Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Geniuses ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: We own the FY artbook, but I think that's rather irrelevent....



When Neji finally returned to the Hyuuga estate, he kept Hinata's questions of where he had been at bay with one well aimed glare that left her shaken. He would never admit to anyone where he had been and why. To the family it was because he was still exercising his power of denying the main family things; like information. To everyone else, the reason was only because he didn't share things or speak much in any case and they would think it strange if he did.

Feeling slightly weak after his little endeavor, he made haste to his rooms and threw himself on his bed, with dignity of course. Making those tags had been a hassle and a drain on his already low chakra. He once again cursed the bastard from sound who had practically put him on his deathbed and Sasuke who had caused everything. That damn Uchiha. It had also been during that bastard's match in the Chuuchin Exam that the attack on Konoha had occurred. Neji knew that it was more than a coincidence, even if no one else would admit it. The memory of that day was still clear in his mind.

Someone had come into the infirmary area of the stadium and told him that it was an emergency situation and that all people were being evacuated from the city for their protection. Now being himself, he didn't panic or overreact to the news. Some might say he under reacted, as he had under estimated Naruto in their match, but it served him well enough. His mind was buzzing too quickly for him to panic. His first thought went to the main family, for as much as he hated them, it was still his place and seeing as how Hiashi had just gone through a great deal to give him more faith in the main family.

Walking stealthily out of the infirmary, he activated his Byakugan and scanned around the stadium, easily locating Hiashi, who was inconspicuously carrying a passed-out Hanabi out of the stadium, all of the while waking high level shinobi that were asleep in the stadium seats. A survey of the area told him that they were onlookers to the Chuunin Exams who had probably been placed under a genjutsu that made them all fall asleep. Neji saw several Konoha Jounin fighting to protect the vulnerable people against the Sand and Sound nins, so he retreated the way he had come.

Still using his Byakugan, he scanned through the walls in search of any wounded that needed to be moved for their safety; not that he was likely to move them personally, but he was sure he could find someone who would. Luckily, all of the beds were empty, with the expectation of one in the farthest room, closest to the door on the west side of the stadium. He silently wove his way through the rooms until he was at Hinata's bed side. It seemed that she had not fully recovered from the preliminaries and must have fainted sometime during the main matches. He scoffed. It was just like Hiashi to completely ignore his first daughter.

He carefully scooped her up, mindful of her stomach, where he had attacked her. Carefully, he carried her out of the stadium and out into the main section of the city. Taking alleys and back roads, he moved without a sound through the city that had become a battle ground. Finally arriving at the Hyuuga manor, which Neji knew was far safer than the shelters could ever be, he laid Hinata on the futon in her room and then left it again, planning to go somewhere relatively safe where he could watch the battle.

He had only just settled himself into a chair in one of the upper levels of the manor when he remembered that insolent Nara girl. She was far more trouble than she was worth, actually making him feel guilty about fighting her. She was almost as annoying as Naruto, who made him feel guilty about being so cruel to Hinata. He supposed that it must have been a popular trend to make him feel guilty. Sighing, he stood up. Now that he knew, he couldn't just leave the helpless girl in her home, unable to even leave her bed, if what he had heard was true.

Neji had seen the Nara parents in the Stadium, working to fight off the Sand and Sound nins, so obviously they weren't rushing home to help their temporarily invalid daughter. He mentally scowled at himself as he wove his way back through the city. He was turning into quite the hero, with all of his saving of helpless girls. Really, couldn't these people do anything for themselves? A city full of shinobi and he was left helping those two out.

How utterly exhausting the whole experience had been, he thought, throwing himself out of his memories.

In fact, he was exhausted still because he had just done another hero-like action. Driven once again by guilt, he had made chakra tags that would give off a flare of chakra when they were approached by a person. These tags had then been delivered to the Nara household where they would be put to good use on the sides of the stairs so that unnamed blind useless girls wouldn't trip on them again and break another arm and make him feel even worse. As much as he supposed feeling guilty was a sign of being mentally healthy, he didn't like it at all.

----------------------------------------
Thanks to Ladyvirgo for reviewing and Mercury Moon for beta-ing.