Chapter 12

-Dire

The Uchiha stands up from the park bench, setting his mind on a different location. He casually walks his way through a more prosperous area, far away from the front gates and close to the Hokage mansion and stone face mountain. A certain clan has gained its status here through many years of dedication to the village, whether it be serving in wars or conducting missions under the Leaf's name. Finally he comes to the large sized gates, surrounding the massive Hyuga compound. Guards stand around at various entrances, strong and stoic, determined not to let anyone in without permission. Shizake lazily gazes at them, observing their pupil-less eyes. The fact that years and years of possessing the Kekkei Genkai caused the clan's eyes to go without pupils perplexes the Uchiha. Maybe even the first person with the Byakugan didn't have pupils, he thinks to himself. Shizake shakes the thought, deciding to see what Nitatchi is up to instead.

The guards to the compound stop Shizake in his approach, asking him what his business is here.

"I've been here dozens of times and you still stop me every time," Shizake says, annoyed.

"I'm sorry, this is our duty. I will ask if you're allowed to be seen," The guard replies, walking away to another part of the compound.

The other guard keeps an eye on Shizake, mainly for security purposes. Shizake sighs, can't blame them I suppose. Several minutes go by before the guard returns with the okay to let the Uchiha in. Shizake walks through the zen like garden of the Hyuga compound, admiring its peace and tranquility. One of the ideals of the Hyuga is to train in an area that promotes balance and clarity and this is such the place for it. The front area of the compound houses the side branch of the family, the main branch getting the more secure position in the back. It's always been the side branch's duty to protect the main branch from any harm. That ideal is strengthened by the fact that the main branch employs a curse seal on the side branch to keep them in line.

It's a cruel strategy, one I've always resented. Most of the time the curse seal doesn't have to be used since the side branch holds the same beliefs and such. Still, it doesn't give them a right to abuse that curse mark. Shizake finally comes to the home of his friend, Nitatchi. The Uchiha raps on the door twice, crossing his arms as he waits patiently for someone to answer.

A young pale looking woman with magnificent flowing brown hair answers the door. She has two strands tied together by large ties, the rest of it hanging elegantly down her back. She smiles warmly, happy to see the visitor at her door.

"Shizake! My, my, it's been a while since you've visited. Please, come in," The woman says, placing her hand on Shizake's shoulder to lead him inside.

"Thank you, it sure is nice to see you again," The Uchiha happily replies, stepping inside.

The black haired boy steps inside the home of Hanari and Hiroshi Hyuga. He smells something amazing wafting in from the kitchen area, bringing back nostalgic memories of all the meals eaten here. In the living room sits a man and a young boy, talking to one another. The man looks back, smiling brightly when he sees whom it is.

"Shizake! That's a face I haven't seen in a while!" The man gruffly says.

He stands up and places a broad hand on Shizake's shoulder, grinning widely. The Uchiha warmly grins back, glad to be in a familiar place. After the massacre, Nitatchi's family basically took him in. They gave him a place to sleep, to train, to eat, and to live when he wasn't staying with Sasuke. As the ninja academy days came closer and closer, Shizake didn't visit as much seeing as he was ready to focus on his new goal – that was, finding Itachi. Nonetheless, they treated Shizake as family and that is how he sees them.

"I feel like I haven't been here in ages," Shizake says, taking a seat on a mat.

The man runs his fingers through his short hair that spikes up to the left, "And rightly so, I hear you and Nitatchi have been busy with ANBU business," He whispers.

"Father, I told you not to mention that," Nitatchi cuts in.

"Do not fret, boy. I have connections in the ANBU. I can talk about them all I want. Besides – your secret is safe with me."

"Heh – whatever you say, father."

"I understand you have a session to attend, Nitatchi?"

"Yes," He answers, looking up at Shizake, "I've been tasked with training the younger class of the Hyuga of the main branch. Today is the first lesson."

"I see, mind if I tag along?"

"Hah! If you're that bored then sure, no harm done," Nitatchi answers with a chuckle.

"That's not a bad idea, you can show Shizake how strong you've gotten," Hiroshi teasingly jokes.

"Haha, father, we go on missions together. I'm sure he's aware of my strengths," Nitatchi answers.

"Just yanking your chain, boy. Now, get along," Hiroshi says, shooing them off.

The two bow to Hiroshi before exiting the house, heading further back into the compound where the main branch is. Both of them observe everyone going about their business. Some Hyuga meditate while others train in hand to hand combat. The dojo is where basic training occurs and to allow observers to visually check their training process. This is exactly the location where Nitatchi has been tasked with training.

Before they enter the dojo, the two of them take off their ninja sandals, placing them in the designated area next to the entrance. Nitatchi slides the door open, stepping inside with Shizake in tow behind him. The dojo consists of elegant wooden floorboards made of rich mahogany. What light there is outside penetrates the thin rice paper made windows, giving the room a dark but dimly lit look. Precisely six young Hyuga children are centered in the middle of the room, sitting next to one another in a perfect line with their legs tucked under them. Around the room, parents, elders, and other Hyuga officials sit just as their children sit, focused on the two ninja that have just entered the room. Nitatchi and Shizake both bow to everyone on the edges of the room before Nitatchi himself walks to the middle of the room and stands before the children. The Uchiha finds a spot to sit where he keeps to himself. Many of the onlookers stare at him suspiciously, only a few familiar faces giving him warm welcoming smiles. Years of coming here have allowed him to become acquainted with many of the other families but for others, interaction is extremely scarce.

"Good morning class," Nitatchi says warmly, "Shall we begin todays lesson?"

The six Hyuga youth rise to their feet, bowing to their teacher.

"Yes sensei!" They all reply in unison.

Nitatchi nods to the class, settling himself into a resting fighting stance to begin warm ups.

"Let us begin."

*

Rigorous hours of training go by in a blur, at least, for Shizake. He watches as his friend leads them through training exercises, hand control, and important combat techniques in regard to the gentle fist way of fighting. With enough time having passed, Nitatchi decides to end things there for the day. The children bow to him before approaching their family, some receiving praise while others receive constructive criticism. Shizake continues to curiously gaze around the room, watching everything wrap up for the day.

A rather noble-esque Hyuga with large lifeless irises approaches Nitatchi. He wears an elegant white silk robe, his gracious long hair flowing down his back tied into a neat ponytail at the end. The son of the man looks roughed up from today's training, tagging alongside his father as they approach the teacher.

"Hm. You do not train them hard enough..." He says in a harsh, quiet but booming voice.

Nitatchi frowns, bowing to the man, "I apologize if the training was not up to your standards. I only did what I thought they needed to learn, Lord Hikoge.

"The boy here needs vigorous training, like the kind we received as children!" The man known as Hikoge continues to lecture, "Like this..."

Hikoge forms the confrontation seal with his right hand, bringing it up in front of him. A pulse radiates out from Nitatchi's forehead, the Hyuga dropping to his knees instantly.

"AUGHH!" Nitatchi screams, writhing in pain on the ground while clutching his head.

Shizake's eyes go wide, his blood heating up to the point of a raging boil. This is turn causes his Sharingan to activate due to the pure intensity of his emotions. He charges over to the three of them, coming to a sliding halt in front of Hikoge.

The Uchiha glares up at him with crimson and black eyes, his fist clenched so hard it's trembling. Hikoge jumps back, surprised at first before recognizing whom it is and forming a smirk with his lips.

"Just what the hell is this...?" Shizake says, a glower plastered across his face.

"Hm. None of your business, wretched Uchiha. You're not welcome here with those pathetic eyes," Hikoge replies arrogantly.

"Sh-Shizake... stay out of this," Nitatchi warns, fighting through the pain of the curse seal to talk.

The commotion causes several stragglers to hang back even longer, walking over to see what all the fuss is about. Some are surprised to see Shizake standing up to Hikoge in such a disrespectful manner, while others observe out of pure curiosity, indifferent to the actors at hand.

"No... not any longer. For too long I've seen your clan abuse this technique. It has its uses perhaps, but not like this," Shizake continues.

"What would you know about any of this, Uchiha? Perhaps if your clan had implemented this type of thing, your own kind wouldn't have caused the nine-tails to attack the village!" Hikoge responds accusatorily.

With his blood pressure continually rising, the Sharingan begins to spin around violently, almost as if it was threatening to throw the man into a terrible genjutsu by itself.

"Get those cursed eyes out of this respectable establishment! Or are you going to control me and make me attack my own people...?"

Shizake begins to draw his fist back when he feels a tug on the bottom of his shirt. He turns around to see Nitatchi practically climbing his way back up on his feet, using Shizake's shoulder as support.

"I said...grgh...stay out of it, Shizake." Nitatchi calmly states, the veins around his forehead pulsating continuously.

The Sharingan seemingly fades away from his eyes, returning back to the normal soft coal ones. Shizake's shoulders relax as well, his blood pressure returning to normal. The Uchiha turns his head to angrily, glaring at Hikoge before storming out of the dojo and away from the crowd. As he steps out into the cool air, he calms down even more, hanging his head, upset at the things said and done in there.

"Shouldn't have tagged along..." He says out loud himself, " I remember why I stopped coming here."

Soon enough someone else slides open the door, stepping out next to Shizake.

"You only made things worse in there, " Nitatchi says a bit angrily, "His treatment will only get worse because of that."

"I am sorry... I was only trying to help."

The young Hyuga lets out a sigh, "I can't blame you...after all, what are friends for? Do not worry...I'll be free of these chains someday," Nitatchi says, looking up at the sky with a smile, "I think you should leave, you really upset a few people in there, and made me look bad as well."

"I understand. See ya," Shizake answers, putting on his ninja sandals and leaping away from rooftop to rooftop.

One day I am going to break all of those chains so that nobody else in the side branch will suffer.

*

In the middle of a dense forest, a man with long spiky white hair sits on the front porch of a hut. The hut is small, built into the middle of a forest clearing with trees surrounding every side of the hut. The man continues to scribble in his book, looking up every once in a while to see the young blonde before him continue his training. He warmly smiles, looking back down while continuing to write more things.

"So, Naruto. Are you ready to go back soon?" The man asks.

"You know it, Jiraiya-sensei! I can't wait to show everyone how strong I've gotten! The boy replies enthusiastically.

"That's the spirit. We'll head back in a month or so once spring rolls around. In the mean time we'll continue your training."

"Right! Then I can look for Sasuke."

The man chuckles, writing something in his book, "You're still dead set on that, huh?"

"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be? He just needs a friend to come save him, that's all."

Jiraiya writes something more in his book before clapping it shut and standing up. He sets the ink brush and novel aside, approaching Naruto with a serious demeanor on his face.

"Now, I don't have to warn you about the dangers of pursuing Sasuke, do I?"

Naruto stops mid punch that he was about to throw at a dummy, looking at Jiraiya confusedly, "What do you mean?"

"Well, just as you've been getting stronger, I'm sure Sasuke has been too. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a few new tricks up his sleeve. After all, Orochimaru is training him."

"Rgh... then I just need to get stronger so I can knock some sense in to him!" Naruto yells, slamming the dummy with his fist.

His spirit never changes, always going forth optimistically. I just hope the boy doesn't go and get himself killed.

Naruto continues to stare angrily at the training dummy, imagining it as Sasuke instead. He makes the sign for the shadow clone jutsu, a replica appearing next to him in a poof of smoke. The clone goes to work mending the chakra in his hand before it bursts into a swirling ball of chakra. Naruto lunges forward, smashing the jutsu directly into the training dummy's chest. The wood on the dummy begins to indent, the rasengan shredding away at it. Soon enough the dummy is shot like a bullet into the forest, disappearing out of sight and mind. Naruto huffs angrily, glaring into the spot where the training dummy was sent.

"That's enough for today, Naruto. We'll continue tomorrow," Jiraiya says, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and leading him inside the hut.

Once inside, Jiraiya heads to the kitchen to begin cooking up their dinner. He stirs the contents of the pot slowly, letting the boil calm down to a simmer. He then turns his head, looking at Naruto who is sitting at the table.

"Let me ask you something, Naruto," Jiraiya states.

"What is it, Pervy Sage?" Naruto asks with the tilt of his head.

"What...if you weren't able to bring Sasuke back?"

Naruto clenches his fist, the answer already in his mind, "That would never happen! I'll keep trying and trying until the day that idiot returns to the village!"

Jiraiya nods his head, accepting the answer even though Naruto didn't really answer the question.

That determination will get him far in life. I can't see that boy losing any battle that comes his way. He really is the hope for our future, I'm sure of it.