-we have went up against S-ranked criminals in the past and never once did you act this way." Again he demonstrated his talent to deprive anyone of trying to stall from talking about a sensitive subject. "I read a document that Lady Tsunade forgot on her desk when she was called to the medical wing for an emergency." She knew that this could cause her to lose her job and the way that Neji stared at her proved that he knew as well.
"It talked about a family that the Senju clan destroyed during the Shodai's rule. This family had unlocked secrets to immortality through some demonic source. The Senju clan attacked before they were able to complete their ritual on the entire family. Apparently, only two were reported to have completed the ritual. A brother and sister, Toshiro and Toshiko, displayed very demonic appearances and odd powers. They killed many of the Senju before the Shodai himself sealed them into several scrolls."
Neji stared at the girl with disbelief, "You are saying that the woman who attacked us was this Toshiko?" Tenten replied with a grim nod before continuing her ongoing plethora of information. "These scrolls were kept here in the Leaf after it was established, but once the other hidden villages were built they were divided up." The Hyuuga placed his elbows on top of his knees and leaned against them while he tried to process all of the information.
"If there were several scrolls that means that they would all have to be together before one can be released." Tenten nodded once again before sitting back up and touching shoulders with Neji. So deep in thought, neither of them noticed how close their bodies were. "Now do you see why I'm worried? If the Shodai Hokage couldn't even kill them how are we-" Neji shook his head and grabbed Tenten by the hand and pulled her over to the window beside his bed. "See that?" He asked smoothly while pointing at the mountain displaying the faces of all the Hokages.
"That mountain is the embodiment of our village's success, our will of fire. Whether this information you have provided stands true or not, I do not know. What I do know is that we will succeed either way. That mountain is proof enough." His voice was gentle but stern enough to show that he truly believed in the words that he spoke. While he spoke Tenten had laced her fingers into his and stared at him with an expression full of emotion. Neji was so bold and devoted when he spoke about the village and its strength, but it still didn't nullify the nervous feeling she had about the whole situation. "C-can I stay here tonight?" She asked in a quiet voice and averted her gaze to the ground.
The question had caught Neji off-guard and resulted in him staring at her for a few moments. "If that is what you want, Tenten-chan. You can sleep here and I will sleep on the couch." Tenten slowly sat down on the bed, her gaze still on the floor. Neji let go of her hand despite the feelings that told him not to and started towards the couch but was stopped when she grabbed him by the back of the shirt. His breathe caught in his throat as she pulled down on to the bed beside her and slowly laid her head on his chest. "I know it's a sign of weakness, but I'm scared, Neji-kun." Tenten whispered as she clenched at the fabric of his thin t-shirt.
Neji laid there stiffly not knowing what to do, but eventually the soft, steady breathing from the girl laying next to him signified that she had fallen asleep. Relaxing, Neji awkwardly placed his hand on the small of Tenten's back and closed his eyes. This was new and surprisingly nice, but the surge of unknown emotions coursing throughout his body was something that needed to be dealt with soon. Eventually, Neji too fell asleep and this time it was much more peaceful than last time.
Tenten rolled over and opened her heavy eyes; that was by far the best rest she had gotten in a while. Suddenly she realized where she was and sat up abruptly. Embarrassment caused a blush to cover her entire face. I slept in Neji's bed! She scanned the room to see that there was no trace of the owner but there was a note on the nightstand that had her name wrote on it. She grabbed the parchment and unfolded it to read its contents.
Tenten-chan,
I spoke with Lady Tsunade this morning and told her that you were getting some much needed rest this morning. She understood and asks for you to relieve the ANBU operative I had fill your spot after lunch. I had one of the clan chefs cook you breakfast, it is in the kitchen.
-Neji
After only several hours of sleep, Neji had stirred and move with the silence that only a shinobi could in order not to wake Tenten. After exiting the room and sliding the door shut he proceeded with his normal morning procedure. After breakfast, washing, and changing into his jonin attire Neji left to speak with the Hokage. The dark circles around Tenten's eyes hadn't gone unnoticed and he decided that some rest would be good for her. Lady Tsunade, being the medic-nin she was, would understand completely.
Once that was complete the Hyuuga made his way to the ANBU training grounds. Kiba was lounging in a tree lazily and Akamaru was curled up at the base of the trunk when Neji showed up. Despite all of the new information and emotions that he was exposed to the night before, the ANBU captain had not forgotten his partner's obvious interest in his cousin. Hinata was the Hyuuga clan heir and he was a member of the branch family, this meant that his sole purpose was to protect the main house. To be more specific, Neji's job was to protect HInata. That meant from any sort of danger including the specialized warfare of love and lust.
The Inuzuka quickly jumped from the tree and approached his partner with his typical feral grin. "Mornin', Cap'n!" Kiba shouted loudly but before he could say another word he was struck in the chest with a chakra infused palm. This sent him crashing backwards but being the tough ninja he was, Kiba was able to stand to his feet quickly. Anger was apart as he shouted at Neji, "What the fuck?!" The ANBU dropped to all fours and rushed forward. Suddenly he jumped up and began spinning at a ferocious speed heading directly at Neji, "Tsūga!"
Neji slide into his gentle fist stance and preformed a string of hand seals, "Hakkeshō Kaiten!" The captain then held out his arms with the palms facing out and spun with just as much speed, a mass of chakra surrounding him like a sphere. Kiba's attack bounced off his captain's perfect defense and he landed several yards back on all fours, a loud snarl sounded through the training grounds. Other shinobi that had been training had stopped to watch the fight.
"Inuzuka Kiba, do you know what purpose the branch house serves in the Hyuuga clan?"
Kiba slowly arched a eyebrow but stayed in his battle stance. What the hell was Neji doing? He glanced back quickly to see Akamaru still lying against the tree staring at them through one open eye. It was obvious that the canine counterpart had no interest in getting involved in a bout between two friends. The Inuzuka snarled yet again at his dog's treacherous behavior. "They protect the main house from danger. What's this about, asshole?"
Suddenly Neji shot forward and sent several quick jabs at his partner that most wouldn't be able to avoid but thanks to his speed, Kiba was able to precisely maneuver between the blows. He jumped and sent a powerful drop kick screaming down at his opponent but when it smashed into the ground he knew that Neji had moved. He quickly scanned the area for his captain but he was nowhere to be found. Typically his scent would give him away but for some reason even that was hard to place in one singular spot.
"Correct. We protect the main house from anything that can cause them harm. Do you know who I am charged with protecting with my life?"
Hinata. Kiba's eyes widened in shock once he had gathered what this whole situation was about. The distraction of this revelation had caused was enough for Neji to plant six powerful jabs with his palms into Kiba's chest and ribs. The pain these precise jabs caused was immense. It was common knowledge throughout Konoha that Hyuuga Neji was currently one of the most dangerous shinobi serving its cause. A ninja who harnessed the Hyuuga clan fighting style and used it like no other, Neji could stand against even the most dangerous threats. Some even said that he had to potential to be Lady Tsunade's successor as the Leaf Village's Hokage.
Kiba was just fixing to fall to his knees from the blows he received but was sent tumbling backwards by a powerful kick. "I am to protect my cousin, Hyuuga Hinata, with my life. I cannot let any harm come to her and that includes your womanizing ways, Kiba." The Inuzuka groaned in response before climbing back to his feet. He spat the blood that had pooled in his mouth out and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, all while staring at Neji with unsung rage.
"So you would rather her fawn over Uzumaki?! If you haven't noticed, she has been a bit depressed since he and Sakura were sent to the cloud village. Not to mention the fact that those two have practically been on the verge of marriage since the war ended. It crushed Hinata-chan! All I'm doing is showing her that there are other fish in the sea."
Neji stared at Kiba for several moments and then assumed his battle stance once again. "Naruto and Sakura's relationship is not of my concern." Kiba clenched his fist and dropped down onto all fours again, a large amount of chakra radiating from his being. He rushed forward and attempted a clawed jab but was intercepted by another palm jab. Instead of falling back Kiba burst into a cloud of smoke. Neji's eyes narrowed. A clone. A powerful kick suddenly connected with Neji's back that sent him flying face first towards a tree, but the Hyuuga simply rolled into a position where his feet would hit the trunk first. The chakra that was focused in his legs allowed Neji to simply stand on the trunk.
"She deserves happiness, Neji! Let me try to give that to her!"
The gap between the two was drastically decreased with a jump that was so fast it made Neji look like a blur. When he stopped he was merely a foot away from his partner with a scowl on his face. "How do you think you could give this to her? My cousin is not some village whore. Lady Hinata is an honorable kunoichi of the leaf and the next Hyuuga clan head." He looked ready to hit Kiba yet again but there was far less killing intent being exhibited than before.
"We aren't kids any more, Captain. I've changed and I can prove it."
Neji glared at Kiba for several long moments, "Why do I feel like this isn't you asking for permission?" The Inuzuka gave yet another huge grin that showed his canines. "Because, I'm not." He said quickly and got ready for yet another barrage of powerful attacks. Instead of being engaged once again his opponent just stared at him with a furrowed brow. Then finally Neji crossed his arms across his chest and stood up into a neutral stance.
"You can have your chance, but I will always be supervising when you are together. Kiba, I am going to give you this warning only once. If you demonstrate any inappropriate behavior or hurt her in any way I will kill you."
Never in a thousand years would Kiba ever expected for Neji to give in so easily, but he wasn't going to waste a once in a lifetime opportunity. "You got it, Cap'n!" He shouted with a mock salute that caused Akamaru to bark in the background.
Author's Note's
Sorry for the wait, but here is the next chapter! I really hope you have enjoyed it so far! This is chapter had quite a bit more action in it but just as much character development as well. I would really appreciate reviews and I'll take constructive criticism if you have any to offer!