AN: Gave warning a few back, have a temporarily serious chapter.

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When one wishes to push a Hyuuga into being stupid, one must be prepared to overdo the stupidity yourself.

I swear that should be a logo.

Sighing I pad forward knowing this is a Bad Idea but Kou had come to visit that first day back at school and his face alone, and that he didn't touch his bento, told me that Neiji's branding went well.

I tried to distract myself by watching as Lee approached Sakura to eat lunch with her again, making the shy little girl smile at him. They were a lot of fun to watch, and I just hope I can prevent the years of Sasuke stalking and let Sakura bloom sooner with Lee's less than quiet support. I did love to tease him about how Pink had become his favorite color. It didn't work and so Kou and I spent the lunch period a few days in a row discussing this idea I had come up with.

When a Hyuuga will swat your arm and call you an absolute idiot. And then agree to a plan? Never a good sign.

"Hello Guard-sama!" I chirp, bouncing a little on the balls of my feet at the gate. The two Hyuuga on duty are always resigned to see me and just wave me in. I am not fooled, they'll be eavesdropping just like the rest of their secretly gossipy clan because I am a break in the routine.

"Ziwei-chan." Kou seems to just appear out of nowhere, silent and sneaky nin in training that he is. Right at my side and with a tension in his jaw and shoulder's that he isn't even trying to suppress my viewing.

"Bad huh?"

"..." Kou stays quiet, not wanting to answer, to admit a Hyuuga is weak. Still in the end he sighs and gives a tiny nod. "I don't like your idea." It's stated so quietly and calm you'd think we were trying to decide if we were having fish or eel for dinner and didn't really care.

"Which part?" Because of course I told Kou about my insanity. He hasn't said a word but I know he's given his brother and father, and thus Hiashi a heads up so they keep anyone from interference. The very fact Hiashi has not said anything about my scheme to get Neiji out of his funk means he approves but cannot be seen doing so to the elders. Kou knows the full depth of it though, and he's not at all agreeing with my method, though he admits otherwise I could be taking years at our current pace.

I haven't told him why, but he knows me well enough to feel I have reasons to not trust I have time enough in the world to learn my limitations. He also knows better than to pry into the business of another clan.

"This is you." Kou's answer is curt, not at all friendly but I know he doesn't like the idea of seeing me get hurt. Hey I am not looking forward to it either and if Kou didn't know how much I really loathe getting so much as a bruise he'd be protesting a lot more.

"Let's just get to it." Kou nods at my form, and then begins a sedate walk to the branch house. There are many turns in the seemingly easy pathways and all the halls and doors are identical. One needs a byuakugan to navigate and it was done for just that reason. If you are willing to trust your guide it's not that disorienting, and I do trust Kou. Actually, aside from my family I think he's the only one I trust.

Kou barely knocks, it's more a tiny flash of chakra and no answer. I didn't really expect one, after all it's not like Neiji would scream to go and leave him alone. Kou's white eyes meet mine. Last chance, we can still leave..

I take a big deep breath. Because this may be my last act where I'm even allowed in the compound. But there's lots of reasons to take a chance.

I slide open the door and walk in, snorting as I see Neiji in the corner glaring at nothing. His eyes snap up to me and the ugliest snarl I've ever seen on a six year old's face plays out, caged bird seal on display. It seemed so simple in the show and manga..in person though, there's a weird slimey hue to it's mark as it seems to twist and stain his forehead. There's something about when you see it in person that is strikingly uneasy and just wrong. I get why one would come to hate it.

"Leave." Neiji's whisper is hoarse, dark and twisted. No child should sound like that and it helps steel me for what I'm up to next.

"Make me. You're sulking and what has that gotten you Neiji? You missed school! You haven't left your room I can smell you from down the hall." Every moment I look at him, and his seal. I'm not denying the truth of it, that much I won't do. It only infuriates him more. Neiji doesn't lack grace despite however long he's been curled up there and shaking in his fury is clearly moving to toss me out. I get one shot at this.

"Sitting here isn't going to make it go away Neiji. I get you're mad, I understand it's twisted and I don't agree with it and no I can't understand what you're going through. I won't feed you that trash."

"Then get out." Neiji's eyes have gone from disdainful when he'd see me to loathing. I think if we were older he'd have a kunai across my windpipe right now.

"Get it out of you. The anger. You can't do anything in here..but you can if you come with me. Let's go spar."

"You're no challenge."

"I'll surprise you."

"You'll fail." He sneers then and I just know the F word is coming next. "It's in your fate." Yeah there it is.

"So? Put me in my place then. The same way they've tried to do to you. I've never gotten to spar with you, you always tell me I won't amount to anything.." I tap my forehead drawing the parallel. "You hate that I'm in here all the time training, so I'm making a wager with you." I hear Kou draw a breath sharply outside, this is admittedly a new layer to it but Neiji needs to want to fight me, not just go hit a post. "You win and you can decide if I come back or not."

Neiji goes still.

It's no secret he hates my taking up time with anyone here, that they let someone as 'worthless' in their chakra reserves in as I am here. I did also carefully phrase it though so someone could make him agree to let me back some day. Kou is going to owe me for this. Or kill me, as he likes my visits.

There's a charged moment, I have no doubt Neiji is more aware than I am that there's almost every adult Hyuuga eavesdropping on us right now, or at least watching. I'm giving him a chance though, take out his anger at the unfair treatment to get something he wanted. Or in the shallow way he'll never admit to, make himself feel better by belittling another.

This had better work.

A single nod, a mocking sneer. "After you."

Let's hope my guesses on how my chakra works are right...