Recruitment

Neji did more than inspect the perimeter, of course. By now, the sun was high in the sky, and the business day was in full effect. Even if there was nothing, he'd want to buy.

For one thing, there were plenty of guards already, and anybody who got past them would be cut down by Hashirama. So, after confirming that things were more or less secure, he took a walk. Partially to clear his head and get a feel for the village, this was all being done in.

The people here were in a hurry. There were a lot of merchants here, many of them from out of town. So many that they had pitched their stands outside of the walls and still got customers. Neji considered why this was.

With all the important people in this place, no doubt many other people wanted a look. No Clan wanted to let a meeting like this go unseen. By all accounts, the people of this village would be making a major profit. Although, altercations were possible.

As he walked, however, he saw someone he did not expect.

Lee was there, unloading boxes, a little older. Neji moved up to him in surprise. "Lee...

"Lee, is that you?"

Lee looked up without recognition as he put down a box. "I am sorry, have we met before?

"You are..."

"Neji Hyuga," said Neji. "You served under me on... operations for the Hyuga."

"Oh right, that, yes," said Lee, putting down his box. "Forgive me, Neji. Things have been very busy, and I've had little time to think about those days."

"I hope things turned out alright for you," said Neji. He was feeling guilty about him losing employment.

"Well, truth be told, I'd already decided serving the Hyuga was not for me," said Lee. "I'd gotten everything I thought I'd get out of it. I decided I'd best leave, lest my descendants have a seal on their brow as well.

"Did you escape?"

Neji removed his hand band and pointed to the brand on his forehead. He showed him the obvious. "Do I look like I've escaped?"

Lee frowned, then nodded. "Ah, yes. Well, you are alive, so... I suppose things did not go as planned."

"No, they did not," laughed Nendas despite himself. "What have you been up to?"

"Well, I've worked loading cargo of one kind or another," said Lee. "The past few years have been much more peaceful, so more merchants are on the roads. More artisans and such." He put up another box.

"And what do they think of all this?" asked Neji, seeing an opportunity to gather information.

"You mean the ninja alliance?" asked Lee doubtfully. "I don't believe they have an opinion. I suppose they are glad you are not fighting one another. But, ninja clans are often secretive and disliked. Ordinary people tend to get caught up in their skirmishes."

"I see," said Neji. Having a populace hostile to them was not a good thing. "What would fix relations, do you think?"

"Well... fewer altercations that kill civilians," said Lee, thoughtfully. "The Senju are known to avoid such things, but some of the other clans are not so picky. And fewer uses of hostages and such."

"You call this beer! ! I oughtta kill you where you stand, you wench!" said a voice.

Neji looked up to see a mousy brown-haired girl stepping out of a nearby tavern. A huge ninja with a long sword in hand towered over her.

"Hang on, I don't make or buy the beer, okay! It's not my fault if you don't like it!" said Tenten.

"That sounds like something-" began the man.

"Excuse me, are you associated with any of the clans that are having a meeting out there?" asked Neji, moving forward in irritation.

"No, what's it to you?" asked the man, sneering.

Neji moved and brushed a palm against the man's heart. The movement ruptured it and sending him convulsing on the ground. A moment later, he died. "Quite relevant." Then he turned to the girl. "...I apologize for the inconvenience."

"You killed him," said the girl.

"Yes, I thought it would be more efficient than talking to him," said Neji.

"But now I have to clean body off the street!" said the girl.

"You could probably take all his money as reparations," said Neji. "Also, do you require any assistance?"

"Yeah, I guess," said the girl, taking the money from the man's pocket. "At least this time, it didn't get blood inside the tavern."

"This sort of thing happens often?" Neji asked in surprise.

"Ninja who come here often kill eachother. See, there are the rules up there," said the girl, motioning to a sign. "No killing the staff.

"No killing each other inside the tavern.

"Violaters will be assassinated."

Neji blinked. "That seems... eccentric."

"Yeah, it seems that way until you realize that we serve ninja," said the girl. "You can't hire a bouncer to get rid of them reliably. And if they start a fight, they tend to wreck everything.

"So we have an arrangement with the Senju where they murder anybody who causes trouble."

"And Hashirama approved of this code?" asked Neji.

"Eh, most people talk to Tobirama, to be honest," said the girl. "Hashirama is more of a war leader and figurehead. It's Tobirama who sets up systems and rules.

"So, are you gonna help me get rid of this body or what?"

"Of course. Where do you need it moved?" asked Neji.

"The mass graves should be fine," said the girl. Then she picked up the guy by his legs while Neji got the arms, and they began to carry him out the gates.

"You have mass graves?" asked Neji.

"Yeah, generations old," said the girl. "There were a couple of battles before the Senju took charge. Things stabilized. Though I'm not actually from around here.

"We use them as a place we throw outsiders and enemy soldiers. Also, people who don't give decent tips."

"What?!" said Neji.

"That a joke, obviously. Geeze, this guy is heavy," said the girl.

They carried the corpse out into the woods and came to a huge pit. Within were the decaying bodies of many. From the looks of things, some had been decaying for months. Swinging the body back, they hurled it onto it. The girl then took a shovel planted with a large pile of sand and through several shovel fulls.

Soon only the outline of the corpse could be seen.

"It helps with the smell," said the girl.

"Don't you bury these?" asked Neji. Combat deaths among the Hyuga were always buried. Usually, fallen warriors were as well.

"No point, really. We'd just have to dig them up again later," said the girl. "Don't they have mass graves where you're from?"

"We generally burn the corpses of our enemies. Or hang them where the world can see, if we want to make an example," said Neji, remembering Hinata's actions against the barbarians. He wished he'd been able to fight them with her.

But her plans had gone off far too well for that to ever work.

"Hmm, that's pretty unique, I guess. What's your name?" asked the girl.

"Neji Hyuga. And you are?" he asked as they walked back.

"Tenten," said Tenten. "Just Tenten, mind you, I don't have a last name."

"Why not?" asked Neji.

"I'm a war orphan. At least I think I am," said Tenten. "Hashirama found me abandoned by the roadside. Or so someone told me."

"You know Hashirama?" asked Neji.

"Nope," said Tenten with a smile. "Hashirama is the kind of person who, when you talk to him, he seems to care about everyone and everything. But unless you're somebody important to him, he forgets you as soon as you leave the room."

"I see," said Neji. "And what do you know about the Village Hidden in the Leaves? What do ordinary people think of it?"

"Well, there have been some rumors about something like that, I guess," said Tenten. "Most people are afraid."

"Afraid?" asked Neji, surprised.

"Yeah," said Tenten. "A lot of ninja taking over can mean several things, and none of them are good. It could mean the ninja uniting into much bigger armies to fight eachother. Or it could mean the ninja all unite and take over.

"Neither are good for us. We'd rather they weren't in charge or at war."

"Then what do you want?" asked Neji.

Tenten thought about that. "Well... most people seem to be hoping that the whole thing breaks up. Although some merchants seem to think it's a potential market. A bloodletting does wonders for coopers and smiths.

"Although if the bloodshed gets too bad, they stop buying coffins. It's a balance thing."

Neji nodded. "Thank you, this has been valuable information."

They got to the gates, and Neji moved to walk ahead.

"Wait, where are you going?" asked Tenten.

"To report my findings to Lady Hinata," said Neji. "One of my purposes is gathering information on her behalf. I provide her with necessary information."

"Wait, so you're just going?" asked Tenten.

"Well, yes," said Neji, surprised she was asking.

"Well don't you want a drink or something?" asked Tenten. "I mean, my shift was basically over anyway."

Neji wondered what she was getting at. "...I suppose so."

And that was how he ended up sitting down across the table from Tenten, drinking from a tankard. Tenten looked at him curiously. "So um, you're a Hyuga, right?"

"What gave it away?" asked Neji, wondering if Lady Hinata's name had not been a dead giveaway.

"Well, you don't have any pupils. And you don't seem to be blind," said Tenten.

"That is rational," said Neji, taking a sip and choking. "This drink is uh... very strong."

"Yeah, I wouldn't have too much of it," said Tenten, sipping from her own. "So, what's it like being part of the Hyuga Clan?"

"I don't feel at leave to talk about that," said Neji.

"That bad, huh?" said Tenten. "Well, anyway, I always wanted to be a ninja myself, once."

"Why?" asked Neji.

"Well, you'd have cool powers and stuff. What's not to like?" asked Tenten. "But, it's not like there's some sort of school for ninja. You have to be taught by one, and nobody trusts anyone. So you usually have to know someone who is already a ninja."

"...Of course," said Neji, seeing where she was going with this. And an idea occurred to him then. "I need to meet with Hashirama. Would you be interested in instruction?"

"What, right now?" asked Tenten, surprised.

"Not right now, tomorrow perhaps," said Neji. "I might be able to teach you to utilize some basic techniques."

"But why?" asked Tenten.

"I have an idea," said Neji. "One that will require your help. I'll need at least two people who can be instructed as a ninja for it to work."

"Well, um... I won't have to quit my job, will I?" asked Tenten.

"Not at the moment," said Neji. "Just take some time out of your day to take my instruction."

"Well, what am I going to say, no?" asked Tenten.

"Good," said Neji. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He finished his drink, narrowly avoiding choking, and paid his bill. Then he hurried out to find Lee finishing up. Lee looked up in surprise. "Neji, have things gone well?"

"Lee, would you be interested in becoming among the first ninja of the Village Hidden in the Leaves?" asked Neji.

Now to see if this worked.