Love Among Friends
Tenten sat down, panting. She had been training with Neji and Lee all morning and decided to take a break.
"Hey, guys," she called. "Let's rest a little. We've been working really hard."
The boys nodded and sat down with Tenten to eat lunch.
"How much longer do you think he'll make us train," Neji asked, "before he realizes we can make it on our own?"
"Gai-Sensei wants us to be ready for anything!" Lee cheered. Neji covered his ears and glared at his teammate.
"On another note…" He leaned over to Lee's ear. "WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO DAMN LOUD?!?"
Tenten giggled quietly. She started eating.
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That night, Tenten was walking down the street, looking in shop windows for any new weapons she might like.
"Psst… Hey…"
Tenten looked behind her. A shadowy man was looking right at her, smiling.
"What's a pretty little thing like you doing out here so late?" He slowly approached the girl. Tenten backed away. "Oh, now don't be like that, Sweetie…" He quickly grabbed Tenten's wrists in one hand and held a knife to her throat. "I'm sure we can settle our differences…"
"Tenten!" Neji kicked the man in the face and grabbed his teammate's hand gently. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
"I'm fine Neji. What are you doing out here?"
"I felt something wrong. When he pulled that knife on you I knew he wasn't trying to help you." He let go of Tenten and looked at the man. "Leave my friend alone."
The man rushed toward Neji.
"One more step… And you're dead…"
Elysian held a kunai to the man's forehead while she stood behind him. Her eyes glowed red with anger and rage. Her sharp fangs were ready to rip out the man's throat.
"Is everything okay, Neji? You don't want to mess with him. Even you can't beat him so easily. He's an escaped convict I was sent to recover."
Neji stared in shock at the girl. Elysian was ready to kill.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not polite to stare?" Elysian knocked the convict out and swung him over her shoulder. "You should be grateful. I saved your life." She turned and calmly walked into the shadows without another word.
Tenten looked at Neji. "Thanks for helping me. He caught me by surprise."
Neji snapped back to reality. "Anyone else would've done the same. Come on. I'll walk you home."
Ely: Hmmm… I thought I heard Tenten's heart pound when Neji took her hand…
Tenten: It did not!
Ely: Are you sure about that, Chika?
Tenten: …
Ely: Well, anyways, keep in touch. We'll see how far this, quote-end quote, "friendship" goes.