Journey of the Three Failures

Chapter 4: The Tracker Team

Journey of the Three Failures

Four: The Tracker Team

Part One: Hinata and Neji

Lee リー

It happened in a flash; Neji blurred with movement, and then he and Hinata were gone. The sound of someone crashing through branches reached our ears.

"Hinata!" Naruto cried, starting after them. I gasped, sensing the presence of others.

"Naruto, hold on!" I grabbed his shoulder to stop him just as two more ninja flickered to the scene, barring our path. The onyx-eyed avenger and the weapons mistress both wore hitai-ate bearing the same new symbol as Neji's.

Tenten's brown eyes lit up with relief as she met my gaze, only to be soon replaced by anger. Uchiha Sasuke's own expression was unreadable as he glared daggers at a shocked Naruto.

"You..." Sasuke whispered. "You really are..." There was something unsettling within his voice as he trailed off, and that look in his eye... It is almost like he is looking at a ghost...

The tension in the air pressed down on us as the two boys formerly of cell seven stared each other down. Finally Naruto broke the silence.

"Er... Hi...?" he tried cautiously.

Sasuke's face became hostile with rage, the only warning before his fist met Naruto's jaw. "Dobe!" he roared, "Sakura and I thought you were dead! How do you think that felt?!"

Naruto stumbled away shakily. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he cried in a panic as Sasuke lunged forward. As I made a move to help, I heard my own former teammate draw a kunai. I turned to her, frowning.

"Just what is going on?"

"Sorry, Lee. I ... I really can't express how ... happy I am to know you're okay. But..." She blinked away tears that were beginning to form, and her face became serious. "We're bringing you back home, and we'll do it by force if we have to."

"You claim you are bringing us back home? What home – New Otogakure no Sato?!"

"You don't understand," she said quietly. "We're capturing you – before someone else does!"

She launched three shuriken with precision. I dodged them and charged.

Neji ネジ

My cousin's body crashed into several branches before she landed in a clearing. At first I frowned with displeasure as she laid face down and unmoving – surely that strike hadn't killed her? – but she promptly moaned and began to stir. I approached her at a walk as she began to get to her knees.

I stomped on her hand, and she flinched, lowering her head with a tiny whimper. I felt a small trickle of pleasure well inside me – but I would need more before I was content.

Much more.

"Get up, you sorry excuse for a Hyuuga," I spat, stepping away. Hinata looked up at me, trembling like a frightened rabbit as her wide eyes took in the markings of the Blood Seal. Her face and clothes were scratched up from pine needles, and she bled from a scrape on her arm.

"Neji-nii-san, wh-what's happened t-to you?"

"This is the awesome power Godaime-sama has granted me..."

"Fifth?" she whispered to herself as she stood.

"Of course, I hardly need this power to defeat or arrest you ... but, rather unfortunately for you, I have something else in mind." With a small smile, I rushed her.

She gasped, activating her Byakugan as she struck out with a palm. I dodged with ease and clamped a firm hand onto her neck. Her teeth clenched, eyes wide and terrified.