Neji's POV (Hyuga Main House Manor - Hidden Leaf Village)
Neji padded through the halls of the Hyuga manor. The building was large and ornate. Spotless and constantly replaced and remodeled, the reputation and wealth their clan obtained demanded nothing less. Not too dissimilar from the state of the clan itself. The halls were bare, marked with various high-class art, paintings, sculptures, portraits, and artifacts of their past. Long ago, a psychologist of the Yamanaka had diagnosed most members of their clans with OCD, a byproduct of their improved eyesight.
As lovely as it all seemed, Neji had grown to hate it all. To his eyes, it was all a monument to false glory. Paid for by the blood of fellow Hyuga. Justified due to a tradition that only hampered the Side Branch and benefitted the Main. The Side House had served as subordinates for generations. It was no great secret that Hyuga Elders also preferred to keep it this way. It made his blood boil in a way he used to relish. After all, if one is truly helpless, why not rage? If life could be so cold and uncaring of right and wrong, why not show the world your wrath?
Naruto had been the one to challenge that. Perhaps not directly at first, but even his inherited character challenged it. Neji had deemed Naruto a nobody, a nonfactor. Part of an extended slain clan, from a controversial mother, and known to be an unexceptional shinobi. In other words, according to Neji's own estimation, he was a pathetic fool.
Neji would admit it was unfair, but Naruto vexed him before simply by being. His confidence, despite his lack of skill, and determination to persevere despite the odds against him. Naruto's burden may not be fully known to the Hyuga, but he could feel his pain whenever the two matched eyes. In some ways, it had felt comparable to his own. Yet he had stood tall, proud, and even defiant. Why did he not rage like him? How dare he ignore the unfairness of the world? Neji wanted to show him the errors of his ways. So he had poked and prodded, attempting to stoke his anger.
In the academy, Neji had been popular due to his skill. He was known for it; if not for one despicable Sasuke Uchiha, he would've been the best in their grade. His temper was short, and with his known power, most of the student body was careful around him. Yet Naruto, from the start of the team, had merely stood even taller. He was unafraid to come to blows even though his loss was almost inevitable. Neji had thought the blonde's defeat would be fated. He had been sure of it. But the blonde had met him head-on the entire time. Proudly declaring Neji wrong and even offering to help him change it. If Neji had been honest, it would have hurt his pride. And as he now saw he often did, he had intended to make him pay for the perceived slight.
Naruto and he finally fought. Neji held nothing back; he had even trained in preparation for the brawl. He never was one to entirely underestimate a foe, after all. How wrong he had been all the same, Naruto, who at the formation of the team Neji was sure he could've thrashed. Somehow, this closed the gap between them and displayed a level of skill and battle intelligence that he was capable of. Naruto dominated most of the fight, tanked his best moves, and smashed his "ultimate" defense. In the violent clash, Neji saw some of himself in the blonde. Somehow, he could tell the blonde could relate to some degree. Then he felt the blonde's spirit. Felt the strength behind his hands. Watched as someone he labeled a fool outmaneuver him. It had been… humbling. He now remembered the truth he had known from the start. Fate is merely a concept. It had weight; if one simply lazed through life, they would be subjected to it. But if one fought hard, maintained despite adversity, and was willing to grow, the chains of fate seemed ineffective.
If Neji was being fully honest, he was unsure what to do with the knowledge. He had already remedied things with his teammates. The two made it so easy. Have been incredibly supportive and inclusive ever since. He supposed, in that sense, he should be thankful. However, it would be even better if they could learn to be silent. But for the rest of his life, he wasn't sure where to go. He could not escape from the Side House. He was already sealed and, therefore, bound to them. What could he indeed affect here? As Neji walked out to a courtyard to mediate, he saw someone who only further complicated his feelings.
The woman had long blue hair that reached her lower back. She wore a lavender hoodie and black combat pants. Her eyes looked similar to his, though hers had always shined with kindness. A stark contrast to his previous behavior. Hinata, in truth, had never been cruel to him. She had only shown kindness and a palpable guilt. Yet, in his last state of mind, he had seen it as thinly veneered pity. He had told her as such. He truly terrorized her with a glare and a rougher-than-needed spar there. Yes, he had ensured she suffered. Looking at her now, he could see she suffered for the sins of others. He was no fool; the only action would be a sincere apology and polite interactions. But he couldn't swallow his pride and apologize to her. She may not have been complacent to rulers of the clan's treatment, but she was the heir. Meaning she was likely to continue the practice.
He watched her. For someone meek, she was training hard. She did seem honest in her effort to grow. Perhaps she really could become clan head one day. If only Neji could attempt to explain the plight of the Side House to her. She, as kind as she was, maybe the only House member to understand—certainly more likely than her replacement.
If he had disdained Hinata, then he truly hated Hanabi. Three whole years younger, yet she seemed to grow quickly. Beating Hinata in their spars most of the time these days. If not for the new curriculum for the academy, Hanabi would've replaced her already. Hanabi was, for all accounts, the next drone for the Main House. It would be a shame once she… oh. Neji allowed himself a small smile; he could work towards forgiveness and improve the Hyuga in one leap! He would train her himself. Allow her to maintain her heir status. And if he managed to sway her over to being more supportive of the Side House… well, that would be fate.
Ino's POV (Leaf Main Gate - Hidden Leaf Village)
Team Seven arrived at the gate that same morning. Once he had rounded them all up, Kakashi announced their first mission. Naruto and Ino reacted poorly, believing it to be the arrival of the "D-Ranks" they had done in the academy. To their pleasant surprise, Kakashi had announced a C-Rank mission. They express confidence in their abilities and wish to begin garnering experience.
After the briefing, they immediately headed to the main gate. The group stood prepped to leave their home. Neji and Kakashi looked like trained killers, presenting themselves cleanly and confidently. The two blondes next to them seemed more like zombies. Their eyes were red, their posture was low, and their mood was down.
"Welcome to the joys of alcohol. HANGOVERS!" Kakashi shouted jovially.
"Gah, my ears!" Naruto screamed as he covered them desperately.
"Kakashi-sensei, I will kill you," Ino muttered darkly. Her father would be insufferable when she got home. Asking her a question that frankly made her even more confused. She had been drunk, and she knew it made you act differently. But she knew it merely made you act a bit more earnestly. And she had been all over Naruto… after being exposed for thinking he was attractive too! Embarrassing did not even begin to describe it. So, she would stick to the side until it didn't hurt to think about it. Add to that one of the worst headaches she had ever experienced, and she was having a day.
"Why are you both so down?" Neji asked curiously.
"HOW ARE YOU NOT!" The two screamed furiously.
"I don't get hangovers," Neji replied simply. His teammates merely glared at him.
"Now, let's focus," Kakashi chided. Let's run over our mission again." He looked at Neji, knowing the other two would be less than cooperative.
"There is a bandit camp outside of the Fire Country capitol. They had discovered this due to the bandits boldly attacking merchant routes. In response, the Lord of Fire had sent a trained squad of militia experienced against bandits to the camp. He had hoped they would crush them. But they had never arrived back. They wanted a Genin squad to scout and destroy them as long as it was inside their scope. Furthermore, the Hokage suspected this may be the Lord of Fire's way of testing a new genin team." Neji recited effortlessly.
"Show off." Naruto teased.
"Doesn't take much when you're the competition," Neji replied simply. The two started glaring at each other. But it was downright friendly in comparison to before.
"Shut. It." Ino said simply. Oddly enough, the men did, silently striking out to complete their newest mission.
?'s POV (?)
A man with a red mohawk marched into a cave. He wore a black, tattered cloak and some prison garb underneath. He had two hatchets on his belt. As he got deep inside the cave, he seemed to be shadowboxing. Not a second went by that he was still. It was an odd sight to behold. The sight became even more bizarre as another man emerged from the ground as if breaching regular water. The two stood before each other, tense and unsure. Before suddenly, the stranger of the two men spoke.
"Hello there, friend! He's no friend, merely a pawn of Ikam…" The two halves of the monster said to the strange, bouncy man. He looked vaguely human, one half of his body being pure white. The other half is black. He had hair and could pass for a painted man if not for the giant protrusions covering his head. It looked as if a Venus flytrap was growing out of him. The two halves of the man seemed to speak and think independently.
The other man suddenly stopped his airboxing. "I'm no pawn. I'm a killer playing a messenger." He growled. "I'm known as the berserker shinobi! Wielder of these powerful blades! I am Leifazu Uzumaki! " He drew his axes and started to swing wildly.
"Oh wow, he seems quite powerful! Stop wasting our time. Why did you reach out? Our master was quite surprised to hear from you."
"It seems the leaf is making a move on us. My boss would like to suggest an alliance to repel the threat. See, the leaf has mobilized some troops my boss thinks you'd have a vested interest in capturing." Leifazu explained impatiently. Clearing from a script he had memorized.
"Interesting, Orochimaru-sama has always loved capturing people! Who are you fooling? Your theatrics hold no weight here. Unless these men are exciting-"
"Itachi and Obito Uchiha."
"Now you have my attention. Now you have my attention." The sides started in unison.
"This is what bossman is thinking," Leifazu said with a manic grin locked in place.