AN: this one seriously took on a life of it's own. I think one of the longest chapters I've done to date for this story.
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Lee was the one who politely excused us from training more than just the morning from our family. It was just my luck the day after my literal run in with the Uchiha trio was one of the starts to an extended weekend. When something truly struck Lee as important he would become entirely silent and focused. That is how he was now. He'd even gone and brought out my more formal attire from the clan collection and this time there was a method to it that kept making me open my mouth.
Then close it again without saying anything.
It was my twin who had gone and talked to the Hyuuga last night. Whatever they had told him, this was clearly part of it and so I firmly took my curiosity and concern and shoved it where my Tobirama forsaken good sense had disappeared to yesterday.
It didn't make it any less weird to have Lee being so formal and stiff as we walked to the Hyuuga compound for once not in complimentary and opposite shades but identical. We were resplendent in silver. These were the good garments, the ones saved for very auspicious occasions for children and not even brought out for festivals. These were what we would have worn if we graduated with honors or apprenticed to someone important, these were the formal almost ceremonial wear for the Lee clan. It was the equivalent of wearing a designer gown and suit.
"...I'm going to have trouble keeping my mouth shut aren't I." I muttered to Lee as we walked, he took my hand though but there was no smile. Not this time, but his eyes were so dark and serious and strong because whatever was going on Lee always trusted in the best. Right down to knowing I could do this and I could read it all in one serious nod and eyes covered in long long lashes.
"You look beautiful nee-chan." It was soft, gentle and for some reason that more than any platitudes and silly phrases Lee could have screamed and challenged with to get a rise out of our blood. That simple compliment let me feel like I could do this. Whatever this was.
"And you're powerfully handsome." He was too and there was that tiny smile. Wearing softly gleaming fabric that shimmered as we walked Lee looked every bit the mystical warrior from grandfather's stories. His braid had threads of silver woven in, wires that could be used in a situation and he had as much as I did my bells. His would weigh him down, he wore wires in various places to chafe and toughen skin and work as early weights. Today though it was just the thick additions to his plaited hair as much as mine were the interwoven bells in my forelocks.
We said nothing else, but Lee was holding my hand as we entered the Hyuuga compound and neither of us were ashamed to be seen doing so.
Kou, seemed to just step out of nowhere and not hesitating at my being beside my twin ducked his head in by both of us to whisper, knowing Lee didn't have the advantage of understanding Hyuuga's as I did.
"They were laughing hard enough to actually choke last night when Lee-san told them everything Ziwei-chan. It's fine."
"You're wonderful." I blurted out and Kou gave me a smug little smile, having correctly guessed I would be nervous. "Lee-san did the right thing coming straight to me and my Otou-san. Come, I'll take you to Hiashi-sama and the elders. The entire compound is observing so don't be nervous."
"Ah..so many?" Lee sounded hesitant and I leaned over to whisper in his ear, in the dialogue that had come from our mother's side that only a few of us and Ten-ten spoke. We just apparently had accents like angry pigs with our mouths full of a potato if granny was to be believed. "They are horrible gossips. They love to eavesdrop. It's a good thing."
Lee's shoulder's straightened and he nodded as we walked without another word. It was really strange. Not following Kou, that was normal, but the fact that we had two guard Hyuuga behind us, and the closer we got to the formal meeting room I swear the more joined us! We were silver in a sea of gray and beige.
Yeah. Let's play a game. Spot the indigo-ette! Purple-ette? What would you use to describe my peculiar plum hued locks anyways?
"At ease, children." Hiashi stated as we kneeled before him. The biggest downside was not that this was uncomfortable. No, with our crazy grandparents kneeling was far below what we deemed uncomfortable. Unless granny was in one of her moods then somehow she would find a way..but it was making me let go of Lee.
I wanted my security blanket of a twin thank you very much!
"Hiashi and Hizashi-sama..Hyuuga-sama.." I bowed before kneeling, greeting all the mass of elders there and other Hyuuga in one fell swoop. Lee copied me. Technically not polite Especially because Hizashi is branch house but he's Hiashi's twin so I always call him that. It amuses the ever loving dickens out of the branch members. At this stage they knew they were lucky I was still behaving because I was clearly nervous and that made me do things.
Heyyy yeah. That's what got me in this mess and here in the first place.
"Well, let us start off by easing your mind and assuring you that this august council has not laughed so greatly in a long time." One of the elders began and oh you could smell the smug.
Smug has a bad stench to it. The room just then? I think I was going to be reeking of smugness for a while and it wasn't even mine!
"Ah.."
"Kou-san you may explain since you brought the..incident..to our attention." Hiashi said and I detected the slightest uplift of his voice at the end. He was clearly hiding laughter. No wonder he wanted my friend to explain. Also, needless to say with the insanity I bring up they've since resigned to just making Kou explain to me in simple ways what is going on. Or as that famous old proverb goes, if you can explain it to a child you understand.
"You are technically only a civilian. Being an academy student without a prominent ninja clan background-" Which yeah, Lee clan is mostly civilian and sometimes low ranking nin. Totally accepted and they all drink what we produce anyways so not a slight. "-there was certainly no reason to suspect you could have been able to dodge the attack in a public setting where they should not have been practicing regardles. That the youngest Uchiha heir lost control to the level he did and not one of them thought to warn you or get you out of the way speaks that he greatly lost control far more than they were willing to admit in the exchange. To be certain we have the story correct..if you could repeat it?"
Simple in a Hyuuga fashion. Crazy smug group. They grow on you though. Also, the end of that was a blatant 'Please let us know there's more juicy details to this story!'
Hyuuga's.
So fully aware that Lee was confused as to why I suddenly was animatedly getting into the story complete with hand motions, sound effects and my uncensored thoughts.
Uncensored. Yes. Like they aren't entirely used to them. All I do is leave out my knowledge I shouldn't have but the comments on Sasue's Emu hair (though I have to call it chicken because I don't even know if there are Emu or Ostrich around here..) has a few twitching their lips. The part where I announced to them how utterly stupid they had been made many heads nod approvingly, agreeing with how I stated the logic.
"..praying that Tobirama-sama would block me from saying something I shouldn't.." got a few snorts out of them. I even hear one person mutter 'futile'. They are used to my petitions to the second Hokage and I think it's something of a running gag that they've even been trying to find any stories I haven't heard about some of the stupid things the Second did when no one was aware. There aren't many, but it makes them smile because everyone always thinks of him as this serious person. After the war though he was a man, and humor reminded him of the brother he lost so it wasn't that surprising he'd seek it out.
Lee was chuckling and shaking his head beside me, occasionally slapping his hands over his mouth as he laughed. Because he knew that I probably was going to make this worse even as I went on. Twin. He gets me.
The entire joviality of the room plummeted when I explained Sasuke's insult to Hinata, even Hinata made a tiny squeak of embarrassment hearing his remark which I did not censor. Lee hadn't picked up on that so this was new information and one could just sense the rapid making and discarding of plans occurring behind those pale orbs all over. Even the ones cheating with the veiny eyes to look in on the room.
I tried using my hands to explain the pressure not pressure I felt and the displacement as I used the body flicker and that it ended..
With my making the younger Uchiha eat grass under my form and that paired with my remark about how it was going to get at least a few Hyuuga to snort if they didn't kill me, resulted in a few out right laughing and a lot of smug smirks. Hinata was smiling and blushing shyly, but that's just what she does. I don't care she's not really a friend but she is in the sense we spar together and don't talk and sometimes that's what you need in a friend.
Kou hands me a glass of water and I take a drink before I set it down and close my eyes. The fact I'm doing this and taking a deep breath has everyone paying attention again. They knew from Lee I'd been threatened and scared. I hadn't been really thinking though and after the night? The reality of what I'd gotten into had set in and I took comfort. Obviously by damning any sense of proprietary behavior and bravado as I grabbed Lee's hand before meeting Hiashi's eyes.
Hiashi is a hard man to please. He's brutal to Hinata but so is Hizashi to Neiji and I think it's just how they were trained. I mean, Ko's a jerk too and their father probably is so I think it's just something in the older generation to an old clan. The thing is though, as hard and icicle souled as he is Hiashi lets me come here. He lets me play with Kou in our fashion, he lets me spar with Hinata and Neiji. He allows my behavior and coming and goings. In his own way he recognizes I'm a friend to these children and he does his best to let us be and only reprimanding our behavior when to look the other way would not be thought well of otherwise.
So while I have a healthy blend of fearful respect for this man I also know that because of these ties I am safe here.
I tell them of my running. Of my being pinned and the threats, of the red eyes and I shiver remembering the whirling form and how it seemed to look through me as if to take me apart and decide if I was worth the trouble of ending.
And then...I waited.
"You have seen the truth of what a skilled ninja always has within. To meet that, off the battlefield, is a luxury that you need to never forget, Ziwei-san." Hiashi says calmly and I bow my head. "Especially.." there is a shift in the air, and it's odd how chakra can almost buzz along your nerves to alert you to what a room is feeling. Or maybe that's just my weird chakra again. "because once glimpsed you know that every engagement you have is another ninja who will view you just that way. Take from this experience that knowledge and do your best to ensure you are never in that situation allowing another to decide if you continue again."
It was good advice actually. A direction to take the fear that wouldn't let it cripple me.
"That being said, the insults heaped upon you and thus directly and indirectly upon the clan are much higher than we had originally thought. The idea before you related this tale was to send one of our own on your behalf to demand suitable compensation or an apology. In light of all of this, the consequences for the Uchiha are much higher."
"Pardon me?" Lee spoke up into the lull and Hizashi nodded, Lee was confused and my head was spinning. "Why is it so much higher? If it is the insult just to Hinata-sama.." and Lee, oh my adorable brother he sent the biggest smile beaming at the shy girl who just smiled back. Lee was good with the shy ones when they knew him. "Why would this involve Zi-chan further?"
"Because she is under my tutelage." Kou's father spoke up softly. "As well as a frequent guest here to spar with my son, the heiress, and Hizashi-sama's nephew."
"Actually Otou-san.." Ko moved forward, bowing to his father after prostrating to the clan head and elders. "For the past few months Ziwei-san has been meeting with me in the corner training ground in our compound to work on pushing her chakra to almost exhaustion levels under my observation. So she has also been under my tutelage."
Huh. The way the clan just paid attention..was Ko actually someone important to the clan?
"You neglected to tell us that is what you were doing with the days off you had from guarding my heiress."
Wellllll.
….he's still a jerk.
"It is hardly difficult for me and in the passing of time Ziwei-san has raised her chakra reserves sufficiently to no longer be on the lower end of things. Because of her unique chakra workings she can go far beyond levels one should, when brushing against chakra exhaustion. I have been taking careful notes."
"We are getting off track." One of the elders interjects but like they aren't all excited that they're using me to rewrite what they know of chakra exhaustion. Not complaining, keep giving me free training the sort I couldn't get otherwise and I'll let them take all the notes they want!
"Indeed. This means there are multiple claims the Hyuuga have on a confirmed if not openly spoken of prodigy under our tutelage and our right to claim much of her future skill stemming from our aide. She is clearly under the Hyuuga clan's protection and is afforded at least the level of respect from a foreign clan as one of our own lessor branch members."
SAY WHAT!?
"Close your mouth, Zi-chan." Kou-kun mumbles. I do. I can feel chakra wriggling in laughter.
"Great Tobirama..." I mumble and this time I definitely feel laughter. But seriously, okay I get it. Think of all the bragging rights Jiraiya gets that his genius student was Minato, and all the ones who help Naruto later on. The prodigies always are linked back to those who teach them so that this early on the Hyuuga have been such a huge help? Admittedly my skill is equally from my own family because of our fighting and agility training and the utterly insane work ethic but Lee clan isn't as well known. I'll always have the title of 'trained under the Hyuuga' follow me and it is not a bad thing at all. This is part of why I realized over the years they keep letting come back. Because they get to say they knew I'd be important and a great fighter first.
Bragging right means a lot to ninja.
But still, being an honorary lower branch ninja?.
Wait.
Prodigy female still sounds like 'pay me in cows'.
"I'm not going to get married off as an apology right?" And yes that comes out hysterical and Lee's squawk is so not dignified and the Hyuuga are openly chuckling.
"It would not be amiss to demand such a high price on your behalf but considering the interaction, I rather doubt you'd wish any of the three who caused you so much trouble to be in such a position?" Hiashi asks, and I swear he's hiding a smirk. I bet he was a troll as a kid.
"No!" I wave my hands frantically. "Nope! I can do without the glowy red eyes of overcompensation and the ego issues and the smug and the.."
"But Zi-chan.." Hizashi chimes in and he isn't hiding in his tone of voice (direct contrast to the deadpan face is eerie) that he finds my outburst freaking hilarious. "You'd be wedding into a prestigious clan."
"Not interested. I'd rather marry Neiji at least his ego and arrogance has a reason because he's insane to fight!"
…..
"Oh. I said that out loud."
Lee is stammering and Neiji is bright red and glaring at me but he has a smug smirk and I just groan. Really you know I am so lucky the Hyuuga find me entertaining.
"Can we forget I said that?"
"No." I'm not sure which Hyuuga said it but I'm sure he spoke for them all.
"At least wait until I am a jounin before giving me relationship advice!" I blurt out and Lee gives me a funny look.
"I thought you were going to cut your hair and focus on being a ninja."
"I am."
"Ah. Rhetorical, I understand."
"What does your hair have to do with this?" Kou-kun blurts out and it says something that the Hyuuga have been forced to express emotion and are probably just as curious that no one tries to get the conversation back on track.
"Short version is where Okaa-san is from the boys wear their hair in a braid.." I point to Lee who pulls his long braid in front. "The girls the buns.." and my slang term I know deserves an eye roll. "We also grow out our forelocks and color it when we're of age. There's a whole complicated bit about not getting it cut off in battle and gifting your hair to one you love but if you cut it off yourself it means you aren't interested and focusing on other things for the time. Ten-Ten and I both plan to cut them and focus on our careers."
Ko is a jerk. "So that means once you have achieved Jounin you are not amiss to the Hyuuga clan giving input on whom you consider?" He's grinning, because he's a jerk and yet he's got a sense of humor it just is summed up in 'at your and Kou's expense.'
"I'll take it under advisement. If I trust you all with my life and my chakra training I think I better listen to your opinions on company I choose to keep." I mean it too and there's an amused few glances going to Neiji.
Poor Neiji. Sorry dude I didn't mean to fake a crush on you but I kinda needed it then and..yeah. You don't know this but I won't hold you to anything. You're on your own with your dad's teasing though.
The interactions clearly had a point though and I've since calmed down. The elders start to speak more with each other and the clan giving opinions as Lee and I just sit there. Someone takes pity on us and dismisses the dozen of us younger kids to go get and serve the snacks and talk amongst ourselves.
"Thank you." Hinata stutters out softly to me and I can't help but smile at her.
"Anytime. I mean it."
I do. Hinata just nods and smiles before moving back and Neiji sighs having snuck up on me. "You're far too much trouble."
"I seem to recall you saying that when we introduced ourselves."
"Of course I was correct in my prediction."
"Yeah. So tell me.." Kou has moved over to listen but I'm not feeling snarky right now. I'm still too nervous to eat the snacks and glance up at Neiji. "What do you think is going to be happening from all this?"
"Oh that's easy." It's sneered at me but you know, that's just how Neiji is. I definitely prefer Kou but I suppose it's hard for Neiji to be the genius around so many regular kids. And I'm just a troll so no help there.
"Explain to the rest of us." Kou asks calmly while he stands beside me, nudging my shoulder with his.
"Ziwei-san is going to go with the majority of the elders and Hiashi-sama to meet with the Uchiha before they can attempt to craft an apology and write it off. They'll go later no doubt because of that and all Ziwei will do is sit there and stay silent while they negotiate. There will be a lot of careful insults, probably a hefty fine deposited for her troubles and also for the slight to Hinata and no doubt a slap on the wrist of the little Uchiha. Any further discipline will not involve us but they will feel they owe the Hyuuga and Ziwei-san in particular."
"I really don't want any further attention from Shisui." I mumble.
"...it's one of the smarter reactions you've had." Neiji agrees. His words are anything but comfortable. "However, I know I was curious and determined to know how far I could push you. I imagine he shall be the same."
"That is not going to relax her at all Neiji-kun." Kou sighs and shakes his head.
"It isn't meant to."
"I get it." I whisper and I do. Lee is off talking to Hinata and a few of the others though he constantly glances over at me he knows I am safe with my friend and sparring partner and that sometimes I need space. He's always right there though and I know if I were to start reacting badly he would be beside me in a heartbeat.
"Oh?" That's Kou, and Kou is a Hyuuga but I think Neiji is a whole other level of crazy that I get because this isn't my first go around and so my brain is capable of comprehending things most children aren't. It just usually chooses to focus on trolling and being a brat but it can work.
"Better to be prepared." I mumble and I look up at Neiji who inclines his head. He gets that I know what he really meant. He tolerated me even when he was bristling all those time because I confused him. I didn't make sense. Even now when he knows I do not make sense he loves trying to find new ways to push me in our spars, because I will never react and do things with my chakra anyone else will. To a truly serious prodigal shinobi that's something to covet.
He's warning me that if Shisui starts to realize my capabilities, as he and many of the Hyuuga have, that it can go two ways. Anger and antagonizing or not. Neiji himself has done both.
Neiji never scared me.
Shisui? I didn't know much about Shisui before except that he died and gave up an eye and it was part of the Danzo every body is crazy bit. I thought Itachi was the genius, the one to be scared of. But Itachi, one thing I think even casual Naruto fans knew was that it turned out Itachi loved his brother and his village and was a pacifist.
Shisui? Shisui is not a pacifist. That makes him so much more dangerous.
"Will you be fine going alone?" Neiji doesn't seem too worried about his question as he stares into his rice ball as if it has the answers Like a magic 8 ball, that he'd never understand if I asked if it said 'yes, no, or not at this time..'
"I'm not fine going at all." I sigh but there's a resigned tone to it. It'll happen and at least if it must I'll be with the Hyuuga.
"Don't do something and end up returning with a betrothal offer." Neiji snaps out suddenly and I'm giving him a confused expression that I can feel pulling at my face in an ugly fashion.
"Did you miss the whole part about not interested?"
"If you become too interesting that wont matter." Neiji scowls. "Don't read anything into what I'm saying either."
"Huh?"
Oh right. Crush. Thingy. Yeah but I don't really have one so I just let it go. Let them think I've already lost it, frankly Neiji's attitude makes for good sparring friend but horrible to consider long term and again..I'm not even of age to graduate! Creeps me out when people put children together and plan their lives. Just No. Let me at least survive to get a gray hair first. Or boobs.
...Please don't let me be a Tsunade type. Gods that would hurt. Running with those things?
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It turns out we do go shortly after we have snacks. My guess is that is so no one is hungry or thirsty and we can politely only pretend to take advantage of the Uchiha's hospitality. Very likely it was all for my benefit as I am a kid and shouldn't already be thinking my hosts may be trying to poison me. I'm not complaining. Lee promises to wait for me at the compound and seems determined to find out why I like sparring with Neiji who has to this point pretended my sibling doesn't exist.
Hey bonding by bruises is a good thing, by the time I'm back I expect Neiji still won't talk to Lee but will at least look at him. Because Lee is a powerful foe already and he fights in a way I don't and it will give Neiji a nice counterbalance to me. He'll still wipe the floor with him but like me, I expect my brother to get a few really good hits in. Kou's already promised to let Lee borrow one of his outfits so the silver one stays nice
The reason we are in silver and not the beautiful deep purple I would usually have worn? Because of course we have the formal purple quipao...
It makes sense then as I'm walking in tiny steps along the sea of Hyuuga in their formal white and gray kimono. Austerity is their hallmark, and by contrast with the simple and plain garments my walking just behind the clan head and elders, beside Hizashi with a row of Main and Branch keeping guards at our back? My formal garment with the shimmering fabric almost seems to show solidarity while making me stand out as much as my purple hair. The chiming of my bells is the only sound we make, and Hizashi had let me know not to muffle them.
I think I'm being put on display here people.
Like a delicate doll and thankfully not the only female, I'm surrounded on all sides by a wall of Hyuuga as we stroll through Konoha going to the Uchiha compound. Long before we arrive the gossip will have paved our way Hizashi is assuring me, and it's part of why I'm in nearly the middle by his side. Only faint glimpses unless far above will show a flash of brightness and color between their forms. They will not know for certain I am among them. It will put the Uchiha off balance.
My first thought when we are greeted at the entrance to the Uchiha compound is that if this is them being off balance, what I saw on Itachi, Sasuke, and Shisui was more like blind panic. The faint prickle along my nerves alerting me to the state of their chakra is my only sign that the Uchiha are wary.
Well, that and how they are unerringly pinpointing where I am.
And I thought having so many white eyes locked upon me was eerie.
Black ones that you know want to be red? Much worse.
There's not a sound made, barely even any greetings between the elders and what must be Fugaku. I keep my eyes downcast as the whole way over Hizashi's been coaching me. He knows I have an issue keeping my mouth shut so he's been assuring me of little things I can do. That I do not need to speak, that even if it is directed at me that he and the others will speak for me.
I am just going to listen and observe.
Right.
It starts off simply. There's a lot of talking and even more not talking. It's uncomfortable and serious and there are such levels of interplay happening here. The weirdest part is these Hyuuga bear no resemblance to the ones I know. Not here among the Uchiha, they are every bit as stiff and formal with all traces of warmth scoured away. Their chakra is locked up tight like snarling dogs whose owners have a firm grasp upon their collars as much as they'd love to let them loose.
I am not permitted to hide in the middle. No, as a person of interest I am seated between Hiashi and Hizashi and the elders fanned out along us, all the others at our backs. I don't look up at all, not even through my lashes because I do not know if they would risk a genjutsu or a sharingan or anything but also my very act of trusting the Hyuuga entirely with my safety because I cannot see if an attack is coming is a statement all in itself.
The story is retold by Hizashi. All the humor, my intricate explanations are boiled down to the most bare of details. It still does not sound flattering or even tolerable on behalf of the Uchiha. When my utilizing the body flicker is mentioned though there is a unbearably heavy sensation of regard. I want to lean into Hizashi or Hiashi and tuck myself away from the eyes I can feel because these Uchiha are every bit as scary as I'd heard. You don't get it in the manga or the anime but there's something just..off..with these adult Uchiha. It's like they are all slightly askew and can be driven to feats of insanity and great devastation.
I hate to say it but I can see why they tend to go off the deep end in what they perceive as right.
For the briefest of moments, I know what it would have been like if I had gone to them instead of Kou and the Hyuuga.
I would have been lucky if Danzo had found me, because either way I would just be a tool. The Uchiha do not have room in their minds for anything exceptional that is not their due, that does not fit their vision. Their bodies and minds are still bred from the stock that dominated the battlefield before Konoha was founded and it has not wavered in the slightest.
The Hyuuga are not wonderful. They enslave each other, they have many things they do that are not forgivable but little by little they try. Is it far too little? Yes. But the next generation, OUR generation of Hyuuga is going to be amazing. Hinata and Hinabi, Neiji, Kou and maybe even Ko..and a half dozen of their relatives I have met. They've lived in the peace time and have ideals those who did not have such a luxury could not, and their elders for all they coach and warn them allow them to try and flourish as long as they can still meet the standards. Just in case.
The Uchiha I do not sense any of this same demeanor. To them it is as it always has been and so shall remain.
It makes what I did all the more dangerous. I understand then why the Hyuuga are making it so very obvious I belong to them. I would be missed.
The majority of the meeting passes over my head and there is plenty of times they say something that I want to respond to so dearly, but I don't. Indeed Hizashi had suggested I lose myself in thought.
I try.
At one point I do very nearly react because I hear the words 'contract..' and I just decide I could not have possibly heard that and use my chakra to block my sense of hearing.
It works. No one reacts so I guess it took so little no one sensed it at all. It's weird though only hearing the sound of my own airways expanding or the beat of my pulse. I unblock it after I feel almost sleepy and then block again later. I alternate doing this many times to get through the meeting. Look at that I found a new form of meditation.
I call it, ignore the boring elder people! With assistance!
I'm fighting the urge. It's the urge to do something stupid. The sort that makes Lee and I challenge each other, that makes me blurt out stupid things. It happens when I am bored or restless and I am currently both.
We leave before that happens. Another bow, a slight shifting of the ranks as I go to be swallowed up by everyone...
and a pair of glowing red eyes lock onto mine from the shadows before they're hidden by a Hyuuga moving.
So fast I couldn't even see at this distance the pattern and I don't know who it was.
But I know now, there is at least one Uchiha who is going to be watching me.
And this time I literally didn't do ANYTHING but sit there and look pretty!
I even kept my mouth shut!
Freaking Tobirama...