Chapter 35 - One Of Our Number Leaves

Ekyt woke up. Three hours of sleep. But he was refreshed nonetheless. He muttered something unintelligible as the stack of scrolls across his legs hit the floor. One small one was still on his night table. The one from Lord Hokage.
With a sigh, Ekyt pulled it open, studying it’s contents as fast as his eyes would allow. He expected a reprimand, but that wasn’t even mentioned. He was simply asked to meet Lord Hokage at his earliest convenience. Ekyt had calmed down since last night, so he immediately headed out, feeling no ill feelings toward the old man anymore.



Lord Hokage took a sip of the coffee in front of him. He hated it’s chalky taste, but he guessed he would need the energy today. It was Ebisu’s shift, and that meant Lord Hokage had to more or less guard himself, despite all of Ebisu’s posturing. He also had the meeting with Ekyt. As if on cue, the young man walked into the room, ignoring the chair that had been set out for him. He simply stood next to the chair until he was acknowledged.
Lord Hokage nodded at him.
“You wanted to see me, Lord Hokage?” Ekyt’s voice held a respectful, but questioning tone.
“We never finished our meeting the other day. You had a second concept you wanted to suggest to me. If it’s still a viable concern, please, go ahead.” I wonder what he has in mind…he may look like Hayate, but that boy’s wheel’s are always turning.
“Well, Lord Hokage, I’m not sure I’m the first case, but I’m sure I won’t be the last genin without a team. I’ve been wondering what I could do about it. It’s too much to hope that only two genin will pass any time soon, so…”
Ekyt hesitated. He suddenly had less confidence than usual.
“Go ahead. It’s a matter I’ve given thought to as well,” Lord Hokage said, prompting the young man.
“Well, what about a reserve force of Shinobi? Genin that don’t have a team, or chunin that don’t have a career yet could be put together in a pool. When an opening arises for a mission that needs more people, the necessary number could be put in. Or, if a mission only requires one person, then there would be someone ready to take it. If one member of a team is injured or killed, there could be an instantaneous replacement. This would also allow the respective Shinobi involved to keep their skills sharp, even when not 100% active.”
Lord Hokage puffed on his pipe thoughtfully. The rich tobacco did wonders to sooth his nerves, at the price of destroying his lungs. After almost a minute of silence, Lord Hokage nodded sagely.
“You may have a point. Your case is unique, for the moment, but graduation numbers look to be slim. I ask you to present your idea before the council.”
Ekyt nodded gravely, even for him. “I will. When and where?”
Lord Hokage wondered about the aggression, but realized it’s cause immediately. Ebisu was on the council. “Tonight, at midnight. I do not want anyone not involved to know yet.”
“Lord Hokage, one last question: I know we don’t deal with other rogue’s until necessary, but I would like to put my support behind Temari, formerly of the Sand Village, to be offered protection by the new program.”
Ekyt’s solemn voice indicated just how serious the matter was. Lord Hokage met his visible eye, and he saw a look of anger mixed with concern in it.
“That will also be decided by the council,” Lord Hokage replied.
“Majority rules? Or will everyone have to agree?” Ekyt asked, this time his voice matching the concern his eyes showed.
“Majority,” Lord Hokage responded.



Neji put a hand to his head, sinking to his knees in frustration.
“This mark…it has sealed my fate…fate is not to be tampered with…but what if the mark could be sealed? I would be free to captain my own fate…but who could seal it?” Neji wondered aloud.
He suddenly knew. But it meant selling his soul to something so vile the Devil himself had spat him out countless times. It was not a decision to be made lightly.


Orochimaru heard the sound of Kabuto’s arrival.
“Orochimaru, there is a Leaf Village genin here. He wishes to speak with you.”
Orochimaru’s long tongue licked his nearly non-existent lips thoughtfully. “Please, allow him entry. I will speak with him. Is it the Uchiha boy?”
“No. He is of the Hyuga clan. He graduated a year before Sasuke, but at the top of his class. He IS talented, I will vouch for his ability. Not to mention a rather unique Kekkai Genkai.” Kabuto supplied, pushing his glasses up, smiling wickedly.


“A Leaf Villager, needing to see me? What is your name? I’m afraid I’m not aware of it yet.” Orochimaru’s raspy whisper reached the ears of the one kneeling on the ground.
“I am Neji Hyuga.”
“I see. Neji, why are you here? I don’t get Leaf Villagers every day,” Orochimaru asked in a caring tone.
“I…have a curse mark. And I would like it sealed. I am of the Cadet Branch of the Hyuga clan, and therefore bound by fate to serve the main branch. I want to make choices of my own accord,” Neji replied.
“I’d be glad to help you. But…you’ll have to tell me what’s in it for me?”
“In return, I will swear my allegiance to you,” Neji offered.
Orochimaru smiled, hit lips curling into an expression of ecstasy.
“You possess the Byukagan eye, correct?” Orochimaru questioned.
“Yes.”
“I’ll be happy to assist you…Kabuto, if you please.”
Kabuto struck at Neji’s neck in a surprise move, hitting the base of the brain and scrambling signals. It temporarily paralyzed Neji.
“So you won’t feel the initial pain,” Kabuto explained.
“Good. Cursed Seal of Heaven!” Orochimaru called, extending his neck.
Orochimaru’s fangs sunk into Neji’s neck. Neji’s hitai-ate fell off, exposing his Hyuga clan seal. Slowly, the seal began to disappear. In it’s place appeared three tomoe in a circular pattern.
“Good. You are free of the curse of your clan, and are now a Sound Village ninja.”
Neji responded by howling in pain. He grasped his forehead and folded to his knees, burying his head in the them.
“The pain won’t last long…but the power…THAT will last forever!” Orochimaru declared. “After all, isn’t that what you’re after?”



“Is he to be a host Orochimaru?” Kabuto asked. Every medical instinct he had wanted to go help Neji, but doing so would interfere with the process.
“Possibly…his body is acceptable…and his eyes…THEY are the most fascinating…To possess a power compared to that of the Sharingan…hardly something to pass up,” Orochimaru said with a cruel chuckle.
Kabuto didn’t respond. He looked over his shoulder at the boy again. The pain would be reaching it’s climax soon. It would end quickly after that.

“So he’s gone missing?”
“Is it true?”
“Quite the Coup for Orochimaru, isn’t it?”


Ekyt had gotten an urgent message. He was to be accompanied to the proposal meeting by Lee, Tenten, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto. The six walked there, Sasuke and Ekyt silent. Ekyt had pulled on his trench coat for the biting cold night, making him look more grave than usual. Sakura and Tenten were debating what the problem was, while Naruto and Lee were listening intently.


Ekyt went in first, to see the council looking at him gravely.
“What’s happened?” he asked immediately. Something’s wrong…

Lord Hokage stood up. “Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, thank you for escorting Ekyt, Lee, and Tenten. I need to speak with them. You are welcome to stay. I think you will want to know…just what’s happened…”
Once the three were seated, Hokage continued.
“Earlier today, one of our number left the village. Tenten and Lee…I’m afraid it was Neji. He was seen…accepting Orochimaru’s cursed Seal of Heaven.”
Lee’s mouth dropped open, while Tenten put a hand over hers in shock.
“It cannot be true!” Lee said loudly, looking wildly for Guy. Guy nodded, indicating it was.
“Neji…no…” Tenten said breathlessly.
Ekyt stared coldly ahead, then bowed his head.
“Ekyt…your motion, for the Shinobi Reserves…it has been passed, 9-1.”
Ebisu didn’t look so smug now that he had been outvoted.
“Starting now…I must ask you to temporarily fill in on Guy’s Squad. Lee and Tenten…is this acceptable? He will be a member of your team, you should have say in the matter.” Lord Hokage’s glance looked over the three at the front of the packed room.
“I agree to Ekyt joining us.” Came Lee’s reply.
“I’m fine with it too…but Neji…” Tenten’s reply was less assured, but she had taken Neji’s defection personally.
“Guy has already approved it. Ekyt, you will fill in with them until a permanent replacement is found, or until a period of three weeks is up, whatever is to come first. Your mission is to find Neji…see if this happened against his will, or by his own hand…Bring him back alive, by all means necessary. If the mission is not completed in three weeks, the case will be closed. Are there any questions?”
Not a soul raised their hand or voiced a concern.
“Then you three will set out after Neji…Ekyt, you are the least personally involved. You are to be the squad leader. Send word by messenger every three days. Your summon will do fine, either one. Meeting adjourned.”
Lord Hokage handed Ekyt a note, informing him of his next mission, after the assignment to Guy’s team.
Ekyt was to offer Temari protection in the Leaf Village.


Ekyt pulled his collar up against the cold, stinging wind. He pulled on his gloves, full fingered with a metal plate on the back. Lee had donned a warmup suit with long sleeves, and Tenten had covered herself with a long pink coat. She had obviously been crying, but had dried her tears hastily. Lee looked stiff and determined.
“We need to make sure we have enough of everything for three weeks…Sound Ninja are the most likely enemy…And they’ll be expecting us. Well, the two of you, at least. Which means we take no unnecessary risks…” Ekyt ran through the list of objectives.
Lee and Tenten nodded their approval.
“Our first checkpoint is at the top of Lone Pine Mountain. Otogakure should be visible beyond it. We need to arrive by nightfall tomorrow.”
A full twenty-four hours after they left, the three had reached the summit of the forbidding mountain.
“You two go ahead and sleep…I’ll take the watch tonight,” Ekyt told them. He knew they were both exhausted mentally. Ekyt had lost his team, but the had grown to hate all of them. Lee, despite his rivalry, did not hate Neji. Tenten, who had been described as the most motherly of the kunoichi, was concerned. Ekyt guessed that there was a crush there, at least on the part of Tenten.
A sudden wind tossed Ekyt’s coat in the night’s darkness, about two hours into his guard shift. Two kunai stuck to the tree behind him. His two sleeping comrades were camouflaged by Ekyt’s False Surroundings Technique. He didn’t want to reveal their position just yet.
“Only one? After the top graduate two years ago? The Leaf Village’s ranks must be thinning…”
Ekyt heard which direction the voice came from, but made no move. The sound ninja could have easily manipulated the direction in which their voices had come.


Ganai and Kujo exchanged glances.
“Is he gonna move sometime soon?” Ganai questioned, sharpening her nails with a file she held between her teeth.
Her dark-haired companion, Kujo, shook his head. “He wants us to make the first move. I’m not going to wait much longer…”


Ekyt figured out where the voices were coming from. His clone had done the trick. From up in the Lone Pine Tree, Ekyt used a silent summoning jutsu. His Bearded Dragon would do fine to wake up Lee and Tenten.

Time for an ambush of their own…


Neji woke up, immediately feeling testing his aching joints.
“What has happened? I-I can think. I can move…there must not be any serious damage. My mind feels so clear…I can’t feel my curse guiding my decisions…not the same curse. I feel powerful…it feels so good…so good…The Sound Village…already you have done more fore me than the Leaf Village…only one thing left to do…”

Neji scratched a line through his Leaf Hitai-Ate. He tied the Sound Village Hitai-ate around his head.

He was home.

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