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Neji's POV (Hyuga Councilroom - Hidden Leaf Village)
Morning
His world was still spinning as the electric pain that was the Cursed Seal faded. He had nearly passed out, and nausea almost caused him to vomit as he slowly raised his body to all fours. Neji cursed himself for showing weakness during the punishment. But it took everything he had to hold onto consciousness while the curse mark was active. Neji could not even tell if he had fainted this time. Doubtless, the cowardly Main House men had discussed more vile plans for Hinata and some sort of punishment for himself all the while.
But when Neji lifted his head, the room before him had dramatically changed during his episode. The left wall had a massive hole in it, clearly having been run through. Debris from the table and wall was scattered around the room. But most shocking of all was who arrived and what they had done.
Above him stood an irate Kakashi, one hand wrapped around the throat of Hirat and lifting him off the ground with ease, lightly choking the man who kicked pathetically in his grip. The other was wrapped around the wrist of Hiashi, who met Kakashi's fearsome glare with his own.
On the other side of the table where Hiritachi had activated his seal, Eagle now stood. He had brutally slammed Hitachi through the table headfirst, bowing it from the force.
"Hiashi!" Roared a Main House Member who stood in an offensive stance facing Eagle. "Who are these men who not only dare to interrupt but attack us!" As he finished, several more people surrounded both Kakashi and Eagle.
"Kakashi Hatake, I allowed you to interrupt our dealings once. To do so twice marks you as an enemy of the Hyuga." Hiashi spoke with forced calm, his face turning red despite the effort. "I understand he is on your team. But know your place. And you…" Hiashi whispered venom toward Neji's newest mentor.
"Indeed I," Eagle spoke with the most emotion Neji had ever heard from the man. "Believe me when I say I did not wish to return myself. However I am attached to Neji, I will not allow this."
"There is no need for you to be here in the first place. I should strike you dead for being here yet alone attacking an elder. You should be aware of the graveness of such an act." Hiashi said as he ripped his hand from Kakashi and turned to Eagle.
"Of course, I am a former member of this prestigious clan, Hiashi," Eagle replied with a mocking tone uncharacteristic of what Neji knew of the stoic and somber Anbu. "Sorry, my first strike is always a finishing one; the Anbu teaches to always strike with intention, though they teach to aim to kill; I am merely incapacitated today. Something I can easily remedy if you like…" Eagle finished seemingly drawing a tanto and pointing it at the unconscious Hiritachi.
"Now, Eagle, we didn't come here for violence. Merely came to check on our favorite genius." Kakashi chided Eagle with a childlike tone. "That being said, I am a bit confused. Who told you you can strike my student." Neji flinched as the total weight of Kakashi's and Eagle's killing intent filled the room. Even Hiashi seemed somewhat unsettled.
"He is a member of the Hyuga Clan, a member of the Side Branch at that." Hiashi countered with the fiercest scowl Neji had ever seen the man wear.
"What we do with or to him is our business. If you must know, he stepped out of bounds and was just being reminded of them."
"Reminded with cowardly assault?" Kakashi asked with surprise; Hirat choked audibly as he tightened his grip. "I thought such would be beneath the Hyuga. Well, as his teacher, I apologize on his behalf. However, I cannot allow this to continue; I will not allow it to happen again in fact."
"We are within our legal right, and neither you nor anyone else has the right to interfere with matters regarding the Clan." Hiashi countered. "I demand you both vacate these grounds at once."
"We shall be with Neji in tow." Eagle snarked.
"Enough of this; I shall punish him regardless!" Hirumi called; however, before he could make a seal, Eagle appeared before him, his tanto now pointed at his throat.
"If you so much as channel chakra, I will behead you," Eagle promised, his mask making the man demanding to read, but the killing intent drifting off him assured them all his feelings.
"Seems we're at a standstill." Kakashi joked to the tense group. "We can't go too far without you hurting Neji, and you can't hurt Neji and survive."
"You truly believe the two of you could withstand the full might of Hyuga?" Hiashi asked with a raised brow.
"Wanna test it out?" Kakashi offered with his patented eye smile.
Neji held his breath as silence filled the room. Kakashi and Eagle were angry but controlled, seemingly not bothered by being outnumbered in enemy territory. The Hyuga, for their part, seemed hesitant, more than likely realizing they were outclassed. Though Neji was unsure how Hiashi would fare, he was certain this would be quite the battle. He rose to his feet unsteadily, noticing Hiashi's attention shift to him.
"Neji," Hiashi said simply. "You have displayed an open resentment towards the Main Branch House and the Hyuga for your entire life. Due to your diligent service, I have allowed such due to a request from your father, but now I find you forgetting yourself. I cannot punish you without risking the elders, so instead, I will ask you one time. Neji Hyuga, will you accept your role and serve with honor? That would include your latest orders…"
Neji felt a smidge of hesitation within him. While he thought he genuinely hated his Clan, he had always been loyal to them. Even at his lowest, such had been second nature to him. A Hyuga was loyal, refined, and disciplined. A Hyuga who refused orders, especially a Branch Member, was barely a Hyuga. And that was one of the few treasured things Neji had. His eyes drifted to Kakashi, but he could not see the man's face, only his back, as he held up Hirat and stood between Neji and the other Hyuga.
Thinking wildly, his eyes then landed on Eagle. The man slowly lifted his black mask, exposing his face. His brown hair was tied into a man bun, and his face was covered in tiny scars, but one massive one from the top right of his forehead cut diagonally across all the way to the bottom left side of his jaw. Worse yet, this cut had been quite the wound indeed, for it cut straight through where his eye had once lay, now just an empty socket. Neji was stunned by the sight, realizing he was the infamous member who had managed to lose one. Where the eye had been and the scar was a curse seal branded on the top. Neji felt rage at the sight, even more when he remembered what they intended to do to Hinata and himself.
"I will not follow those orders. I cannot afford to stop my career here. I have ambitions for the Hyuga that are more important than your mere orders. Besides that I will only accept Hinata as the future Clan Head of the Hyuga." Neji snapped at Hiashi, now filled with confidence. "I intend to ensure Hinata Hyuga one day becomes the leader of this recently disgraced Clan… and aid her in redeeming it." Neji declared. The Elders and Main House members gasped in shock, but Hiashi barely reacted at all.
"Then live with your decision." Hiashi snapped it, hatred now in his voice. "From this moment on, I banish Neji Hyuga from the land and happenings of the Hyuga Clan. You are no longer considered a member nor to be involved with our dealings. You are to take whatever meager possessions you own and leave immediately. We have no need for a Branch Member who thinks themselves important."
Neji felt his spirit drop at his words. Utter shock robbed him of his confidence, and he silently stepped back. Kakashi sighed, dropped the now unconscious Hirat, and turned back to Neji; as he did, Eagle appeared at their side. Neji barely had time to think it over before all three disappeared with a multi-person body flicker.