Neji decided that he needed to purchase a new pair of shinobi sandals, and soon, given that this was the third time today he'd accidentally scuffed the now-smooth soles on a branch, nearly losing his footing. This time, however, his Byakugan picked up something odd as he righted himself once more.
Kakashi, sharp as always, immediately noticed the almost microscopic shift in Neji's frown.
"What is it?" he murmured, coming to a halt a few meters ahead of the Hyuga prodigy. "D'you see something?"
"Not something. . . someone," Neji replied softly, shooting a quick glance at Sakura, who'd just caught up to the two jounin.
"Let's check it out; we haven't seen anyone else in here." The pink-haired kunoichi gestured briefly to the vast amount of greenery surrounding them. "This could mean trouble."
They soundlessly approached the unfamiliar figure, which appeared to be unconscious. A few broken branches and wrinkled leaves covered most of its face, and Neji thought this was a rather clever ploy— lure your target into thinking you're injured, and spring at him the second his guard goes down. He smirked inwardly; he wasn't going to fall for that one.
A closer look with his bloodline limit indicated that this person was— there really was no other word for it— tiny. And female. Her face may have been hidden, but the slight curve of her hips gave her away.
Before Neji could make another move, Sakura stood and walked bravely toward the girl, kneeling cautiously at her side. "It's all right," she called out after a moment. "She's definitely unconscious." So. . . it wasn't a ploy.
Neji and Kakashi were soon on their knees as well, and Sakura began removing the leaves and twigs from the girl's face. Extremely pale skin with a light array of freckles greeted them, while bloodless lips twitched uneasily. She must have been in immense pain; grimacing while unconscious was highly unusual otherwise.
"She's just a kid," Kakashi said, taking in the short limbs with a strange look in his visible eye. "Who is she?"
"I dunno," Sakura sighed. "She doesn't have anything on her that can help us figure out where she came from."
Neji's frown deepened, and he deactivated his Byakugan. She could be dangerous, even if she was just a kid; she could be a spy, for all they knew. Then his gaze shifted downward.
"What's wrong with her legs?" he asked. The angles at which both her knees were bent were definitely not normal, and everything from the shins down was severely bruised and swollen.
Sakura took action at once, gently probing the kid's legs before wincing. "Multiple greenstick fractures. That explains the branches and leaves that covered her— she must've fallen from one of these trees. But she had to have been pretty high up. . ." Her hands soon glowed faintly with her all-too familiar pale green chakra.
"What're you doing?" Kakashi said.
"We'll have to take her back to the village anyway, but the hospital doesn't treat outsiders. I'll treat her here, and then we'll turn her in to Lady Tsunade when we get back," she replied simply, initiating her medical ninjutsu and sweeping her palms over the girl's legs. Then she stopped. "That's funny. . ." She repeated the motion, but it didn't seem to be working.
Neji's eyes narrowed. Her medical ninjutsu has never failed before. . . is it the kid's doing?
"Neji, could you activate your Byakugan again? I want to check something," Sakura said.
He knew where this was going. "A barrier?"
"Exactly."
Activating his all-seeing eyes with relative ease, Neji carefully focused on the girl's left shin. "Try healing her again, Sakura."
The kunoichi obliged, and it didn't take long for Neji to see what the issue was.
"It may be on a molecular level, but there's no doubt that there's a barrier." The bulging veins around his eyes disappeared again. "Your chakra can't get through."
"Impervious to chakra. . ." Kakashi mused, scratching his chin. "Is it some kind of jutsu?"
"It's highly unlikely," Neji said. "She doesn't possess any chakra coils to begin with."
He looked back at the girl's face, taking in the silver curls that framed her freckled cheekbones. She was growing more suspicious by the second— how did a kid not have some form of identification on her, even if she was a spy? How on earth was she able to repel chakra, when she herself didn't have any? And how—
She gave a small moan.
Something stirred from within Neji at that moment; the sound had startled him in a way he couldn't exactly pinpoint. Suddenly, this girl just looked like a human being who was in pain.
"We can't leave her here," he stated, his words clipped.
Kakashi and Sakura stared at him.
"Neji?" Sakura raised a pink eyebrow. "What if she's the enemy?"
"And what if she isn't? If we leave her here, she's bound to be attacked. Besides, she's in no fit state to be demolishing our village anytime soon. We'll take her back. If she proves to be a threat after her recovery, we can easily dispose of her," he replied calmly.
"Recovery? Neji, you already know that our hospital doesn't treat outsiders," Kakashi reminded him.
Neji looked at Sakura. "There are liability forms, are there not?"
Sakura blinked, as if remembering this detail for the first time. "Yes. . ."
"Then I'll fill one out when we return."
"You're willing to take full responsibility for this kid? Are you sure?" Kakashi asked sternly.
Neji sighed. "I found her. It's only logical." His tone indicated that this discussion was over.
Sakura rubbed her eyes. "Kakashi-sensei, think you'll be okay with scouting the rest of the perimeter by yourself?"
Kakashi stood. "Yeah, I'll be fine." And he was back in the trees without another word.
Sakura stood and began making her way up the nearest tree, not bothering to make sure Neji was following her.
"Wait a moment!" Neji called out. "You're expecting me to carry her?"
He could almost hear her smiling. "You found her. It's only logical," she retorted lightly, chuckling. Soon, she was gone as well.
"Hn." Neji gathered the girl into his arms, taking care not to jostle her legs. She was very light, and he could feel the thick ridges of her single braid pressed against his forearms. He wasn't sure if he liked that or not.
He focused chakra into his feet and climbed steadily up a tree— most likely the very tree that this girl had fallen from— and leapt skillfully from branch to branch, wanting to make it back to the village before dark. Just to make sure the kid didn't have any loyal accomplices, Neji once again activated his Byakugan: the coast was clear with the exception of Kakashi, who was already a few hundred meters behind him.
He didn't notice when the girl moaned again, but he did notice when a small hand touched his chest. He looked down just as thin fingers clasped around the material of his white shirt. The girl's emerald eyes were now slightly open and out of focus.
A little uneasy, Neji said the first thing that came to mind: "I'm taking you to the hospital."
The girl's eyes widened for a brief moment, as if in recognition. Then her lips, still chalky white, quivered with speech.
"Neji. . . Hyuga. . ."
The young jounin had very nearly dropped her when he'd heard his name; regaining his composure had proven to be quite difficult after his sandals had slipped for the fourth time that day.
"What— what did you say?" he whispered.
But the girl had fallen unconscious again.