Neji watched the unknown person drive his fist into Hinata’s gut and felt rage well inside him. “Fight, Hinata,” he said, letting the honorific fall in hopes it would shock her into acting. “Fight dammit, you’re better than him.”
Hinata didn’t fight, instead she looked up just as a leg came up and caught her across the ribs -
Lee’s body hit the wall with a sickening crack. Neji struggled to stand and get to him - get between him and the attacker, but he couldn’t. “Get up, Lee. Get up.” His voice was raw from yelling at the chuunin, though he never seemed to hear. This time, at least, he looked up -
Hanabi’s face was covered in dirt and forming bruises, her eyes swimming with tears. Which made no sense, Hanabi didn’t cry, and she certainly didn’t lose. “Hanabi you must get up,” Neji called across the arena, “you-“
"Neji-nii," finally, “why?” What? "why are-"
"you doing this?" Tenten was struggling to her feet as she spoke, blood dripping from her nose. "Neji, why?"
I’m not doing anything Neji tried to say. I can’t even move.
But he was moving, his fist, laced with chakra, driving toward her heart. Neji tried to pull back, to stop, but it was like he wasn’t in control. Like a puppet. A tool.
Tenten didn’t even try to dodge the hit, falling the ground, limp and lifeless-
his blue eyes stared wide, tan already bleaching as life fled his body. Naruto’s blond hair even seemed to shine less.
"Weak," Neji heard the words in his voice, from his body, and felt a chill. "Pathetic losers, all of you."
No. Neji tried to break through whatever was taking over his body, I’m not that person anymore. Get out get out get-
and like that he was. Out, and staring up at…himself. A harder him. Eyes cold, face impassive and freckled with blood. “Stop crying. You’re the strongest. You proved it.”
I’m not crying, he almost said, and then realized that was a lie.
Another tear hit the ground as not-Him started to laugh.
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