J3F\\\ Journey of the Three Failures
Chapter 2
So sorry for the wait! My computer seriously messed up, and we ended up getting a new one because it couldn't be fixed. Just so you know, I do plan to continue, and there won't be near as long a wait for the next chapter.
A huge thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, alerted, etc! I appreciate your support!
Sorry, we don't see much of the three failures in this chapter, but some really important stuff happens back in Konoha. So…
Oh wait! Disclaimer: No, I do NOT own NARUTO. I know. Can you believe it? It's really true.
Journey of the Three Failures
Two: Snake in the Leaf
Hanabi ハナビ
I could hardly feel miffed as I should that Nee-chan had been able to incapacitate me in one blow. I could not even be angry to find she had definitely gone easy on me in sparring. What really got me was that she had deliberately deceived me, taking advantage of my desperate emotions so that I wouldn't detect her lies – and because I had blindly fallen for it, she was gone.
I was alone. And somewhere out there, Hinata was, too.
"Enter!" someone called. I stood from the bench and grunted, a hand immediately covering the sore pressure point. I composed myself in a moment and stepped into the meeting room.
Father and several stern-faced elders were seated around the box shaped room for the emergency meeting; as I entered, all white eyes focused on me.
"Hyuuga Hanabi," one elder said in his gravelly but clear voice, "What is your account of the events regarding Hyuuga Hinata's disappearance?"
I took a deep breath, prepared to tell my story – but tale might be a bit more accurate…
/ When I finally recovered and got to my feet, I just stood there, an arm folded across my middle, staring in a daze.
She's … gone…
Yet I couldn't feel angry at her. I just felt a little … abandoned.
In ten minutes of shivering I shuddered violently and realized I was freezing; it was cold out, wind was rolling down the empty streets, and I was still in warm weather clothes. My head low, I turned and stiffly began to walk toward the Hyuuga estate.
Great, I realized, what am I going to tell Chichi-ue?
My head jerked up as an explosion roared in the near distance; I heard a wind chime ring softly at a shockwave. I looked up to see two people shoot over the alley I was on – from one rooftop to another so quickly I could have imagined it – in the opposite direction of the explosion. I formed a seal and activated my bloodline trait to glimpse two boys, very different in appearance but both oddly dressed in their own respective ways. The next moment they had vanished beyond my thirty meter range – the greatest distance my eyes could see clearly while looking through solid objects, in this case, the building.
I let my dojutsu deactivate. "What in the world...?" \\\
In a short minute of investigating afterward, I had gleaned a vital bit of information off a conversation in the cheerful crowd of ninja and civilians gathered on one side of a demolished and burning house: '…two birds with one stone,' I'd heard a man say, 'Can you believe our luck? The demon and the demon-friend, dead and gone…' A few seconds after, I had realized two things. First, having been by chance in the right place at the right time, I knew something crucial that the village did not: Uzumaki Naruto and Rock Lee were alive.
Second, I had something to tell the clan.
So, with a stern face and the skill of a practiced composer and teller of lies, I began my tall tale.
"At about two o'clock this morning Hinata-san and I exited the grounds. I was going to leave her and fetch her teammate Inuzuka Kiba-san, who could carry her to Konoha hospital. However, on the way I felt something wasn't right, and returned before reaching the Inuzuka home to find she had left. I searched, and soon found Hinata-san nearing the house of genin Rock Lee. She claimed there was something urgent she needed to discuss with him, and she couldn't tell me.
"When she refused to listen to me I planned to knock her unconscious to get her to the hospital, but she overpowered me with ease…" At this an appropriate look of frustration at the aforementioned easy overpowering crossed my face, made authentic as I fueled it with the frustration in my inability to stop her leaving. "She turned to enter the house, and I lost consciousness for a minute. When I woke, the house was collapsing in flames. A mob of villagers had paper-bombed it." I bowed my head, finished.
While the average seven-year-old was adept at lying, I happened to be an exceptional seven-year-old liar – and that I could deceive the entire Hyuuga council proved it. None of the room's occupants suspected my "report" to be nonsense past the second sentence.
"Thank you," Father said with a nod, "You are dismissed." I bowed and then stepped outside, sliding the door shut behind me.
They don't have a clue.
There would be consequences when the truth was discovered, I knew. I didn't care.
I stepped off the walkway and into the garden and pale dawn light, slowly raising tired eyes to the bleak, cloud-blanketed sky. I don't care, because…
–"It's something I have to do." –
–"It's time I worked to make a difference."–
–"I will return … I promise."–
"You will be a great leader someday … Nee-chan …" I whispered. My hand unconsciously brushed the light bruise on my middle. Nee-chan… in one move too sudden for my eyes to see, Nee-chan was able to render me helpless. She did it to protect me … I'm not ready for the shinobi world, and she proved it. But…
Two clouds broke overhead, dropping a ray of dawn light onto me.
Hinata-nee-chan … you promised you would return, so you will survive. When you come back, I'll be strong like you. The next time you need me, I'll be ready to go with you and help … I promise!
"Nee-chan … you had better keep your promise," I whispered inaudibly, clasping a hand over my heart as I faced the dawn sun.
Hinata ヒナタ
What … happened…?
I was being carried piggyback, by someone who was both moving quickly and taking care not to jostle me. I recognized the unmistakable scent of the forest around me.
I grunted, opening my eyes.
"Hinata-chan, you're awake! Huh..? Hey, your face is all red!"
If this is a dream –
It was reality, and I fainted.
"How is she?" a familiar voice asked.
"She has a few rather serious injuries, but she should be alright. She is most likely unconscious due to fatigue, blood loss, and pain."
"Darn … what could've happened to her?"
I moaned very softly; my eyelids twitched before fluttering open. My vision focused in a moment; through the foliage above I could see a grey, cloudy sky, with rays of light poking through the gloom in only a few places. Then I noticed the two people knelt beside me.
"Naruto-kun … Lee-kun…?"
"Hinata, are you feeling okay?" Naruto asked, concerned. My cheeks warmed slightly. "H-hai, I'm fine … ano … where are w-we?"
"We found you unconscious around a mile from the village," Lee explained. "We were … fleeing the village after being attacked. Now we are perhaps five miles away. I bandaged your wounds and gave you a hyorogan to help accelerate your recovery."
"But what happened to you, Hinata? What were you doing out there?" Naruto asked with a frown. As my head cleared, I remembered.
/ I felt terrible; it had hurt me more than Hanabi would ever know to deceive her, strike her, and leave her behind, but I refused to endanger her. She wasn't ready (I wasn't even sure I was ready) to survive the life of a missing-nin.
I froze – someone was approaching. But just as I activated my bloodline, a softly chuckling man dropped from the treetops to land in front of me. He wore a standard chuunin vest and a leaf headband, but something deadly about him – something that made my instincts scream danger – left a much bigger impression on me than his outfit. "Lucky me," he muttered snidely, "and just when I was getting bored…"
Something was very wrong. I didn't recognize his face – this man was not a shinobi of the village.
Even with this discovery made, my eyes widened as he withdrew a kunai from his holster. He snickered malevolently, lazily tossing it between his hands. "What are you doing away from home, little girl?" he sneered in false kindness, "Surely you know of our dear Sandaime-sama's order, forbidding citizens from leaving the village, right?" He took a step toward me, and I found myself shaking. "We wouldn't want any Sound-nin to get you!"
I took a step back. He shot past me, and my shoulder was slashed open.
I cried out. "Come on, little ninja!" he laughed behind me, "You'll have to do better than that!" Through my Byakugan I saw him leap toward me, kunai hand drawn back across his body and poised for a sweeping strike.
A decapitating strike.
No! I can't die in my first three minutes outside! I promised Imouto-chan I would return! Crouching, I whirled, channeling as much chakra as I could muster into my right arm. Seeing me face him, he changed targets on a whim, and in a practiced motion my palm flashed out…
A sharp pain in my side blazed with agony, and my jaw locked to bite back a scream. My eyes drifted up to the chuunin just as the left side of my face was spattered with blood. His speed and recklessness had been his downfall – his chest had crashed into my outstretched palm.
A terrified expression crossed his face as he realized what he had just coughed up. "What … have you…" I felt his heart shudder erratically under my hand, and winced as he convulsed and collapsed to the ground.
Were I not in pain, I probably would have vomited in reaction to the killing; but as it was I could hardly think past the inches of kunai still lodged in my side. It had fortunately missed any vital points, but the wound was moderately deep. If I removed the kunai, I could bleed to death in minutes, but quite likely if I didn't… I'll bleed to death in an hour.
I pressed a hand below the knife as I continued to walk; in moments it was dripping with blood. I walked for some time, not in the least sure where I was going (except generally away from Konoha, for if another impersonator were to find me I would be finished) and even less certain what I hoped to accomplish. All I felt I could do now was get away, and pray I would somehow survive.
I had to survive.
I had no idea whether I'd been walking for a couple of minutes or hours when I fell and couldn't get up. I had no strength left.
No.
I thought of my sister whom I'd abandoned, waiting every day for me to return, trusting with all her heart that I would keep my promise.
No…
I tried to move, but my ribs ached, my side screamed, my shoulder burned, and my body just wouldn't listen. Blood fell from my mouth as I coughed weakly, and darkness slowly crawled in along the edges of my vision. I fought it, in a last desperate attempt trying to keep my eyes open – only to find they were open, and the world still faded. My eyes closed. My refusing to accept the inevitable wasn't about to change anything.
I've … failed…\\\
After giving them thanks for saving me – which they brushed off, more than glad that they'd come across me in time to help – I told the two only that I'd run away, had been attacked by a strange shinobi impersonating a Leaf chuunin, and had tried to distance myself from the village.
"Are you serious?!" Naruto gasped, in reference to my description of the strange ninja and his words, as I finished my short explanation.
"I knew that something was wrong, but what could this mean?" Lee wondered aloud.
"I d-don't know…" We thought for a moment until Naruto broke the silence.
"Hey … Hinata?" Naruto asked tentatively, in contrast to his usual nature. A look of concern and something else – guilt? – had crossed his downcast face. It appeared to pain him to meet my eyes. "Why did you leave the village?" I was considering saying I'd rather not talk about it, but at the ashamed look on his face I realized I had to. He was holding himself responsible.
I sat up carefully against a tree trunk, and then very softly began to explain. "You see … I have never been l-liked within the H-Hyuuga Clan. I'm the clan failure, the family defect … s-so being the heiress, the other clansmen s-see me as unworthy and undeserving, not fit f-for a l-leader. They say I've d-doomed the clan, and – and I can't blame them. And now, after the incident d-during the finals, they claim I've further disgraced the f-family name … Their hatred was rekindled and i-intensified, and…" I paused a moment. "Um … a-ano … most of my i-injuries … aren't from fighting that chuunin…"
Naruto's face at this point was heart-wrenchingly sorrowful but fierce before, overwhelmed by shame, he tore his eyes away from my own and shut them with what could have been a grimace of pain. "You mean…?"
"It was d-done by Neji-nii-san, and s-several other clansmen…"
Suddenly fuming, Naruto punched his hand and harshly hissed, "That jerk! What the heck kind of family –!"
"Please, d-don't blame him," I said, looking to the ground at thought of my cousin's past. "I love Neji-nii-san like a brother – I love and c-care very deeply for all of the Hyuuga. That's why I r-ran away. I – I'm shy, and weak, and I don't have any confidence, but –," I looked up at them, tears in my eyes. "But more than anything, I want to help the Hyuuga! I want … I want to be able to protect them, so that no one will have to suffer the way Neji-nii-san has ever again! That's why I need to become strong, and prove myself!" I closed my eyes, overcome by soft sobbing. "And now, sn-sn-sniveling like this, you m-must think I'm more p-pathetic than ev-ver…!"
Two hands rested gently on my shoulders; Naruto and Lee were on either side of me. "How could we possibly think you pathetic?" Lee asked good-naturedly, "You pursue a most courageous and noble goal indeed."
"Hinata…" Naruto whispered, "I think we do understand. You're a lot like us. You want more than anything to earn people's respect, and to protect the ones who are precious to you, right?"
I sniffled, wiping my tears, and nodded.
A grin spread across his face. "Then how about we get stronger together – y'know, the three of us?"
Lee's face brightened as well. "Yosh! That is an excellent idea, Naruto-kun!! If we let our youth EXPLODE –," here emphasis was provided by a fist enthusiastically pumped into the air, "– we can show Neji and EVERYONE else that we CAN change!!" I giggled as the boys' hands slapped together in a high five.
"So, what do you say, Hinata-chan? Are you with us?"
Uplifted by their high spirits, I blushed lightly and managed my own small smile as a sense of hope welled up inside me.
"Definitely."
Naruto sprang up to jump for joy before returning to the ground in the same motion. A new resolution lit up his face. "Alright! Sounds like a plan! I made a promise, and I failed. You guys had faith in me, but I let you down. I'm not letting that happen again – that's a promise! We'll return someday and show everyone how awesome we are!"
Lee held a hand out to the center of the small circle we formed. "YOSH! Let us all PROMISE to work HARD!!"
Understanding, I gave a determined grin as I placed my hand on top of his, adding, "To … To never give up!"
Naruto's hand covered mine as he finished off. "And to never go back on our word – believe it!"
Thus, Naruto, Lee, and I became a team. On that day the three of us, three failures, came together for the start of the journey of a lifetime.
Hanabi ハナビ
I sighed, setting down the watering pail, standing up, and brushing dirt off my knees as I finished. Nee-chan's garden was really one of the clan gardens that would normally be seen to by servants. Hinata had told me Kaa-san took care of it when she was alive; now that Hinata wasn't here to tend to it, I was determined to keep the plants healthy myself until she returned.
Because she would return.
Head down, I dragged my feet down the walkway. The grounds had an aura of almost disturbing quiet today; Sandaime-sama (who had been ill and bedridden the last few weeks, with the result that hardly anyone had heard from him lately) had just now called the first large village council meeting since the Oto-Suna invasion two weeks ago. Father had been notified yesterday, and as he and dozens of other Hyuuga – from every elder and council member to strong voices and important figures of the branch house – were attending, I could only assume this special meeting was highly important. Whatever was going on, it left the manor grounds eerily noiseless, and me without a morning training session. This type of day, I'd normally get to hang out with Nee-chan…
I bumped into someone as I turned a corner, and looked up to see Neji and four more genin behind him. My cousin's scowl became a smirk. "Ohayou gozaimasu, Hanabi-sama," he said, but for his face a perfect picture of politeness. He threw in a quick bow that I found to seem rather the opposite of respectful. "Tell me, why do you look so down this morning?"
I should add that I didn't like Neji very much. At all. If I was ever kind to that terrible person, it was because Hinata insisted that his past was so complicated, he's lost a lot, and he had every right to be angry. I didn't understand how she saw this to justify the dirty fiend's tearing down her confidence and thrashing her in their spars; so I naturally assumed that was her overly-kind and sympathetic nature talking, and I'd told her so. Still she had claimed I was mistaken, and had wrapped up the matter by asking me to please be kind toward him. So I called him "Nii-san" and played nice for her sake, and truly did make several honest attempts to understand my cousin the way Hinata did.
I couldn't.
"Neji!" a girl in purple snapped quietly behind him, slightly disgusted by his words.
He shot the blond a look before looking back to me. "What's this – not going to answer? And you know, it's only proper manners to make eye contact when someone is speaking to you… Oh, but surely you don't miss that pathetic sister of yours…? Death and loss are among the most basic and common aspects of a ninja's life, Hanabi-sama. If you ever hope to be a strong kunoichi, then –,"
"Shut up!" I shouted, glowering up at him with my teeth bared. My hands curled into trembling fists. He didn't know it (and I knew he didn't know it), but he was playing on my worst fear: That Nee-chan was out there dead right now.
His eyes narrowed calculatingly a moment before he slipped on a mask of surprise. "Sumimasen – have I said something to upset you?"
My right hand twitched; two fingers pulled out of the locked fist, itching to form the seal that his side of the family dreaded. "Out. Of my. Sight."
He bowed mockingly again. "As you wish, Hanabi-sa–,"
"Now!!"
He passed me, briskly heading down the walkway. "Are you coming or not?" he called to the group as he turned a corner.
The blond girl sighed, and I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Don't listen to him," she consoled with a sympathetic smile before she followed.
Shino passed me wordlessly.
The Uchiha's eyes were downcast, but I could see the darkened rings forming under them. He raised his head like he'd just noticed I was there, his blank gaze lifting to hold my eyes for a moment, before he walked on.
Tenten's eyes were filled with grief as she met my gaze. The older girl knelt down to my level and embraced me. "I'm s-so sorry, Hanabi-chan." She stood and went after the others, and I was alone.
I almost wanted to tell Sasuke and Tenten that their teammates were actually alive, but then I would have to reveal that Hinata was as well; I couldn't take the risk of letting anyone know. Perhaps it was better for all three of the escaped genin that Konoha thought them to be dead, so they wouldn't be targeted by pursuit teams.
I was about to continue on my way when a thought occurred to me. What could those five be doing together? As far as I knew, they were from a number of different ninja cells, and Tenten was the only one who could even be called Neji's friend.
"Shino-kun is … away on a m-mission…"
"That's it!" I gasped. Whatever had been going on between Nee-chan, the other rookie genin, and Neji's team, this had to have something to do with it…
Neji ネジ
About time, I thought in mild annoyance as the others entered my room. I slid the door shut – not that it would do much to stop anyone spying on us here.
I leaned against the wall, arms crossed and eyes closed in thought as they took seats. A few seconds after the silence which indicated they had settled, I spoke. "Surely you all know why we're here…?"
"Cut the drama, Hyuuga," Sasuke said, thoroughly uninterested, "Why, what's the meeting for?"
"You mean it's not obvious?" I said. My eyes opened. "It's time we finished the Failures. Their numbers advantage has been cut. We've been going far too soft on them, and they've made it clear they have no intentions of backing down. While they're struggling with the loss of their three pitiful leaders, we must challenge the fools – one final battle … to crush their petty little farce, their delusional aspirations, once and for all."
I studied their strange reactions. Sasuke and Ino looked disbelieving, almost shocked. Tenten met my eyes, both angered and upset. Shino's eyebrows angled inward in surprise and strong disapproval.
"Are you kidding?" Ino finally snapped. "If you are, it's not funny! What the heck's wrong with you?!"
I raised an eyebrow. "Enlighten me. I don't see the problem."
"Neji-san, the three of them were murdered," Shino stated coldly, "Do you not think this has gone too far?"
"It's not like we killed them," I said, raising my nose. "What should we care that a mob of villagers paper-bombed them?"
"The dobe…" Sasuke spoke for the first time, "He just wasn't the type of person … you can imagine dying. He had dreams too – stupid dreams, but he did have them. It's not right. You claim they had the numbers advantage? The five of us breathing down their necks with half the village already out to get them was hardly what you could call a fair fight!" he roared.
I shook my head, sighing in exasperation. "You rookies could never understand…"
"I agree with those rookies, Neji!" Tenten cried. "How can you be so cruel? Didn't you care for Lee at all?"
My face hardened with a frown. "The imbeciles thought they could do anything just by trying – as though simply refusing to die could keep one alive," I spat, "Those three tried to defy destiny, and they paid the price … More than anything, this should make especially clear how important it is that we teach them this lesson while we still can. We owe it to our teammates to do this to protect them. After all … isn't that what friends are for…?"
I glared at them, and in a moment a few of them grudgingly nodded.
"Good," I said. "We'll attack them in the demolished zone, where they meet. They'll likely gather today as well, while their parents are away at the council meeting. Should they arrive, we must be prepared to challenge and defeat them – swiftly and decisively. They'll learn…"
I paused to activate my kekkei genkai. My eyes found Hanabi twenty-five meters away – her Byakugan active as well – in time to see her start in surprise and run off. I scowled, deactivating the dojutsu.
"Meet me east of the demolished zone in twenty minutes," I said to the four, pushing away from the wall to stand up straight. "I'll be right behind you."
After exchanging looks, they stood and left. All but one.
"Yes, Tenten?" I said when we were alone.
She was silent, staring at me with disbelief and grief in her bloodshot eyes. Emotions flickered across her face; for a moment her teeth ground, and she glowered slightly in anger. Then her expression softened with distress, and once more fell to anguished sadness.
"Neji," she whispered, "are you really so coldhearted? Do you mean you truly cared nothing for our teammate?"
"He was a fool, Tenten, doomed from the start of his ninja career. He fought fate with everything he had, so this was destined to –,"
"Don't give me that destiny crap!" she yelled, "Answer me, Neji! After all we've been through together, you honestly felt absolutely nothing for him – nothing at all?! What did he mean to you?!"
"I liked and would protect him as a teammate."
Tenten took a step back, appalled. "You sick monster…" She turned.
"W-wait!" I grabbed her wrist before she could go.
"What?!" she snapped, seething.
I wasn't sure of what I should say – so I tried the first thing that came to mind. "It's better they died now than on a mission…" I trailed off as it suddenly occurred to me this could come out wrong.
"Why?" she hissed.
"Because then, the failure would hurt the village."
Tenten wasn't the type to slap her teammate.
…Which why a fist slammed painfully into my cheek. "Teme!" she cried, running off in tears.
For a minute, I just sat there, shocked. I blinked. I messed up… I wiped my mouth, and sighed as I looked at the small bit of red smudged on my hand. Hopefully she would come around and understand soon. For now, however, I had something to take care of before I met up with the others…
Hanabi ハナビ
I was sitting in the garden again when I sensed someone approaching. "Hello, Hanabi-sama," came Neji's voice as I stood. He added offhandedly, "You seem to be spending a great deal of time in this garden lately…"
"If this is about my spying on your meeting…" I started.
"It's not," he stated, walking up. He stopped a short yard away, glaring down at me; I glared back, hiding my nervousness and trying not to squirm. Even without his Byakugan, his scathing white eyes seemed to bore clear through me. I felt a pressing and panic-inducing sense that that nothing, no thought – or secret – could be hidden from him.
"You know something we don't," he said confidently, in a serious tone. He began to walk slowly around me, looking at me like I was a criminal; I stood unmoving, my eyes trained ahead, determined not to let the intimidation tactic shake me.
"And how are you so sure? I asked coolly. I focused my chakra carefully, activating my Byakugan without the use of hand seals – an early accomplishment I prided myself in.
"I knew it the moment of your outburst earlier, Hanabi-sama. You're hiding something from the clan – something concerning Hinata-sama's 'death.'"
My eyes widened a fraction, and he caught the slip easily. Impossible … could he know? No, he's got to be bluffing! "I have no idea what you're talking about," I declared, raising my nose with my arms crossed.
"But of course you do," he said, casually kicking over a cluster of soft pink flowers as he continued to circle. I clenched my teeth, trying to conceal my emotion as he watched for a reaction. He resumed his interrogation, "She wasn't really in that house when it exploded, was she?"
I snorted. "What reason would I have to lie, Nii-san?"
"Hm…" he said, pretending to be deep in thought as he lazily stomped another few flowers into the dirt. "I don't know … perhaps to cover an escape?"
"I wouldn't dream of –,"
"Out with it, Hanabi-sama. Tell me what really happened. You have my word I won't tell the other Hyuuga – and look around." His Byakugan flared to life in an instant. "Everyone else who lives in these Main House quarters around us is at the council meeting. You and I are the only two people in the area…"
I didn't miss his double meaning. While on the surface he pointed out that no one else would learn of the secret, he was simultaneously slipping in a threat. I felt a fleeting siren of panic inside, but made no outward show of it. He wants a game of threats…
As he passed in front of me again, I grabbed his arm, pulling him to face me. "I don't like your tone," I declared flatly, my free hand forming a two fingered seal in warning. To my surprise, he merely smirked.
"I have already figured you out, Hanabi-sama. You threaten with that hand seal, but you wouldn't dare activate the mark. Let me guess – your sister asked you not to?"
He had guessed dead-on, but he didn't need to know that.
My eyes narrowed coldly. "You think I won't?"
His free hand firmly grasped the wrist of my hand that held his arm, and as I released him in surprise a hand pushed painfully against my elbow. He shoved me away.
With a yelp, I staggered back to stay on my feet, and looked up to see him launching himself at me, spinning his body in the air to sharply drop a heel onto my shoulder. My knees were buckling at the force when a palm smashed into my chest.
I thought my ribs were crushed.
My back connected with a wooden beam, but as I began to slide to the ground a hand closed around my neck. "No, I don't think. I know. If you were at all willing to activate the seal, Hanabi-sama, I am quite certain you would have done so by now," he hissed matter-of-factly in my ear before releasing me. My arms folded across myself as I sank to my knees.
He knelt down. A hand lifted my chin, and I was forced to look into his menacing Byakugan. In contrast to the unconcealed fury in his eyes, his voice was clipped, cool, and even.
"Now, Hanabi-sama, you are a clearheaded child. If you knew for a fact that Hinata-sama were dead, you would not deny it."
I realized in a moment what he was getting at, and glared back. "Nee-chan is d…" A treacherous tremble jumped into my voice; even a practiced liar, I couldn't bring myself to say this. "Nee-chan i-i-is-s … d-de … dea –,"
"Just as I thought," he said, dropping my chin without warning. "Your report was nothing more than a tall tale … but fortunately for you, I have something rather important to attend to at the moment." He stood. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone – yet."
He vanished, and I spat a word I'd picked up from Kiba-san.
In a moment I got to my feet, bruised but otherwise uninjured. At least, I'd learned quite a bit from reading lips, "eavesdropping" on their meeting. It explained what had been going on since the Chuunin Exams – the secretive feud that Nee-chan had refused to tell me about. Obviously, Hinata and those other two had been with the "Failures," as Neji called them; and the fate-respecting nutcase was planning an attack on them today.
Why am I just sitting here?! I've got to warn them! I thought. I couldn't put a finger on why the need to help them felt so natural to me. Maybe it was because they were Hinata-nee-chan's friends – and people who were fighting and standing up for the same things she believed in.
They meet in the 'demolished zone' … What could that be? What part of the village was hit hardest in the invasion…? I gasped. "The sand tanuki monster!"
I skidded to a halt as I entered the part of Konoha many villagers now called cursed, not even stopping to catch my breath before my hands flashed through a string of seals.
"Byakugan!"
There, almost on the edge of my range – four people were seated within the remaining three walls of a half-destroyed shop. I turned off my kekkei genkai and ran in the direction.
"Nani?" I had frozen in my tracks – but not intentionally. My body involuntarily took a few steps as a boy with black hair sticking up in a funny-looking ponytail stepped out from the shadow of the building. He was holding the rat hand seal, ne.
From my right, two figures sprang into the air from behind a pile of wreckage; I looked to see two rotating grey blurs shoot toward me.
"Gatsuu–!!"
The blur in the lead came to a screeching halt, skidding until a wild looking boy was crouched next to me. An identical person crashed into him with a grunt, the impact triggering a burst of smoke; as it cleared, a small puppy was hanging onto the boy's shoulder.
Leaning forward, the boy blinked twice and sniffed the air in precaution. "Hanabi-chan?" Kiba-san asked, surprised.
"Hi," I said a bit breathlessly as my racing heart rate normalized.
"Shikamaru, let her go!" he called. "Guys, you can come out! False alarm!"
The Nara's lengthened shadow broke away, and control of my body was abruptly returned to me. I wobbled, and Kiba steadied me. Twenty yards away, a pink-haired girl and a boy rather on the plump side stepped from behind a fallen tree to my left.
"Chouji, Sakura, hold it!" Shikamaru shouted, running toward us. "Don't let your guard down. How can we be sure she's not with Neji?" His eyes quickly swept the area. "This may be a diversion."
"No way, man!" Kiba shouted, and his puppy Akamaru yipped in agreement. "We can trust her."
"Alright then, but what if she was forced into it?" Shikamaru returned.
"I wasn't!" I cried, frustrated. "I'm here to warn you because Neji's planning to attack you!"
The girl, Sakura, started in surprise. "Wh – how do you know?"
"The five of them just met at the Hyuuga manor, and I spied on them – in about two minutes, they'll probably be coming for you!"
"Are you serious?" the one the leader had called Chouji gasped, while Shikamaru swore.
Kiba clapped a hand on my shoulder; I winced slightly, but he took no notice. "Great work, Hanabi-chan! You're real brave to do this. Now hurry and get out of here, before they show up."
"Are you kidding?" I protested. I hadn't been able to help Nee-chan, and now it seemed I wouldn't be allowed to help her friends either. "Why? You have a numbers disadvantage, right? I can fix that!"
"Absolutely not!" Kiba barked, "No way am I letting Hinata's seven-year-old sister get involved in this!"
"But…"
"That's final! If we dragged you into this mess…" His face fell, and I noticed for the first time how much older he seemed to have become since I last saw him. His weary eyes deadened with grief as a far-off look entered them. "…Hinata would never forgive us…"
"You've already helped out plenty, Hanabi," Shikamaru said, taking over. "We just can't ask an academy student to fight with us…"
So that's it, I thought, hanging my head, I'm too weak again…
The Nara continued, "So hurry up and get out of here, before –,"
Akamaru barked; Kiba sniffed, and then glowered fiercely into the distance. "They're coming!"
I was suddenly pulled behind him as something plummeted from the sky: a kunai plunged into the ground five yards away from us. I followed the enraged dog-nin's gaze to five figures standing atop a large building just outside the wrecked area.
"Failures!" my cousin's harsh voice reached me. The five silhouettes vanished a moment; they reappeared in the air, falling toward us with their backs to the morning sun. Peeking around Kiba, I could see Neji's ferocious Byakugan blazing with hatred as he continued. "We challenge you to one final battle, here and now! This ends today!"
In front of me Kiba bared his teeth and growled menacingly, his clawed hands flexing; Chouji frowned anxiously; Sakura gulped, her hands curling into fists; Shikamaru glared at the approaching five, appeared to be mentally cursing his luck or wishing it was a different time, and finally glanced at the rest of his team before looking ahead and declaring, "You're on!"
They landed ten yards away, Neji in the lead – and raced toward us.
"Scatter!" Shikamaru barked.
Someone caught me around the waist and shot thirty yards in the blink of an eye. Before I knew it, I was being set down behind the remaining wall of a house that had been smashed by a fallen tree. Two Kibas stood in front of me.
"Stay hidden!" one said sternly, and they were gone.
Neji ネジ
They scattered, and we raced after them. Each of them doubled back sharply; Sakura went for Ino; Kiba, most likely, barreled on all fours at a crimson-eyed Sasuke while Akamaru similarly rushed Tenten; running through hand seals, Chouji launched himself at Shino, who prepared to unleash a swarm of kikaichuu. Shikamaru's shadow bolted toward me.
My heart raced in anticipation as I dashed toward him with a scowl, dancing and darting out of the shadow with ease as it tried futilely to capture me. Nara's eyes widened in surprised panic as I neared, hardly even slowed, with a mere frontal approach; he manipulated his shadow wildly, branching it, looping it back on itself, and throwing out a number of rapid-fire strategic traps – but still failed to catch me. At full speed I launched myself at him, drawing back a palm. He abandoned his jutsu and drew in a leg, prepared to strike with a kick to overcome my reach advantage. But before he did I replaced with a large chunk of rubble; instantly I was behind him.
I would waste no time; I had said swiftly and decisively, and I had meant it.
Shikamaru's eyes were wide in horror as he turned his head.
"Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou –!"
"Konohagakure no Sato!" a tremendous voice boomed sharply across the village.
I started, and Shikamaru, exploiting the distraction, whirled and aimed a heel at my head. I blocked and shoved the foot away, and we broke apart.
I saw the Kiba I'd correctly suspected to be Akamaru yowl in surprise and tumble to the ground at Tenten's feet, hands over his ears. Sakura and Ino, both about to throw their first blows, flinched and jumped apart. The true Inuzuka spun on heel and jumped away from Sasuke, who had already sidestepped regardless.
Shikamaru glared lazily, his eyes narrowed, and I shot a look back. In a moment he shook his head, hands slipping slowly into his pockets. "Time out. Something's up."
I nodded slightly, my Byakugan fading as my stance relaxed. On both sides, the others followed suit.
It's Sandaime-sama, I realized, probably using some sort of jutsu to amplify and distribute his voice… In the distance, I could see people leaving buildings, streaming onto the streets wearing curious faces. I quickly met the eyes of each of my team, and we flickered to a rooftop; I saw the Failures gather atop an adjacent building. In no time the streets were crowded by civilians, while dozens of shinobi viewed from the rooftops. On the distant Hokage tower stood the Third Hokage.
"Hear me, my dear village!" his voice boomed, "I bear grave news! We have been deceived! Our greatest jounin have been captured, and the enemy waits at our doorstep! The whole of the village council … has been imprisoned!"
While I simply furrowed my brow, all around me reactions rose up; Inuzuka howled for his mother and sister, and the members of team ten for their families, while Shino gasped with a barely noticeable start. A small, unmistakable shout of "Chichi-ue!" came from the Failures' direction. Throughout the village, outraged and tremendously bewildered yells voiced disbelief and demanded what was going on, just how this crisis could have taken place.
"And finally, Konoha, your Hokage…" My eyes widened as in an abrupt change, his voice became a viciously razor-sharp edge. "Your beloved Hokage has fallen!"
My mouth hung open as I watched "Sandaime-sama" pull off his face like a mask. The moment he did, dozens of Sound ninja appeared atop the wall of Konoha. Cries of terror rang through the village as the white face of the imposter was exposed, and every shinobi over twenty or so tensed instantly. I've seen that man … in history books! He's…! "This is a hostile takeover, Hidden Leaf! Fail to obey me, and you shall suffer dire consequences. I, Orochimaru, now name myself Godaime Hokage!"
He laughed chillingly, and what he said next truly surprised me.
"From this day forward, I am your absolute ruler! Now, Hyuuga Neji, report to the Hokage tower at once! Everyone else, return to your homes until further notice!"
I had actually jumped, and now just stood staring, my mouth hanging open in a manner, I'll admit, most undignified and surely idiotic-looking to the observer. Once the shock backed down a bit, a fleeting sense of something else managed to register in my stunned mind: Fear.
I could feel my team, and even the Failures eyeing me. Uchiha frowned and walked up to stand at my side before whispering, "What could that freak want with you?"
I composed myself, recollecting my cool. "I have no idea, but there's no use in fighting him – at least not until we know more about our situation. For now we should do what he says." The four nodded, and I cast a sidelong glare at Shikamaru. "Some other time," I said, and at once my team body flickered to follow orders.
My eyes narrowed. "So you're with Sound."
The silver-haired spy shrugged. "I'm not really a genin either. But come to think of it…" As a hand passed over his hitai-ate, the eighth note on it was replaced by the Leaf mark. He grinned with false cheer. "Konoha belongs to Oto now, so it really doesn't matter."
I scowled. "Why am I here?"
He pushed his glasses up with a finger, an amused smirk crossing his face. "Of course. Right this way, Neji-san."
I followed him away from the tower.
We left the trees and emerged in a clearing, but even here it was almost dark as night. The Hidden Leaf forest was so thick in this area that a glimpse of sunlight was a rarity; hardly the smallest amounts of it could get through the tangle of leaves and branches overhead. A diversity of trees in a vast assortment of shapes and sizes surrounded us.
"Here we are," he said laughingly, and vanished. I was alone.
I scowled, forming the tora seal. "Bya –!"
"Hello, Neji-kun."
I whirled and jumped back several yards. Impossible – to conceal his presence so well as to get right behind me undetected? So, this is a legendary sannin… My face hardened once more as I stared down the smirking snake. "So you're Orochimaru…" I stated.
"Indeed. And it is certainly a pleasure to meet you, Neji-kun, after hearing so much about you. I just had to see for myself…"
"What do you want with me?" I demanded evenly.
He laughed softly, tilting his head back a bit and closing his eyes. My skin crawled, but I concealed my unease. "I want you … to show me your power!" His eyes snapped open, and I flinched.
I ducked under a kick, and an elbow met my face. I staggered back and blocked a fist, but the following uppercut caught my jaw, throwing me into the air. Backflipping with a grunt, I landed on my feet, hands clapping together in a seal.
"Byaku–!"
I choked on the word as a fist landed below my ribcage, followed by a heavy kick to the chest. My back met a tree, and I fell to my knees. What … just happened? He's too … fast… Coughing, I raised my head to keep my eyes on him.
There was now a look of displeasure on Orochimaru's face as he looked into my eyes. "You'll have to do better than that, young Hyuuga. I must say … I'm disappointed!"
My breath caught. What is … this murderous intent?!
The man laughed, madness shining bright in his yellow eyes. "Now … let's begin."
The world around me went crimson as hundreds of nameless weapons rapidly blasted through me. For the longest five seconds of my life, I screamed in pure agony. Then the barrage ended, and I bent over to heave my breakfast onto the ground.
Gen … j-jut-tsu … n-not … real…
I held one trembling hand in another in an attempt to steady it. My Byakugan activated weakly; all the blood, gouges and slashes, the dozens of punctures, and a kunai still lodged through the forearm vanished as my eyes showed me reality. "N-not … re-real," I gasped out, assuring myself once more.
The snake sannin snickered. "What does it matter if you don't see it? You have other senses. Real or illusion … pain is pain."
On cue, something invisible plunged through my heart … and shot out my back. The suffocating smell of blood filled my nose, its iron taste my mouth, and I felt a warm, sticky liquid dripping over my skin. Screams tore through the air, rang in my ears – and mine was one of them.
My bloodline failed at the shock – and the instant it did, I saw a kunai graze my cheek from behind, shooting forward to bury itself deep in the hitai-ate of a tall, white-eyed man standing before me. "Neji…" he breathed, and keeled over – dead.
"NOOOO!! FAAATHEER–!!"
The anguished cry was cut short as something slashed through my neck.
I was thrust back into reality with overwhelming abruptness. Unblinking and sweaty, gasping hungrily for air, I slumped limp to the ground.
I was scared.
"Hmm… that was too easy – rather boring. I didn't truly expect one so clearheaded and realistic as yourself to fall so easily to my illusionary arts … but it would seem I've gotten my hopes up for nothing…"
I reached slowly for the shuriken holster strapped to my leg; my violently quivering hand fumbled clumsily at the clasp as twitching fingers refused to work together. With much effort I finally palmed a throwing star. In short, jerky motions my arm moved forward, and a delayed moment after stopping in front of me released the weapon. It dropped straight to the ground, and my hand fell on top of it.
"Pitiful child. Did you honestly plan to throw that at me?" I heard a sigh. "I suppose I should have known better than to expect one from a mere side branch of his clan to wield any real power…"
I squeezed the shuriken hard – at once my palm bled. At the pain – real pain – I was snapped out of my fear-induced trance.
Blood boiling, I sprang to my feet, yelling out as my palm impacted his chest with a solid thud and an intense burst of chakra.
"Agh!" he cried in surprise, but still managed to get away before my follow-up attack. "Byakugan!!" I snarled and pursued, striking quick and sharp, precise despite my rage as I flowed through an uninterrupted stream of attacks that he dodged with equal grace.
He smacked aside a palm and flickered to the tree line. My penetrating eyes tracked him as he dashed through treetops, hidden from normal view as he cut to the left around the clearing with unreal speed.
I calculated rapidly. There! A break in the tree line… Turning a little over ninety degrees, I focused a great amount of chakra to my feet and shot into the trees.
Orochimaru's eyes widened visibly as I flew to intercept him mid-leap, drawing back an arm. I delivered a crushing palm strike to his face; his neck twisted unnaturally at the force.
I frowned. Replaced with a mud clone?! The fake faded to a murky brown and crumbled on collision with a tree. With chakra I attached my feet to the same tree as I reached it, and turned my head to glare daggers at the real shinobi who hung upside down with his arms crossed on a branch twenty yards away.
"Almost had me," he said with a chuckle. His eyes were bright with excitement. I growled, hurling six shuriken at him; he swung up onto a branch to dodge three, deflecting the rest with a kunai knife before he pushed off toward me. I focused my chakra and did the same.
At ten yards he threw the knife with a backhand motion. I moved my head from the whistling projectile's path and caught its handle with the opposite hand, flicking it back in a similar movement. As he dodged, I aimed a flying kick at his head, barely missing him as he bent back to duck. As we flew past each other, my left arm shot out to the side, the hand chakra-adhering to a nearby tree; the force swung me in a near circle around the trunk, filling the bandaging with splinters of wood as my hand slid quickly over the bark, before I released my hold. Momentum hardly expended, I shot toward Orochimaru in a flying kick, landing a heel in the man's gut.
He sailed at an angle toward the ground, crashing through several branches before colliding with the earth to stir a cloud of dust. I landed lightly in a crouch ten yards away, and in a moment slowly stood.
Again, he laughed. "It would appear I've largely underestimated you!" he hissed as he sank into the ground … and seemingly vanished.
Moments later I saw the ground behind my right foot glow with chakra before it slowly rose and morphed into a white hand. I jumped, flinging a kunai; it met the earth with a dull thud as the hand vanished. Scanning my surroundings with the Byakugan, I landed on a tree's sharply angled trunk.
Orochimaru sprang silently into existence from higher on the slanted trunk, behind me, with a kunai poised to stab; he soared over me as I let myself fall forward, attaching my hands to the trunk. Pushing off with my feet, I swung my legs forward to lash a heel at the snake's jaw.
I flipped out of the kick, landing on my feet, while he rolled to his. He turned to face me. After wiping his mouth, he examined his hand: he was bleeding.
"Amazing…" he gasped, incredulous, "That almost hurt…" A grin slid across his face before he sped toward me.
I drew two kunai in a flash, using them to parry blows from his knife. He jabbed and slashed rapidly, easily pushing my speed to its limits; my eyes traced his moves, and my body just barely kept up.
Thankfully I was accustomed to facing high speed opponents.
I had been backpedalling steadily as I blocked, using my extended field of vision to watch behind me and move accordingly so that I did not run into the trees. Picking up on this (and seemingly curious as to how I would react), he suddenly increased speed, swiftly switching his attacks between the right and the left. My eyes could only just follow as I parried and dodged, but I realized I was being herded toward a tree – and I couldn't exactly do anything about it.
My back met the trunk. In the very instant my two kunai flew together to cross just above my head, his one crashed down onto them from a high, two-handed strike. The three knives clashed with a sharp metallic clang, and screeched as they ground together. I clenched my teeth in effort as my enemy's superior strength began to force me downward.
I focused chakra to every tenketsu in my body. If I didn't do this quickly, the instant I released the knife lock would be enough time for his kunai to reach me. Kaite–!
I wasn't allowed to begin the justu as a foot connected painfully with my unguarded chest, sending me smashing through the tree. I skidded across the ground a good distance, gasping as I sprang to my feet. A kunai was instantly stabbing toward me; with a heavy swing of my arm I swatted it aside by the flat of the blade, freeing it from Orochimaru's hand.
Immediately I took the offensive, bombarding him with palm strikes. He dodged each with ease, and in a few seconds flickered away; my eyes located him as he wove a rapid string of seals and brought both hands to the ground.
The earth crackled apart and churned dangerously around me. As a fracture split the ground at my feet, I quickly jumped to a solid chunk of earth behind me. It promptly lurched to an angle, and I leapt to a tree trunk; as the tree began to fall from the quake, I returned to the ground. The earth cracked apart beneath my foot, which sank into the opening. I just managed to jump away before the earth shifted – my foot would have been crushed.
I stuck to a tree and ran up its trunk even as it fell, and then jumped across to another before it met the ground. Darting between trees, I stayed away from the earth until the jutsu ceased.
I sprang to a standing tree just in time to avoid a speeding mass of flames; the fireball chased after me, and I sprinted upward. I jumped to a taller tree and continued, then leapt from branch to branch to climb as I got higher, all the while the fire eating the trees at my heels.
Nearing the top and beginning to see light, I built up chakra and launched myself upward to break through the treetops, exploding into the sunlit sky. Still the fireball followed. At the peak of my jump, it had almost reached me…
My absolute defense sprang into action as I released chakra and rotated my body; safe within a firm sphere of chakra, I crashed down through the heart of the fire. The flames dissipated above me, and I landed on a blackened branch.
Only when he appeared in the air behind me did I realize I'd been careless enough to lose sight of my enemy.
"Too slow!" he hissed viciously, and a heel slammed onto my shoulder. I shot straight to the earth, landing face up with my right hand between my back and the ground. I moaned in pain, seeing the insides of my eyelids as my bloodline's insight faded.
I heard him land softly a few yards away. He snickered as he approached.
I slowly opened my eyes.
"I must say, Neji-kun…"
He was standing to my left, by my feet, and leaning forward slightly to smirk down at me.
"…You're even stronger than I imagined–!"
In one explosive motion, I pushed against the ground with my feet and the hand resting behind my back, violently sweep-kicking his feet from under him. He began to fall forward.
"KAITEN!!" I roared savagely, initiating the technique even as I spun to my feet. Once upright I whirled rapidly, and Orochimaru was thrown high into the air.
I bent my knees and spread my arms, dropping low into a familiar stance as my Byakugan furiously blazed to life. "You're in range!" I growled, darting forward.
As Orochimaru landed hard on his feet, I was in front of him.
"Nishou!" I jabbed two tenketsu sharply.
"Yonshou!" Increasing speed, I hit four more.
"Hachishou!" This time, eight…
"Juurokushou!" I whirled and went faster still…
"Sanjuu nishou!" My hands were flying now…
"Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou!"
At the final strike, I sent him flying. The man's back collided into a tree with a resounding crack; he slid limply to the ground, head slumping forward.
Panting heavily, I dropped to my knees and realized just how tired I was. I had been in almost constant high speed motion for the last five or so minutes, not to mention thoroughly exhausting my chakra supply. My Byakugan deactivated as I continued to gasp for breath. It's … over…
A menacing laugh sent a chill down my spine.
"No," I croaked weakly, shoving to my feet. I stiffened as I met his eyes, frozen by the sheer unnatural amount of murderous intent rolling off him in waves. You … monster… I thought, sinking again to my knees as I shook uncontrollably.
Orochimaru strode toward me, stopping ten yards away. "I'm impressed," he drawled with a grin, "You are a very strong and beautiful fighter … at present, even more so than Uchiha. You are a true master of your bloodline. And your hatred bears so much potential; I can see it in your eyes…"
"H-how," I whispered, "How did you take the village … from under our noses? When did you…?"
"Curious, are we? Kukukuku…" he snickered, "Gaara's attack was delayed, but as it turned out he couldn't have arrived at a better time. I ordered my shinobi to release their barrier around Sarutobi-sensei and I in a challenge, a dare – deal with me, the one he regretted not finishing off in the past, or deal with the sand spirit that was beginning to lay waste to his precious village … The sentimental old fool took off to confront the tailed beast.
"He ordered all other ninja fighting it to leave the area, and faced it alone but for that ancient monkey, Enma – he had no summons large enough to combat it … Meanwhile, I set a few buildings and hidden civilian shelters ablaze to provide a sufficient distraction for the other Leaf shinobi. Then, decisively forming a new plan, I went to kill him…
"Sarutobi-sensei was tired and faring poorly – it was easy. I created a smokescreen and slit his throat. Then … I stole his face and armor, disposed of the body, and took out the Shukaku by attacking Gaara. By the time the Konoha ANBU arrived, they were easily led to believe he had killed me, and left with no idea what had taken place…
"From there it was simple … as I assumed the role of Hokage, Konoha remained none the wiser… Soon I issued the decree that until further notice, no one was permitted to leave the village, and recalled all shinobi already on missions. Days after, I assigned the majority of the village's jounin a number of "classified missions" in which they were sent to walk into traps … my troops reported a one hundred percent success rate in capturing them. With the element of surprise on my side, I took care of my fool old friend Jiraiya before he could snoop around; he currently rots in a prison as well. I secured the village council with relative ease … and as we speak, a large force of my minions enters the village."
He let up on the killer intent, but I didn't attack – just as he'd known I wouldn't. "I see … your victory was absolute – destined from the moment you killed Sandaime-sama," I pondered aloud. "We haven't the powerful shinobi or influential figures to stage a revolt, nor is the village vulnerable due to addition of your Oto ninja … Clever…"
The man smirked. "I'm curious. A rhetorical question, Neji-kun…? Say I offered to face you seriously, with the vow that should you manage to land a single blow, I would relinquish control over this village. What would you do?"
"You are one of the legendary sannin of ultimate renown. As a mere genin, I would never stand a chance against your experience; I wouldn't try."
"Then tell me – why did you even bother fighting me just now?"
"If you had said your intention was to kill me, I wouldn't have bothered." I opted to leave out the fact that I'd also allowed anger to overcome my sense of logic.
He shook his head cheerfully, closing his eyes. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You realistic child … I like you. You don't fight a hopeless battle, and your intellect is superb … making you all the more desirable…"
"And what exactly do you want of me?" I inquired.
His smile grew to just slightly bare his teeth. "I need someone to help enforce my rule … impose my will. You – and perhaps even your adorable little gang of friends – are perfect for this role. In return for your assistance, I could grant you power," his eyes gleamed as he hissed the word, "more power, Neji-kun, than you could even imagine … Why, if you wished it, you could rule the Hyuuga…"
I frowned slightly, resisting a small impulse to lay a hand over the hidden seal on my brow. "Destiny forbids it."
"Dear child, if anyone can change destiny, would not you agree I can, hmm?" He snickered softly. "I'll find a way to remove that pesky seal of yours, if that's where your concerns lie…"
But – but the seal was created to be permanent … does he really think he could…?
"I see the doubt in your eyes … kukuku. I am here to bring about change, to set things in motion – and I'll do it. A new age is soon to commence in Konohagakure … and if you wish it, in Clan Hyuuga as well. But first, I need you to help me bring my dream to light."
"What is your dream?"
"You're sure to find out in time…" He paused, running a long tongue across his lips. "What do you say, Neji-kun? Will you serve under my command, and assist me in realizing my vision?"
I hesitated, lowering my gaze in thought. It was not that I didn't love and care for the village. Indeed, I believed this takeover was an unfortunate turn for the worst – but even a fool could have seen the futility of resisting him now, and in doing so quite possibly make things far worse than they could be.
Not to mention, the deadly man was clever and powerful; I could not ignore this awed sense of … what was it? Reverence? Respect? Yes, the sensible choice was obvious.
I raised my head to meet his gaze, steel determination in my eyes. He smirked.
"A new age…?"
"A new age."
"Excellent," he hissed hungrily, triumph glowing in his face and stance, practically dripping from his voice. "But first … I have a gift for you."
My eyes narrowed. A gift?
"I gave a quite similar one to Uchiha a few months ago … but yours will be special. I've only recently developed this; you'll be the first to receive it." He formed the hand seal hitsuji. "Oh, and Neji-kun?"
"Yes … Orochimaru-sama?"
"Do try not to die."
His neck stretched impossibly, and in the next moment two fangs sank into my neck. My mouth fell open with a sharp intake of breath, and my eyes widened considerably. His head withdrew as his neck returned to normal length.
A strange sensation came over me, and my stunned eyes drifted questioningly to Orochimaru. Wha–?
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"
The genjutsu from before was a paper cut in comparison to the very real pain now blazing through my body. Hands grasping at a point on my lower neck, I dropped to the ground as if struck on the back of the head. Teeth bared in a grimace, I forced an eye to open just enough to look up at him. "What … i-is thi–?" My neck throbbed; I cried out again, rolling onto my side as I writhed and shook in agony.
I pulled myself into a ball, gasping through my teeth, hands tearing at my hair. My bulging eyes vaguely noticed a silver-haired man in glasses now standing beside Orochimaru.
"You used that seal after all?" a distant sounding voice asked, amused even as I continued to suffer.
"Kukuku… It can never hurt … to have a backup…"
Before I could begin to wonder what these words meant, a stabbing pain pulsed through me. My body uncurled sharply as I rolled onto my back, eyes snapping shut and mouth flying open as I howled once more.
Another wave of pain hit me.
When the scream faded, I found a horrible laugh echoing in my ears as the world turned Dark.
ナルト / リー / ヒナタ \ ハナビ \ ネジ
End Chapter Two
Muahaha! Neji's fallen even further into the darkness!
"Snake in the Leaf" was the first title I thought of for the chapter. Then I thought of naming it "Dawn" while I was typing, for the changes in Konoha and Neji's life, and the resolutions (hope that's the right word) made by Hanabi and Naruto, Hinata, and Lee. But then that would probably mislead that the chapter had something to do with Akatsuki, so I changed it back.
How was the chapter? Was the action scene good or hard to follow? Was everyone (but I'd be especially interested to know how well I did Neji and Orochimaru) pretty much in character? Please tell me what you think! Also, could you let me know if the backtracking flashbacks are annoying or confusing at all? And are the chapters too long?
Thanks for your support!
:)Hinata0321:)