Neji's POV (Hyuga Manor - Hidden Leaf Village)
Neji's plan to make up with and influence Hinata was doubtlessly working to some degree. In the months he had to train her, she had grown considerably. Her Gentle Palm taijutsu allowed her to now even trade blows with him. Briefly, but considering his considerable strength, it was expected. What hadn't been expected was for Hinata to grow in other ways. She had created some techniques to bridge the gap, as it were. Her confidence had grown as well. She had stuttered less and now even fought earnestly against her sister.
Neji flinched as Hinata launched Hanabi across the room with a palm strike. Much more earnestly, he supposed. It appeared even the ever-gentle Hinata could hold a grudge. And years of the younger woman mocking and beating her had done it. To her credit, the fifteen-year-old girl raced to her feet. She looked awfully like Hinata. Though with longer hair and fiercer eyes was enough to tell the two apart. Unlike Hinata, she wore the garb of the main house, making her appear somewhat above the older woman. Yet despite her normal snide and arrogant behavior, she could do little more than a desperate retreat from the new and improved Hinata. Each strike was slapped back. Punished with a finger jab here and there.
It was surprising how far Hinata had gone with support. Trying certainly, he was simply used to conducting himself harshly. Often leading to him snapping toward her. Hinata was ever forgiving but seemed doubtful of the arrangement. But upon earning the woman's trust, she had sprouted. Still over-polite and meek. But now powerful in her own right. Hanabi seemed to lose balance for a second before Hinata swept her legs from beneath her. Hanabi cried out in pain and held her leg. Neji raised an eyebrow at this. The chances she had been hurt from that kick seemed low. Before he could ponder this more, Hinata ran to her sister, worriedly checking on her. Even in her anger, she wished no ill will on her sister. Before she could even ask if she was okay, Hanabi, like a snake, struck forward with all her weight and a palm thrust. Hinata's head snapped back as blood flew from her nose. Leaving her open to a crushing kick to the ribs, sending her flying back. Neji dashed in between the two before Hanabi could capitalize.
"What is the meaning of this? You may be my sensei, but your still-"
"Lady Hanabi, it was a taijutsu sparring match. Feigning an injury should be saved for serious fights or full spars." Neji interrupted simply.
Hanabi looked, thinking of a response, before growling and heading for the door. As she did, it opened, and a large Hyuga walked in. She backed up, allowing him entry, and immediately stood beside him with a smile. The man stood easily seven feet tall, garbed in the Main House robe. He had no eyebrows and a buzz cut. He was sneering cruelly, and Neji knew there would be an issue.
"In case you don't know, servant, my name is Hirat Hyuga. Unlike yours, my blood is pure, Main House. Which is why I am confused? Side Branch is beneath us, yet they are talking back to the heir." The man's excitement seemed to drip from his voice. "Guess I'll have to show you what happens when you don't play your role!"
Hinata gasped and called. "P-Please don't hurt him!"
Neji, being experienced, quickly removed his headband and put it in his mouth. It would ensure he wouldn't bite off his tongue during the event. The man roared angrily as he formed the hand sign. Neji didn't remember falling or screaming; it was merely the feeling of his every fiber being lit a flame. His vision started to black out as he howled, his voice hoarse. Somehow, in the chaos, he could hear the screams of Hinata begging the man to stop and the laughter of Hinabi. It soon turned into Hinata attempting to rush the large man but was blindsided by a chakra strike from Hanabi to her legs.
"Sorry, sister, but this is happening!" Hanabi said with a cruel smirk.
"Naruto Spear!" His friend voice suddenly boomed cutting through the chaos.
A blur of Naruto flew by, a flight path not unlike a spear. Both of his fists smashed into Hirat's face. Naruto roared angrily as he poofed away, revealing a clone that had hit the man. Hirat flew back and into the wooden wall with an audible crunch. Caving it in slightly as he slid down it. The man angrily crawled to his feet as two shinobi walked into the room. His face was now covered in blood from a gash on his head.
"Who the hell are you to hurt my friend?" Naruto yelled furiously as he sneered at the man.
"Hirat! Now die, peasant!" Hirat called as he charged forward. Neji, still grounded, flinched as he witnessed Naruto effortlessly slam a knee into the older man's face. Ino seemingly decided to back the blonde up. Following up with a power roundhouse to the large man's face. The man flew back, and Hanabi charged forward towards Ino. The two briefly traded attacks before Ino threw the more petite women into the broken wall. Roars sounded as two more main house members flew in, hearing the commotion. Met quickly by a squad of Shadow Clones. Naruto roared angrily as Hirat snuck in a jab to his ribs. Naruto had lowered his guard while summoning clones. The blonde ate the blow however, smashing him back with a hard elbow. The two engage in a flurry of counters and dodges. Ino dodges a flurry of palm thrusts from Hanabi before she aims a finger at Hinabi. This somehow makes the young girl stumble low to the ground, allowing a knee to smash into her face. She flew back from the blow. Ino's original jutsu was scary with its speed and lack of hand signs. It was liable to catch most off guard. Neji shook his head as the shock faded. He needed to break this up! Neji crawled to his feet, testing his muscles. The two main Housers just about dived into the fray. Having finally bested the clones summoned. Before the brawl could truly kick off, Neji appeared in the center of the room, spinning silently.
"Kaiten." The technique had grown twice as large after his training. Filling the room and separating the combatants painfully. They all rose and glared at each other. "Enough to behave yourselves like adults." He chided.
"Bold of you to chide those you serve." A voice cut through the noise. Hiashi Hyuga, the leader of the Hyuga, walked in calmly. "Do you perhaps need a lesson?" He walked into the room. He and Neji could've been twins. Yet his father had died for this man.
"Now, that would be bold of you, best friend." Kakashi is somehow interjected behind the clan head, with an arm around Hiashi. "After all, I'm known to kill people who hurt my cute little Genin."
"Cute isn't the word I would use for these brutes." Hiashi countered, spinning to face the man. The room grew silent as the two influential men faced off.
"Interesting, when your men attempted to gang up on Genin, suggest you Hyuga are the brutes. Though the fact that my cute little Genin gave them a run for their money suggests you aren't very good brutes." Kakashi countered with a false friendly tone.
"It seems to me that our Neji overstepped. I can appreciate you all not understanding the relationship. But Neji belongs to the Hyuga to serve our whims. For him to disrespect my daughter is shameful." Hiashi said calmly as he stepped closer to Kakashi. The two met mere inches away from each other. Their subordinates were silent as they faced off. At some unseen sign, the two started to release an intense killer intent. Making the room of shinobi flinch at the powerful aura of the two Jounin.
"One mistake there, Hiashi-san. He is, above all, a soldier of the Leaf. Which the Hyuga are in service of. All to say, that we have the final say. I am his higher-up, and we are equal in rank. I need him for a meeting; if you have a complaint, you can file it." Kakashi said simply as he gently shoved Neji towards Naruto and Ino.
"Ya screw you, bastards! If I catch you doing that again, I'll kick your ass!" Naruto roared.
"Ya, who the hell do you think you are?" Ino added defiantly.
"Tell your Genin to hold their tongue, Kakashi," Hiashi stated, and his Byakugan was activated with a scowl. Kakashi exposed his Sharingan.
"I told you how this is going. You have no legal right to deny it. You know full well you want this over with. You can't afford the attention. Too fearful of the barbaric seal you use being outlawed once someone looks closely at the cruelty. The last thing you need is someone with my sway as an enemy. You'll live to regret it if you do." Kakashi said as if offering the man candy.
"You truly intend to make an enemy of the Hyuga?"
"If I gotta!" Kakashi said happily. Hiashi glared for a second longer before holding up his hand and signaling his men to fall back for now. They all fell in line behind him. Hanabi stood at his side, seemingly ready for more combat.
"Take him and remove yourselves from this premises. I will warn you once you stay out of Hyuga affairs." Hiashi silently warned.
"You wretched shinobi were fortunate to escape Hiashi-san's wrath—" Hirat didn't finish as Hiashi casually shoved his hand towards him, somehow sending him through the wall.
"I will remember this Kakashi Hatake." He vowed as he and his men left. Leaving the unconscious body of Hirat behind. Kakashi waited until he was sure they were in the clear.
"Let's go have our meeting, shall we?" he asked merrily. The three sighed. Kakashi had proven himself to be quite the sensei, but he was still an oddball.
Yahiko's POV (Akatsuki Headquarters - Hidden Rain Village)
In a large, dark, and eerie cave stood three people calmly. Each is garbed in the cloaks of the fearsome Akatsuki. The one in the middle was the tallest of the three; he had short, spiky, orange hair. Brown eyes that seemed to gaze confidently into the void. To his left stood a nervous-looking man with shoulder-length red hair. A large bang covered half his face. He had purple eyes with rings throughout that seemed to almost glow. And to the man's right stood a woman with purple hair reaching to her shoulders, a purple paper flow pinned in it. She had serious orange eyes that scanned the area studiously. The three were the leaders of the Akatsuki. Yahiko, the Kage of the Village Hidden in the Rain. Known for his fiery passion, he overthrew Hanzo. Defeating him in one-on-one combat. Konan is an advisor to Yahiko and often the voice of reason for the group. Finally came Nagato, the right-hand man of Yahiko and the rumored muscle of three. Using his powerful Rinnegan, he seemed unbeatable. Together, they had brought the Rain out of the wartorn state they had been in. But now Yahiko had been preparing a plan. A plan with global consequences.
"Hmm, Konan, when will the others be calling in?" Yahiko asked patiently.
"It'll be soon. I will warn you before they arrive." She replied.
"I still don't understand why we brought them on. Most of them are despicable people." Nagato said worriedly.
"There is no doubt about that, but it isn't something I'd worry about. I have a plan to change everything," Yahiko declares happily.
"You intend us to do something about the world as a whole? Is this about the peace Jiraiya had taught us about?" Konan asked.
"A bit, but peace requires sacrifice. Jiraiya intends to achieve peace simply through good intentions. We shall achieve it by paying the necessary cost. But first, we require power." Yahiko retorted.
"I'm assuming this is why you had my order, Juzo, and Kisame, on that mission? It is risky to potentially make an enemy of the Leaf. We know better than most just how murderous they can be." Nagato said with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course, we warned them to not take any significant risk. Even if the Leaf classifies us as marked men, they have no clue about our location in Ame. Besides, it may prove necessary for what I have in mind." Yahiko explained.
"They will be arriving soon, Yahiko. It is time to leave unless you intend to expose yourself as the leader?" Konan asked.
"No, as a Kage, there can be no trail leading to The Village Hidden in the Rain and the Akatsuki. Have them garner funds, at least for now. Our next move will come soon. First, I need to prepare some things." Yahiko stated as his body flickered away.
"Remember Nagato, you can't afford to show your vulnerable side. You are arguably the strongest shinobi in the world. Act above it all; these types only respect power." Konan offered. As she finished, various forms beamed in. All prepared to listen to the man who had defeated them all before.