DON'T SAY IT! Don't you dare say it. I know what you're going to say. This message only goes out to my peeps who read my multi-chatper series The Fifth Element, so if you're not one of those people, just get reading. Yes I am aware, I took a break, and I go and break said contract and write another flipping story. But seriously...HOW COULD I NOT AFTER READING THAT CHAPTER? I just HAD to justify my worry. Kishimoto better not do anything stupid...like killing off Neji...or something like that...So bear with my stupidness in breaking contracts and just...yeah. go with the flow.

WARNING: This oneshot contains SPOILERS for CHAPTER 539. DO NOT under any circumstances READ if you DON'T want to KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

You have been warned.

P.S. I pretty much pulled the script word for word from the Manga, so I claim no rights over that. Or the characters. Or anything involving Naruto for that matter.

P.P.S. People have been doing the mind control theory for awhile now. I didn't do the mind control theory. Have fun reading!

Impostor

Neji scanned the area with his Byakugan. He wasn't taking any chances. They were at war, and this was only the first night. His chakra was depleted considerably. He considered the soldier pills in his tool kit, but quickly shook the thought away. Those were for emergencies only. This, night watch, didn't qualify as an emergency.

Not too far away from him, Kiba was hunched over a boulder, eyes alert, sniffing intently. Akamaru was doing the same thing. Nobody was taking any chances. Today had been hell, and even then, that was an understatement. However, it was somewhat comforting to have all five of the great nations come together to face this threat.

The only thing that was missing right now was Naruto screaming at the top of his lungs that everyone kicked ass today.

Neji snorted and focused on the task at hand. He swivelled his eyes around for the twentieth time that night. Instantly, his Byakugan deactivated and his head whirled. He felt like he was going to be sick. He gasped and attempted to catch himself. He hit the ground with a rustle of clothing.

His head still spun wildly as an involuntary groan passed his lips. Oh yeah. He'd used way to much chakra today.

Neji looked up as Kiba landed in front of him.

"Neji? Are you okay?" Kiba asked, his eyes wide.

"Yeah…" He murmured, slowly getting up. "Fine."

Kiba sighed. "Don't kill yourself man, my nose is here to sniff out the enemy too. Your eyes don't have to do all the work."

Neji sighed. Of course, he knew that.

Kiba offered Neji his hand. Neji took it gratefully and allowed Kiba to haul him to his feet. He was steady this time.

"Let me handle things for awhile," Kiba stated. "You should go to the medic tents and get patched up." Kiba pulled a map from his pouch. "The coordinates are behind the center point of all the squads…"

Neji approached him and studied the map. He committed the coordinates to memory.

Kiba looked at him again. Neji gave him a nod of thanks before strolling off for the medic tents.

Neji heard the medical area before he actually saw it. He could hear screams of agony as well as the medics screaming at each other to hurry up and bring this and that…

Neji approached the front gate, eyeing the two guards as he approached.

"HALT!"

Neji stopped.

"We sensor ninja need to confirm your chakra before we can let you pass!" One of the ninja cried. "Remain there until the check is complete!"

"I know… Just get on with it." Neji sighed. He stood still as the sensor ninja felt his chakra to confirm that he was actually Neji Hyuuga and not…say…Timbuktu.

The sensor ninja nodded and let him pass. Neji sighed with relief and walked through. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and flinched as his fingertips met something squishy…like a mushroom. He pulled it out and stared at it for a moment. The round white thing did look a bit like a mushroom. He had no idea how it got in his pocket, but he didn't worry about it too much and simply tossed it aside as he approached a medic tent.

He swept the curtain aside and looked inside. It looked nothing like the Konoha hospital. But hey, medics in a slightly unsterile environment was better than no medics at all.

"Next!"

Neji looked up and approached an area that was seeing to 'minor injuries' as the sign said. He glanced at the medic and instantly got an eyeful of pink hair.

"Neji-san!" Sakura said cheerily.

Neji merely nodded in recognition. He sat down in front of Sakura and removed his vest and shirt as required. Her hands pressed against his back and proceeded to heal him.

The imposter smirked. How easy it was. Just planting a spore on that Hyuuga was a piece of cake. He had even let his guard down and just carelessly tossed it aside.

The imposter entered a tent. The medic inside looked up.

"Ah hello there. Come sit." The medic stated.

The imposter did as he was told and allowed the medic to heal him. He barely listened to his lecture of getting as much rest as he could, as this was war and you always had to be on your guard.

What a bloody hypocrite. He was dead before he even knew what hit him.

The imposter replaced the black shirt he had been wearing before yanking out that wretched hair tie that pulled whenever his long hair so much as moved three inches. Why did this chump wear his hair tie so low anyway? He carried the vest out with him and disposed of it quickly when nobody was looking. He was just resting after all. He didn't need to look like he was going back off to war.

He entered another medic tent. The medic raised her head. Her eyes widened in fear at the sight of the kunai just before it slashed her throat. She barely made a sound as she died.

Once again, the imposter smirked, flicking a lock of dark brown hair from his face as he cleaned the blood off himself.

Onto the next one.

"That takes care of all the external injuries." Sakura informed cheerfully. Neji had to hand it to her. Staying this positive at a time like this couldn't be easy, yet she was pulling it off with aplomb.

"Thanks." Neji told her honestly. For the first time that day, he wasn't in any pain. Hell he'd probably sleep like a log tonight.

"Take this opportunity to get as much rest as you can, okay?"

Neji nodded.

"You can use one of the beds here if you'd like." Sakura told him. "Just know, if someone comes in that really needs the bed, you'll have to get out."

Neji nodded. "I understand."

Sakura smiled at him, and Neji once again nodded his thanks, retreating to one of the beds to lie down on. He removed his vest, removed his hair tie, and fell asleep almost instantly.

"Let's see… The next rounds are from tent F-5 to G-3…" The imposter heard the medic murmur in the back. He slid the curtain aside and entered the tent.

"Hm?" The medic turned around as he approached, a kunai tucked up his sleeve. "Is something wrong? If the pains not going away-"

The imposter raised his kunai, smirk donning his features.

"Huh…?"

The imposter continued to smirk as the medics blood spattered all over the tent. He even got some on his face that time. With a small tsk of disapproval, he lifted one slender hand and brushed the blood of his cheek. He licked it off with a smirk. Now…there was one medic in particular he wanted to get rid of…

That pink haired one… what was her name?

Tenten walked out of a medic tent, sighing in relief. What a day today had been. She already hated war. After this, if she could avoid it, she would never be in another war again.

A smile crossed her lips as she spotted a person she knew and loved dearly. His dark hair swished loosely behind him, the tie taken out.

"Neji!" She called.

Neji kept walking, not responding to her calls.

She ran and caught up with him, still calling his name.

"Hey!" Tenten cried, grabbing onto his arm and spun him towards her.

His eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her.

"I was calling for you!" Tenten said with a grin. "Glad to see that you're still alive!"

"Um… yeah…" Neji stated, glancing away from her almost uncomfortably.

"We're in trouble!" Someone cried.

Tenten and Neji turned towards the yell. A medic whipped into the large tent in the middle of the makeshift hospital.

"Toyosa, Takemaru, and Hino are all dead!" The medic cried. "Someone murdered all three of them!"

Tenten gasped. Medics? Killed?

"Neji…how could..." She turned towards him only to look at empty space. "Neji?" She looked around, but he was gone. Tenten sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I will never be able to understand you…" She sighed.

The imposter hid in the shadows. He didn't have the slightest clue who that stupid girl was, but if he ever saw her again, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her. She wasn't a medic, but she nearly blew his cover.

"How could this have happened?" He heard someone ask faintly.

"A spy must've managed to slip inside…" Another voice said.

"And he's targeting Jounin medics, too…"

The imposter bit his lip. He was going to get nailed. He didn't really care about the stupid Hyuuga he was impersonating, but his task was to cripple the medics so the Shinobi forces couldn't stand up to Madara.

All right. Now to be all-casual about it and actually look like he was doing something to help. He could kill medics while he was at it too. So be it if he was killed, because the Hyuuga would be killed as well, because everyone would think he was the imposter, because that's who the imposter looked like.

"But how…?" someone asked. "We're doing very stringent chakra checks on everyone who comes through here. Obviously the transformation technique would never work… Joint army ninjas are definitely the only people being allowed in."

"Which means there's a high probability that someone in the army is being controlled by the enemy… and it must be a powerful technique."

That was his cue. The imposter stepped from the shadows and approached the group.

"What's going on here?" He asked.

A pink haired medic turned towards her. "Neji-san…" She acknowledged, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Someone's infiltrated our camp and is killing off our best medics!" One of the medics stated.

"I see…" The imposter stated. "If everyone in here is really part of the joint army, finding the culprit would be difficult. There's no telling who it could be… Even everyone standing here right now is thinking that the person next to them might be the spy. That doubt will breed more suspicion and throw us all into chaos. Exactly what the enemy wants."

"We medic ninjas are the key to winning this war." One of the females stated. "There's no way the army can battle immortal Edo Tensei enemies without our backup."

"If we let this incident paralyse us, we'll be at a big disadvantage when the fighting resumes tomorrow." Another medic stated.

The imposter nodded in understanding. And just because he knew he was impersonating a Hyuuga…

"I'll find our spy," He stated. "With these eyes!" A chill went down his spine at that moment. He turned towards the feeling, seeing some shady man lurking in the shadows.

Perfect. Now what could he use that person for? And as for that pink haired medic… Her name was… Sakura, right? Sakura Haruno? Yes, he had to be rid of her and quickly.

The imposter turned towards where Sakura once stood to see that she was no longer there. Great. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. Time to go hunting.

He approached the closest medic tent, smirking as he overheard them chattering on about the spy and accusing each other of being the spy. He pushed the tent open.

"AAAHH!" The medics yelped.

"Hm?" The imposter blinked curiously.

"Oh, it's you…Don't scare us like that!" One of the medics stated.

"Forget that, where's Sakura Haruno?" He asked.

"Something the matter?" Another medic asked, seeing the desperation on his face.

"Someone caught my eye," The imposter stated. "I was tailing him but he slipped out of sight. And thinking back on it, I saw him hanging out wherever Sakura went."

"Sakura's in tent three." One of the medics stated. Great. So he got the name right.

"So you found someone suspicious, who was it?" The other medic asked.

The imposter thought about that for a moment. He was here anyway, so why not? And they were so conveniently close enough to kill…

"Right, actually…"

Two kunai whipped out and stabbed the medics square in the chest.

"It was me." He stated, his voice barely a whisper as he watched the light fade from their eyes.

Neji opened his eyes. Strange. The medic tents were so…quiet now.

Curious, Neji slid from the bed.

"Neji!" Sakura's voice stated, sounding surprised. "Did you find the spy?"

Neji's brow creased. Spy? He was about to take another step when something made his heart stop.

"No. Not yet."

That was his voice. What the hell was going on?

"Neji!"

Tenten… Neji thought weakly.

"Where did you go? You just took off!"

There was a smacking sound that told him someone had just been cuffed upside the head. Half a second later, he heard Tenten yelp.

Neji folded the curtain back and saw Sakura lying on the ground in a daze and himself with a hand squeezing Tenten's throat.

"Let her go!" Neji roared, leaping into the air, Byakugan activating of its own accord. His hand raised, chakra focusing into the tips of his fingers. "IMPOSTER!" Neji roared.

The imposter dropped Tenten who fell to the ground and didn't move. He whipped around and slashed at Neji with the kunai knife. Neji twisted out of the way, his attack ruined, but at least he was still alive.

"HELP!" Neji roared. "IMPOSTER!" He dove for his perfect double and disarmed him before pinning him to the ground.

The imposter rolled so he was on top and grabbed onto Neji's throat. Neji gagged. He focused his chakra into his body and forced it outwards. The imposter recoiled just enough for Neji to drive his palm into his chest.

He yelped and flew backwards. Neji stood up and grabbed the discarded kunai. He lunged at the imposter and slashed diagonally from shoulder to hip before spinning around and delivering a chakra enhanced kick to his chest. He flew through the sheet dividing the small area from the rest of the room and slammed into the ground a few feet away.

At that moment, several ninja burst through the curtain into the tent.

"Neji, we heard you. Where's the imposter?" The Shinobi asked.

Neji pointed to the person wrapped in the cloth where he landed. "There's just one problem."

One of the ninja ran over to the imposter and grabbed the cloth.

"He looks like-"

The ninja stared in horror at the sight of a second Neji lying dead on the ground. His chest was slashed open and bleeding, and his silvery eyes were wide and staring.

"Me…" Neji trailed off.

The ninja looked back and forth from Neji to the imposter.

"Seize him." One of them finally said.

Neji raised his hands in defeat as several ninja grabbed him. He saw that coming from a mile away.

"Wait, Tenten and Sakura!" Neji turned towards them. "They might be hurt!"

"We'll look after them." One of the ninja stated. "You're coming with us."

Neji sighed and allowed the Shinobi to take him away.

Sakura groaned as she came to.

"Miss Haruno! You're awake!"

"Neji…Neji is…" Sakura whispered.

"There are two Neji's."

Sakura's eyes widened. "T-Two?" She looked up to see a fellow medical ninja standing over her.

Tenten moaned as she woke up. Holy crap, she was alive?

"Neji…You…Why?" Tenten whispered.

"Tenten, there were two Neji's." Sakura stated.

Tenten blinked in surprise, rubbing her throat where Neji had held her, attempting to strangle her. It was bruised. That much she could tell.

"W-Where is he now?" Tenten asked. "The real Neji I mean."

Sakura looked up at the medical ninja.

The medical ninja bit her lip. "That's... That's the problem." She stated. "One of them was killed by the other Neji. They can't figure out which one's the real one."

Tenten got to her feet shakily. "Take me to him. Please."

Neji sat in a makeshift cell made of cotton and wood. He pressed the back of his head against the wooden stake he was tied to. He took a deep breath and sighed. His hands were bound with chakra suppressing bands behind his back, and around the wooden stake, so he couldn't do anything if he tried. Not to mention several ANBU kept watch on him at all times.

The tent flap opened, allowing fresh night air to wash over his body.

"Neji?"

Neji raised his head. "Tenten. You're okay…"

Tenten bit her lip. "You're…the real Neji, right?"

"Yes." Neji stated. "But it'll take more than that to prove it."

"I…I think I met the imposter." Tenten stated. "Before he tried to kill me."

Neji looked at her, inviting her to continue.

"I called your name, but he didn't respond. When I stopped him, I almost got the illusion he didn't even know who I was." Tenten glanced away. "And…when one of the medics started saying three medical ninja were dead, he suddenly disappeared." She looked up at him. "But, where were you the whole time?"

"I was sleeping in the back of Sakura's tent." Neji stated. "I only meant to sleep a few minutes, but I guess I was more exhausted than I thought."

Tenten glanced away for a moment and looked back at him. "Prove to me that it's you."

"How?" Neji asked.

"What did I give you when you became Jounin?"

Neji smiled. "A necklace with a bird on it."

Tenten smiled.

"Roll down the neck of my shirt. I'm wearing it."

Tenten raised her eyebrows. "You are?" She looked at the ANBU for permission to approach Neji. The ANBU gave a single nod and watched her approach.

Neji tilted his head back so she could roll down the long neck on his black shirt. Sure enough, the silver chain of the necklace she gave him was there.

"I wore it for luck. Apparently it didn't work so well." Neji stated.

Tenten frowned. "Hang on. I'll be right back, okay?"

Neji nodded and Tenten ran from the room.

Tenten ran through the medic tents looking for the one that held the fake Neji.

"Tenten!"

Tenten turned around to look at Sakura.

"Sakura, do you know where they're keeping the dead Neji?" Tenten asked. "I want to check something."

"Yes. I was coming to look for you to see if you wanted to see the other Neji as well." Sakura stated. "Come on."

Sakura lead Tenten into another tent where they were studying the dead Neji's body. Even Hiashi and Hinata Hyuuga were here to study it as well.

"It's not the real Neji." Hiashi stated.

Tenten knew what Hiashi's reasoning was. The curse mark of the Hyuuga clan was absent. Clearly the imposter didn't know Neji as much as he had thought. Not only that, but due to the absence of his shirt, the necklace Neji wore wasn't there either.

"Excuse me," Tenten walked to the nearest medical ninja. "Did this Neji have any jewellery on? A necklace with a bird on it?"

"Not that I know of." The medical ninja stated. "Why?"

"Because I gave Neji a necklace when he was promoted to Jounin. The Neji in the jail is wearing it. So it has to be the real Neji."

"So you say."

Tenten turned around to see Inoichi, Ino's father, step into the room.

"However, we can never know. The Neji you say is Neji could be the real Neji, yet at the same time, he could be the traitor." Inoichi stated.

"But how could that be possible?" Sakura asked. "That hardly makes any sense. There was an imposter, remember?"

Inoichi nodded. "Yes. However we cannot rule out that Neji didn't create a clone of himself, killed the medics, then killed his clone, claiming his clone was an imposter and he in fact meant to kill the medics."

Tenten gritted her teeth. "Neji would never betray his comrades!"

"I'm not saying he did, I'm saying it's possible." Inoichi stated. "I will have to probe his memory to see if there is any evidence that suggests a betrayal."

"That's not possible."

Everyone looked at Hiashi Hyuuga, who appeared dead serious.

"I will not risk the secrets of my clan being handed off!" Hiashi stated.

"I have kept many secrets, Lord Hyuuga." Inoichi stated. "I see no need to react so harshly. Unless you're the traitor."

Hiashi gritted his teeth. "No. I'm not. You may do what you will."

Inoichi swept out of the room without another word.

"Neji, wake up."

Neji's eyes cracked open. He started slightly as he realized his hands were tied, but then he remembered he was locked up.

He looked up at Inoichi Yamanaka who was watching him carefully.

"You're here to probe my mind, aren't you?" Neji asked. "I must say I don't know how comfortable I am with that."

"You shouldn't be too worried, unless there's something you want to hide." Inoichi stated.

Neji shook his head. "It's not that I want to hide anything, it's just that there are some things that are better left undiscovered in my opinion."

"I will simply look through your most recent memories, mainly the memories from the last twenty four hours. If I get the memories clearly without any blocks as I will come to if you've sealed away some of your memories, you will either come closer to clearing your name, or closer to being condemned."

Neji bowed his head. "Yes. I understand. Go ahead."

Inoichi nodded once and placed a hand on the top of Neji's head.

Neji flinched at Inoichi's intrusion into his consciousness, but forced himself to relax and not put up a fight. He fell into a half conscious state where he barely registered the images of the last twenty four hours playing out like a bad movie in front of his eyes.

He saw himself fighting in the war again. He saw himself collapse and Kiba helping him find the medic tents. He saw himself getting healed by Sakura again. Then he saw himself lying down in the bed, followed by black, then waking up to the sound of voices.

He saw the imposter strangling Tenten, followed by the short battle between the two of them in which he was arrested and locked up.

Inoichi finished pilfering through his memories and released him. Slowly, Neji returned to consciousness, letting his eyes flutter open groggily. The whole experience was similar to a dream. It was as if it happened, yet it didn't.

"Anything?" Someone asked.

"No. He's clean."

Neji heard a sigh of relief half a second before a pair of arms wrapped around his form.

"I knew you were innocent." Tenten whispered. "I knew you would never do that."

Neji blinked off the sleepiness and gritted his teeth. Now that he was innocent and the initial shock was over, he was completely ticked off.

"That bastard murdered my comrades... with my image..." Neji whispered hoarsely. He felt the bindings on his wrists being cut, but he was still upset. "That bastard…"

Tenten helped him to his feet. "It's all right, Neji. You know you didn't do it."

"But it's my image." Neji growled. He looked at her. "Imagine how I would feel if I knew you died, thinking I killed you." Neji whispered just softly enough so that she could hear it.

Tenten nodded.

"Both of you should return to your posts." Sakura stated. "Dawn is approaching."

Tenten and Neji walked out of the makeshift hospital and set off for their posts. Tenten suddenly grabbed Neji's wrist to stop him.

Neji turned and looked at her curiously.

"Good luck, Neji." Tenten smiled.

"You too." Neji nodded.

"Let's make a deal, all right?" Tenten looked at him seriously.

"What is it?"

"Meet me here at the next sunset. And you'd damn well better be here too." Tenten grinned. "I want to see you again."

Neji gave her a pat on the head, making sure to swat one of her buns while he was at it. He knew she hated this. Sure enough, she swatted his hands away and took a step back, adjusting the bun that got lopsided from his assault.

"Count on it." Neji stated. He turned on his heel and leapt into the trees for his post.