Neji originally had nowhere to go. He just wanted to get as far away from that blanket as he could. Even though he knew he didn't wand Hanabi to have it under any circumstances, he didn't have the dignity to go in there and get it.

He finally recalled that he could make something of his trip. He headed toward the gift shop and bought a small lavender-colored box, a pink ribbon, and a little tag. As he left the store, he considered his timing options and slowed down to think. The faster Sprite was occupied with a new home, the better. She needed attention from someone other than him and Gingerale. With that in mind, he decided that, after an hour, it was safe to go home.

When he came to the stoop of his house, he found to his surprise Sprite and Gingerale at the door. Gingerale was sitting on one side of the opened door and was looked hopelessly at Sprite and Coke, who were on the other side of the door frame. Sprite was in a playful crouch, wriggling her bottom in the air and pleading for her brother to play with her. Coke was laying down in front of her, resting his head on the stone ground between his paws. His ears were back and his almond-shaped eyes were glaring Sprite with a Yes,-I-see-you,-and-I-wish-you-would-go-away look. Sprite looked absolutely desperate for attention from him, but it was obvious that she was not going to get it.

When Neji stepped onto the porch, Gingerale gave him a swift side glance, but that was it. Coke glanced up at him, too, pleading to remove his mother and sister from the area. Neji scooped up Sprite and picked up Gingerale. To his surprise, Sprite crawled up onto his shoulder and hung off it like Gingerale had when she was small. He blinked at her and looked at Gingerale. The cat blinked back at him and looked at Sprite, then at the box, ribbon, and tag that was in Neji's free hand.

He ignored her curious gaze, and walked into his room quickly, keeping his eyes on the wall opposite to Hanabi's room. He placed Gingerale on the bed and closed the door, then looked at the clock on his nightstand. 6:00P.M.

Sprite wobbly stood up on Neji's shoulder and started to bat at his sidebands. Neji looked at her sideways, and absentmindedly gave her the same crooked smile he had given Gingerale when she had done the same thing to the straps on his forehead protector when they first met.

Gingerale must have noticed it, too, because she started to purr loudly. She jumped off the bed and wove between his legs, visibly recalling the similar moment from her own perspective.

With that, Sprite had earned herself another night in the Hyuuga household.

oOOoOOoOOoOOo

When Neji awoke the next morning, it was much earlier than he would have liked it to be. The sun had not yet risen, and the room was filled with purplish-pink light that lit nothing up. He groggily turned to his side. Through the darkness, he could see one large lump of fur. That was was Gingerale, asleep, huddled around Sprite, he was sure. Sprite however, was awake, because from the one ball of fur, a little furry head was sticking out with two glowing green eyes in the center. The kitten blinked, and then carefully crawled away from her mother and head butted Neji's nose.

Neji closed his eyes and head butted her back, the propped himself up to look at the time. It was 3:04 A.M. His eyes drifted to what was slightly behind the clock, to the box, ribbon, and tag. As if on queue, Sprite climbed onto his chest and looked at the clock curiously, then followed his gaze to the box. Neji looked at her for a moment, and then at Gingerale, who was still asleep. He prodded her with his elbow, and she sleepily lifted her head to look at him as she stretched her front legs.

"I need you to do me a favor," Neji said to her, almost in a whisper.

Gingerale got up slowly and looked at him. It was clear that she was listening. It was also clear that she was rather annoyed with being woken up so early.

"I want to you check to see if anyone is in the Haruno household. Sakura's house," he added when she seemed to not understand 'Haruno household.' "Do you understand me?"

Gingerale nodded slowly. She sat down on the bed and her ear twitched as she cocked her head. "Why?"

"Sprite needs to leave. And I don't want to put her in a box on a stoop for hours when everyone is asleep."

Gingerale nodded again, her eyes becoming a little more serious. She cocked her head again and pointed to herself with her tail tip. "Why me?"

"You're silent, quick, and only about six inches at the shoulder, which means you could travel there and back easier than I could without being seen. I know you know the way. All you need to do is look for lights. Can you handle that?" Neji asked, feeling a lot like a team leader at this point. He surprised himself with how much faith he put into his cat.

Gingerale's did a full-body shake and stood up tall. She was now in mission mode. Neji had no doubt she would not fail this one. He sat up, holding Sprite in one hand and slid his feet off the bed. He leaned over to the window and pushed it open. Cool air drifted through the window, making him shiver a little. Gingerale gracefully walked across the bed, onto the nightstand, and bounced out the window.

Neji watched until she disappeared with Sprite still in his hand. When she was gone he shut the window and picked up the tag to the box. He then picked up a piece of paper and a pen, sat at his computer desk, pushed the wireless keyboard out of the way, and started to brainstorm. He placed Sprite next to him. The kitten started to paw at the pen as he wrote, making Neji's handwriting worse than it naturally was.

If there was one thing that the Hyuuga prodigy could not do, it was write any type of letter. He could write reports for missions, but there was something about letters that he could not master. Besides his handwriting being terrible, he could not think of what to say. He wanted to mean something and to not sound like he just threw a kitten in a box and set it on a stoop. He also needed whatever he was going to say to fit on the little beige tag. It was all too frustrating to do at 3:05 in the morning. But he finally did. Once he had what he was going to write on the scrap paper, he set to work copying it onto the tag in his best handwriting.

As he was finishing he heard a soft scraping sound and a familiar meow. Gingerale was at the outside of the closed window, waiting to be let in. Neji took another moment to finish off the tag, and then he opened the window. Gingerale bounded through, landing on the nightstand clumsily and jumping to the floor. She shook some of the cold dew off her moist pelt and whiskered, then shivered and crawled under one of Neji's dirty shirts that was on the ground.

Neji closed the door, walked over to her and picked her up, ruffling her fur to warm her up a littler. "Well?"

Gingerale paused, and then lifted her head and nodded.

"Excellent," he said. Sprite came over and meowing at his feet. He looked at the time. It was almost 4:00.

Putting Gingerale on the bed, he picked up Sprit and put her in the lavender box. He quickly put the top on and tied the ribbon around it. Then he fastened the tag to one end of the ribbon. The ribbon was way too long for the box so he decided to untie it and cut it. He wrapped the cut-off end around Sprite's neck, making a small bow on the back of her neck. Though the kitten was not happy when she got it put on, she didn't fiddle with it much once it was on. He then put her back in the box, got dressed quickly, and shuck out of the house with Gingerale on his shoulders and the box with Sprite in it in his hands.

oOOoOOoOOoOOo

Sakura had just finished her breakfast and was at the sink washing dishes. As she finished the last dish, there was a knock at the door. She quickly dried her hands wand went to answer it.

She opened the door and looked around, but saw nothing. There was a sound close to the ground and she looked down to see a lavender box tied together with a pink bow. On the bow was a small beige tag. The box was almost bouncing around. Puzzled, she picked it up and read the tag.

        Sakura,

    You never let me answer your question. Work on waiting for answers. But I saw you ask again silently. This might not be the one you were expecting, but here's your kitten. Her name is Sprite. Change it if you want.
    Neji

Sakura's eyes widened. She looked around and then pulled the bow on the box. It unraveled and fell the the sides, draping her hands and waving in the wind a little. As soon as they were gone the box top flew off and a fluffy calico kitten popped her head out.

The two stared at each other, emerald eyes into emerald eyes. Sakura finally blinked and murmured, "Sprite." And in response the kitten mewed and climbed out of the box, up to her shoulder, and pushed her cheek into Sakura's.

Sakura smiled and stroked her head, and then walked back into her house and closed the door.

And with that, Neji and Gingerale free souls once again.