Gogeta: Hey everybody. Ok here's what happened. I came up with the whole plot for this chapter on a piece of paper. I wrote half this chapter and then lost the paper so I went off what I remembered. Well guess what I just happened to find while cleaning my room? Right, that paper. So after re-reading and realizing the original idea was so much better, I decide to rewrite this chapter. But don't be too upset, I also included stuff that was going to be in the second chapter so there is some new stuff. Alrighty, hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know if you think this version is better than the first one I posted.
Neji: Here we go everybody, take two!
Gogeta: Shut up Neji!
Neji sat tensed in a tree. He'd been squatting on this branch for several hours, awaiting his target. His source had told him the target often walked this way and would be easy prey. Neji watched as a small crowd walked by, not even noticing him. Then his target appeared. He held his breath, reached in his weapons pouch and prepared to leap.
The target was getting closer. Ten meters…five meters….one meter.
The target was directly beneath him and Neji pounced. He pulled something out of his weapons pouch: a scroll. He quickly unfurled it, activated the summoning glyph and the scroll exploded in a cloud of smoke. Neji wrapped his arms around the target and suddenly his world turned upside down. He landed hard on his head, having been tossed over Tenten's shoulder.
The smoke cleared and Tenten put a hand to her mouth when she saw who she'd flipped. "Neji! What the hell were you doing?" she yelled.
Neji just laid there, spread eagle, a dazed look in his eye.
Tenten was about to continue her tirade, when she saw what was in Neji's hand: a bouquet of flowers. She looked from Neji's face to the flowers and comprehension donned on her.
"Oh I'm sorry, Neji. You were just trying to surprise me." She said smiling and picked up the bouquet. She sniffed and for a moment was lost in the medley of aromas but then she felt the public's eyes on her. She smiled to the villagers that were staring at her and waved awkwardly. "Just my boyfriend."
The villagers exchanged looks of understanding and returned to their lives.
Tenten helped Neji to his feet and the two walked down the street, Neji leaning on Tenten, "You know you really have to stop flipping me like that." Neji complained.
"Well you need to stop surprising me like that." Tenten laughed.
"But you said you liked surprises."
"I do." Tenten said and sniffed the flowers again.
Neji hung his head, I'll never understand her. He glanced at her and he saw her smile. A warm feeling spread through his entire body and he smiled too, but then again, I'm ok with that.
"So what was the occasion?" Tenten asked after they'd walked in silence for a while.
"What?"
"Why did you get me flowers?"
"Do I need an occasion?" Neji asked.
"You usually have one."
Damn she's good. Neji thought. "Um…"
Tenten stopped and stared into Neji's eyes, a smile on her face, "C'mon. Tell me."
Neji hesitated, but he couldn't break Tenten's stare, "Because I lo…because I lo…because I really like you." Neji finished lamely.
Tenten sighed, "You still can't say it, can you?"
Neji finally broke her gaze and stared at his sandals, "I do though."
"But why can't you say it?"
Neji looked at Tenten again and saw the sadness and disappointment in her face. He leaned forward to kiss her, but she backed away. She put him back on his own two feet and turned her back on him. Neji was at a loss for what to do next. He reached out to touch her shoulder, but she walked off before he could reach her.
"I'll talk to you later, Neji." She said without looking back.
He watched her walk until she turned a corner. "I love you…" he said quietly, his hand still outstretched.
Ever since Neji had saved Tenten from the Tsubaki siblings two months ago, the two of them had grown closer. Everyday Tenten would amaze Neji with how much she loved him and everyday Neji tried to return her affections, but to little avail. Having grown up in the Hyuuga mansion, Neji had little to no experience with showing affection, but Tenten was patient, always knowing what Neji was trying to say. She would try to get him to say 'I love you' everyday, but for some reason, he never could say those words to her. He truly felt them in his heart, but they seemed to get lost on the way up.
Neji made his way back to the Hyuuga mansion and found his cousins practicing their Jyuuken. They didn't notice him so Neji watched them for a while. Hinata was the heir to main family, but Neji couldn't help thinking that Hanabi was the better choice. She moved with more confidence and power than Hinata did. Hinata was no weakling anymore, however; she had improved greatly since the time Neji had beaten her in the Chuunin exams. Now she could hold her own against Neji.
Hinata made a powerful strike, but Hanabi deflected it with her hand, got inside Hinata's guard and drove her palm into Hinata's chest, sending her flying. Hinata landed hard at Neji's feet and he knelt to check her.
"Neji-kun!" Hinata gasped. "How long have you been there?"
"Not long." Neji lied.
"How did your date go?" Hanabi asked slyly.
Neji scowled, "Don't concern yourself with it."
Hanabi giggled, "I know what that means."
Hinata smiled, but just twiddled her fingers.
"Hmph, think you're so smart do you?" Neji said
"Actually…yes. Yes I do." Hanabi said, activating her Byakugan and assuming her Jyuuken stance.
Neji smirked and his own Byakugan activated, "You sure you want to take me on?"
Hanabi lunged at Neji, but he easily countered her attack and fell to the ground writhing in pain. Hanabi stared down at her cousin and felt a strong hand pull her back.
"What do you think you're doing, Neji?" Lord Hiashi demanded, Hanabi hanging by the back of her shirt in his hand.
"Stop it! We were sparring! That's all!" Hanabi exclaimed.
"Y-yes, just sparring, father." Hinata added.
Lord Hiashi glared at Neji, "That better be all." He put Hanabi back down, ended the jutsu and stormed off.
Neji relaxed and lay on the ground, breathing hard.
"What was that?" Hanabi demanded when her father was out of earshot.
"The curse seal of the Branch family."Hinata said quietly, anger and sorrow in her voice.
"I really hate that thing." Neji mumbled. He forced himself back to his feet and bowed to his cousins. "I'm sorry if this gets you in trouble." Hinata and Hanabi started to tell him not to worry, but he held up his hand to silence them and walked away.
Neji returned to his room and flopped onto his bed, "Sheesh, what's going on today? First Tenten gets mad at me, now this…what next?"
As if on cue, an Anbu Black Ops member appeared in his window, "Neji-san! Lady Hokage has summoned you!"
Neji nodded and followed the Anbu out his window.
Neji arrived at Tsunade's office and found Hinata and Tenten already there. Tenten glared at Neji and turned her back on him.
"Good. You're finally here, Neji." Tsunade said. "Now as I was saying, your mission is to go to the Land of Grass to retrieve a prisoner."
"Lady Tsuande…this might not be the best team…" Neji said, glancing at Tenten.
"Oh? And why is that?" Tsunade said, a dangerous look in her eye.
"Yes, why is that Neji?" Tenten shot at him.
Neji held up his hands, "Nevermind…please continue Lady Hokage."
"As I was saying, a criminal by the name of Keito says he has important secret information about Orochimaru. He demands amnesty for this information." Tsunade finished.
"Why did he not bring us this information before being captured?" Neji wondered.
"He probably just saw it as a "get out of jail free" card." Hinata said quietly.
"Regardless, the info might actually be helpful, so retrieve him for interrogation."
"Yes Lady Hokage!"
"Neji, wait a moment." Tsunade called.
Tenten and Hinata left, leaving the two alone, "Yes Lady Tsunade?"
"Lord Hiashi asked that I give this to you before you left." Tsunade said, holding out a scroll.
Neji took it and began to read it. The more he read, the harder his face grew. He finished the scroll, angrily rolled it closed and shoved it in his knap sack.
"Words of encouragement?" Tsunade asked.
"Something like that." Neji growled and stormed out of Tsunade's office.
The three raced to the Land of Grass in relative silence. Neji was still brooding over the message from Lord Hiashi, but what took precedence in his mind was Tenten. He would try to get Tenten's attention every few miles, but she either could not hear him, or was just ignoring him.
"Tenten…" Neji began for the fifth time.
"What is it Neji?" Tenten snapped without looking back.
"I just want you to know I'm sorry for how I acted earlier today."
Tenten didn't respond, but just kept leaping through the trees.
Neji sighed and fell in beside Hinata, "What's wrong with me?"
"What do you mean Neji-niisan?"
"I can't tell her that I love her…why not?"
Hinata nodded, "I see."
"Could it be that since the Hyuuga family is not very affectionate, I in turn do not know how to express affection?"
"It could be…I know how distant our family is…but it's no excuse."
"What?"
"You should express your feelings…"
"I just told you I can't!" Neji said, getting a little angry.
"What's stopping you?"
Neji opened his mouth to retort, but nothing came out. He looked back at Tenten and asked himself the same question.
Is it because she's not a Hyuuga…Or am I simply afraid to tell her? What if she didn't feel the same way?
"But there's something else troubling you, isn't there?" Hinata asked.
"What?"
"I can tell." Hinata said, a confident tone in her voice, "You stare at Tenten a lot, but your eyes keep darting around, as if you can't focus. What else is bothering you?"
Neji stared at his cousin, honestly impressed. He thought for a moment, took out Lord Hiashi's scroll and tossed it to Hinata. She caught it and began to read, but stopped after only reading the first sentence. She tore it up and let the pieces trail out behind her.
The group continued toward the Land of Grass in silence until Neji ordered a halt.
"What's wrong, Neji-niisan?" Hinata asked.
"Have you not sensed them, Hinata-sama? You're slipping." Neji poked at his cousin.
Hinata blushed and activated her Byakugan.
"Anybody want to tell me what's going on?" Tenten demanded angrily.
"You're surrounded, that's what." a new voice said and nine bandits leapt out of the trees.
Neji smirked, "Do you think you're any match for us?"
"Confident…I like that in a victim." The lead bandit said and lunged at Neji. In a fluid motion, Neji grabbed the bandit's arm, used his momentum against him and flipped the bandit over his shoulder.
"C'mon, Neji!" Tenten complained, "That's MY move!"
"You've done it to me so many times, I just learned it." Neji smiled.
"You're supposed to have Byakugan, not Sharingan!"
"It's possibly to copy moves without Sharingan you know." Neji chuckled, glad to be talking to Tenten again.
"Enough!" the lead bandit shrieked, "This is no time for your lover's quarrel!"
"Lover's quarrel?" Tenten said with an ominous tone in her voice, "You don't know the meaning of the word."
"This would be a good time to run away." Neji warned.
The bandit leader faltered, but pulled himself together, "What are you waiting for? Attack!" He ordered his men and they all leapt into the air.
Neji and Tenten shared a look and nodded, "Hinata, stay low ok." Neji said and grabbed a large chain Tenten had summoned. "Ready Tenten." She nodded and began to spin around, holding the chain out. Neji's feet left the ground and he began to spin as well, performing a Rotation. Tenten swung Neji around with expert accuracy and hit every bandit. Neji flipped and landed next to Tenten, the large chain disappearing in a puff of smoke.
"I warned you." Neji said to the unconscious lead bandit.
Tenten replaced her large weapon scroll and leapt into the trees, as if nothing happened.
"You're just going to let her go?" Hinata asked, as she and Neji followed Tenten.
Neji gave Hinata a hard look, and rushed forward. He got ahead of Tenten and stood with his arms spread wide. She gave him an annoyed look, but stopped.
"What is it, Neji?"
"You were amazing back there…" Neji began.
"Yeah I know, but we have a mission to do." Tenten said coldly.
"You have something else to say, right, Neji?" Hinata said quietly.
Neji said nothing but stared into Tenten's eyes. He could see every emotion boiling in her soul; anger, hope, fear. He sighed, "Yes…there is."
"Well…what is it?" Tenten demanded.
Neji stared into Tenten's eyes and faltered, "Nevermind. C'mon, let's go get the prisoner."
Neji spun on his heel and continued toward the Land of Grass, Tenten and Hinata following close behind.
"Grr…I just don't understand him." Tenten fumed.
"Please don't be too hard on him." Hinata said, a sad note in her voice, "It's because our family isn't the most affectionate; especially the Branch Family."
"I've been patient, Hinata!" Tenten snapped. "It's been a month since he rescued me and he still hasn't told me he loves me. I mean, I say it all the time and I'm always doing nice stuff for him-"
"Does he do nothing nice in return?" Hinata asked.
"Well, no…he does nice things all the time." Tenten said in a small voice.
"So why is this one thing making you so mad?"
Tenten pondered this as they followed Neji.
They arrived at the Land of Grass a few hours later and went straight to the jail. Neji waved to the nearest guard who regarded them with a confused look. "Who are you?"
Neji jabbed his thumb at his headband, "I'm Neji Hyuuga of Konoha. I'm on a mission to retrieve Keito and deliver him to our interrogation team. Now please turn him over to our custody." The guard stared at Neji, a blank look in his eyes.
"This is the jail where Keito's being held right?" Tenten asked. The guard said nothing but just continued to stare at them blankly.
"This is a jail, right?" Hinata asked.
The guard chuckled to himself, "A'course this is a jail. You'd have to be an idiot to not know that."
The three ninja stared at this walking oxymoron until Neji took a deep breath and spoke slowly to the guard.
"You have prisoners here, right?"
"Duh."
"Is one of them named Keito?"
"Yeah, he's been giving us a hard time lately."
"Well we need to take him to our village."
"Why?"
"To interrogate him."
"About?"
"Secret information on Orochimaru."
"Oh. Sounds fine to me." The guard said and stood at attention as if he'd done his job.
"Can you go get him?" Neji said, forcing himself to stay calm.
"Oh, no I can't do that. You need to go to the warden first." The guard explained.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE?" Neji roared.
Tenten and Hinata each grabbed one of Neji's arms and kept him from attacking the guard.
"Thank you for your assistance." Hinata said brightly as they dragged Neji away.
The three walked to the warden's office, Neji grumbling about the stupid guard. They arrived to find the warden sitting behind his desk, fast asleep.
"Is everyone in this facility inept?" Neji cried.
The warden snorted and leapt into a defensive stance. "Oo the 'ell er ya?" he said with a slur.
Oh, great! He's drunk! Neji thought.
"We're here to get Keito." Tenten explained.
"Oh, sir 'ing" the warden slurred and sloppily signed a paper, "'ake 'at to the gourd our front."
Tenten leaned forward and grabbed the paper but the warden wouldn't let go, "Ya know…you're really pretty." The warden said, a cheeky grin on his face. Tenten smiled, snatched the paper out of the warden's hand and quickly backed away before the smell of booze made her faint.
The three reluctantly returned to the slow guard and handed him the paper. The guard slowly read it and nodded; albeit a little too enthusiastically. "I'll get him lickity split!" he said and ran inside the prison.
Lickity split? I'll bet this guy only got the job because the warden was drunk.
They heard a yell from inside the jail and Neji saw a flash of orange run out the door and leap over the village gates.
"Please tell me that wasn't-"
"Uh…well there he goes…you better catch him if you plan on taking him to your village." The slow guard said from behind the prison door.
Neji, Tenten and Hinata all stared at the guard in amazement. "You let him escape?" Tenten demanded.
"I didn't let him escape…he just slipped out when I opened the door." The guard finished lamely.
It's like having Naruto on the team with us. Tenten thought.
"You're lucky on two counts." Neji said angrily, "One, we need him, two you've got a steel door between me and you so I can't hit you!"
Hinata and Tenten held Neji back again and pulled him along with them as they raced after Keito.
"He's pretty fast." Tenten said as they raced after Keito.
"Yeah, I'm having trouble keeping up with him." Neji agreed, "Damn, where's Lee when you need him?"
"Who needs Lee?" Tenten said with a smile.
Neji gave her a puzzled look and watched as Tenten built up chakra in her feet, launching herself through the trees. She halved the distance between herself and Keito and threw a kunai at the escaped prisoner. He turned just in time to avoid the kunai and stuck his tongue out at Tenten.
"HA! Your aim sucks, little girl." Keito cackled.
Tenten smirked and tugged on a steel wire. The kunai she'd just thrown looped around a branch and embedded itself into another tree. Keito continued to make faces at Tenten until he ran into the wire and plummeted toward earth. Keito closed his eyes and screamed, covering his face.
"Why are you screaming?" Neji calmly asked.
Keito paused mid-scream and opened his eyes to see that Hinata was holding him by his ankle and Neji was standing on the branch below at eye level. Keito folded his arms and his expression changed to one of boredom, "So what now? Gunna take me back to that stink hole of a prison?"
"You know, Hinata would probably appreciate a 'thank you for saving me'." Neji said. "Nice throw, Tenten." Neji said smiling up at her.
"Thanks." Tenten responded with a wide smile of her own.
"Oh great." Keito groaned, "I've been captured by the love birds."
"Looks like the prisoner is jealous." Tenten giggled.
"Oh, feisty as well as pretty, huh? Nice combo." Keito smirked.
"Don't you talk about her like that." Neji scowled.
"Oh please don't hurt me Mr. Big Bad Boyfriend." Keito said in mock fear.
"He's not the one you need to worry about." Tenten said, suddenly next to Keito with a kunai to his throat.
Keito swallowed and gave a shaky laugh, "I'll keep that in mind."
"So what do you say?" Tenten said with a dangerous smile, "We doing this the easy way, or the hard way?"
"Do I really have a choice?"
The four headed back to the village; Keito in the middle of a triangle with Neji at point. Tenten could feel that Neji was on edge. He hadn't deactivated his Byakugan since they'd captured Keito and he kept glancing around every time he heard a rustle in the trees. Of course, Keito wasn't helping. He constantly complained about everything, including how filthy his clothes were, how bald he was, and the fact that he only had one tooth.
"So how far is it to your stinking village?" Keito asked for the fifth time.
"Like I said before, it's another half day's walk." Neji explained, praying for patience. "Of course, if you could leap through the trees like you were doing before, it'd only take us a few hours."
"Impossible." Keito said folding his arms, "Hurt my leg."
"Then how are you walking?" Tenten asked.
Keito pretended to think, "Oh, right! I just want to make your lives miserable." He chuckled to himself.
Tenten glanced up at Neji and thought it best to give Keito a warning, "Keep it up and you'll arrive at our village in a full body cast."
Keito glanced over his shoulder at Tenten and gave her a bored look. He spun so he was walking backwards and folded his arms behind his head. "Aww, that's cute. You're worried about me."
Tenten blushed, "Don't misunderstand me." She said dangerously, "My only concern is the mission."
"And that mission is?"
"To bring you safely to Konoha for questioning."
"And that's why I'm not worried." Keito said, a cheeky grin on his face.
"Safely only means 'alive' you know." Hinata chimed in.
Keito's eyes widened in fear and he glanced at Tenten. She winked and summoned a large, spiked club from her scroll. Keito spun around again and heaved a deep sigh, "So how long 'til we get to your village?"
"That's it!" Neji roared and turned on Keito.
"Please don't hurt me!" Keito said and threw his hands over his head.
"I'm not going to hurt you, you're just going to take a little nap." Neji growled and poked Keito's forehead. Keito's eyes turned foggy and he fell to the ground, unconscious. "Finally, peace and quiet."
"What do you think you're doing!" Hinata rushed over put her arm around Neji's neck.
"Me? What about you?" Neji demanded.
"Just play along! Please!" she whispered desperately.
Neji looked confused but knelt so it looked like Hinata had him in a head-lock. "You know that's against our rules!" Hinata yelled, then whispered, "Now's a good time to tell her you love her."
Neji gave Hinata a hard look, but she just winked and returned to yelling, "You know you could permanently harm someone by doing that! Don't let me catch you doing it again!" she let go of Neji's neck and quickly retreated, amazed that she'd been so bold.
Neji rubbed his neck and turned to Tenten. She looked at him and then to Hinata who winked and nodded ever-so-slightly at Neji. Tenten smirked at Hinata and put her hands on her hips as Neji walked toward her.
"Tenten…there's something I've been meaning to tell you…" Neji began again.
"Neji, before you begin, I want to say I'm sorry." Tenten said, dropping Neji's gaze. He stared down at her, completely caught off guard. "I realize now that I've been unfair to you."
"You…you have?" Neji looked deep into Tenten's eyes and saw a maelstrom of emotions; guilt, fear, anger, apprehension.
"Yes. You're always doing nice things for me and I've taken them for granted up until now, but now I realize that that is your way of showing affection. It may be different than mine, but now I know that you really do-"
Neji held up his hand to quiet Tenten, "I understand, but what I have to say will solve both our problems." Neji glanced at Hinata who mouthed the word 'love'. He looked back at Tenten's face; full of emotion. He felt his soul fighting with his mind. His head and heart began hurting. He felt as though he were falling into madness, but Hinata took his hand and put it in Tenten's and all that vanished; his mind was clear. "Tenten…I love you."
Tenten's entire face changed right before Neji's eyes. The worry on her face vanished, her narrow eyes widened, her apprehensive frown broke into an overjoyed beam and color flooded into her cheeks. Neji could only stare as she grew more and more beautiful before his eyes. Hinata gently pushed them together and the two wrapped each other in their arms. Neji felt his heart beat harder and realized that it was Tenten's heart beating in time with his. He breathed deeply and could only smell Tenten's sweet, floral essence. He heard her breathing as well and realized she was crying.
Neji broke the embrace and looked into Tenten's eyes again. They were no longer a boiling sea, rather a rippling pond. She returned his gaze as tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks. Neji wiped one away, "What's wrong?"
Tenten laughed, "For all your insight and intelligence, you're still clueless."
Neji gave her a questioning look, but she just shook her head and kissed him. Tenten pulled away and laid her head on Neji's chest, "Say it again…please."
Neji laid his head on top of her's and whispered, "I love you."
Tenten sobbed again and the two stood there, holding each other, not caring about the world around.
"Neji!" Hinata cried.
The two reluctantly broke their embrace and looked where Hinata was pointing. A large snake slithered out of the trees and regarded them hungrily. The three ninja took a defensive stance around the still unconscious Keito and the snake hissed at them loudly. As if in response, more snakes emerged from the trees and trapped the ninja in a circle of scaly bodies.
"Well well well, haven't seen you guys in a while." Sasuke said as he alighted on a nearby tree branch.
"Sasuke!" the three ninja gasped.
"What were your names again?" Sasuke said nonchalantly.
"You don't even remember your comrades' names?" Neji spat.
"Comrades? Since when were you three ever my comrades?" Sasuke chuckled.
"As a fellow member of Konoha, we are all your comrades." Tenten growled.
"But as I am no longer a member of Konoha, you are no longer my comrades." Sasuke said and motioned to one of the snakes. It slithered forward and attacked Tenten who summoned the Kiba no Tatsu.
"Kiba no Tatsu; Black Moon Fang!" she yelled and an arc of black energy shot at the snake, decapitating it.
"What was that?" Neji exclaimed.
"What, I watch other anime too, you know." Tenten smirked.
"How did you know that one was a Hollow?" Sasuke demanded. "No matter." Sasuke motioned to the other snakes who were just as easily defeated by Neji and Hinata's Jyuuken. "Oh wait, I remember you now." Sasuke chuckled. "I wanted to fight you back in the Chuunin exams."
"Well now's your chance." Neji glaring at Sasuke with his Byakugan.
"I would, but I'm on a mission of my own. I'm here to take that prisoner off your hands."
Neji glanced at Keito with his Byakugan and saw that he was still unconscious, "You're too late. He got on my nerves and I killed him."
"How stupid do you think I am?" Sasuke snarled, "My Sharingan may not be able to see as much as your Byakugan, but it can still see that he is alive."
Neji gritted his teeth, "Well if you want him. You're gunna have to go through us." Neji said and the three of them moved between Sasuke and Keito.
"Interesting proposition. I think I'll take you up on it." Sasuke said and he lunged at them with his sword. Neji tried to defend himself, but found that he couldn't move. Time seemed to slow down as Sasuke's blade pierced his chest, followed by the blade's hilt and Sasuke's entire body. He heard the girls scream behind him and knew that Sasuke had flown through them as well. He looked down and saw nothing but a gaping hole where his stomach should've been. Panic began to over take him but then his Byakugan saw that the chakra network was undisturbed in his stomach. Genjutsu! Neji flooded his body with chakra, forcing Sasuke's out of him and dispelling the genjutsu. Neji fell to his knee, breathing heavily and glared at Sasuke who hadn't moved from his tree.
"Nice one." Neji said, forcing himself to his feet. "I almost fell for it."
Sasuke scowled, "Fine. This time for real!" he said and leapt down to the ground.
Sasuke rushed forward and slashed with his sword. Neji countered with his kunai and the two tried to stare the other down. Neji scowled back at Sasuke, but then a smile broke across Sasuke's face, "You know, you're at a disadvantage."
"Am I?" Neji asked, trying to sound more confident than he was.
"Yes. I just have to fight you, but you have to defend your friends and fight me at the same time."
"Not a problem." Neji said and shoved Sasuke back. He formed a seal and suddenly there were three of Neji.
"I see Naruto taught you his favorite trick." Sasuke smirked.
"That's not all he taught me." Neji said and all three formed a Rasengan in their hands.
Sasuke howled with laughter, "Apparently he never told you that my Chidori beat his Rasengan at the Valley of the End." He cackled as a Chidori blazed to life in his hand.
"Lucky for me I'm stronger than Naruto." Neji said, but though; I wish.
Sasuke said nothing but rushed forward, Chidori raised for attack. Neji rushed as well Rasengan held to counter. Sasuke smirked and his Chidori extended, went around the Rasengan and pierced Neji's shoulder, but he didn't stop. Neji continued to attack Sasuke, the Chidori Spear moving through his body.
"Pitiful fool." Sasuke clenched his fist and several Chidori barbs burst out of Neji's body, halting him in his footsteps. "Unfortunately for you, I'm a long distance fighter."
"Fortunately for me, you're easily distracted." A second Neji said from the air. He sailed toward Neji, Rasengan in hand only to be run through by Sasuke's sword.
"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Sasuke said in a deadly voice, "My Sharingan notices every little detail and allows me to come up with the perfect counter attack in a mere instant. Your pathetic strategy was pitifully obvious from the start." Sasuke glowered down at the two dying Neji's. "Now the only question is, which one is the real one?" Sasuke summoned two shuriken and impaled them in both Neji's heads and they both disappeared in a puff of smoke. "What!"
The real Neji erupted from the ground behind Sasuke and drove his Rasengan into Sasuke's back. He screamed in pain and the Rasengan expanded and enveloped him. Sasuke began to spin within the ball of chakra and Neji got into his Jyuuken stance.
"Thankfully, you hadn't arrived at the Exams when I did this move, so it'll be completely new. Hyuuga Art: 8 Trigrams 64 Palms!" Neji yelled and his blows rained down on the spinning Rasengan. Neji struck the final blow and the Rasengan rocketed forward into a tree and exploded. "It's over."
"You'd like it to be over wouldn't you?" Sasuke said, suddenly behind Neji. Neji turned just to see Sasuke strike him in the back of the neck, knocking him out. "Too bad you're not the only one who uses Clones." Sasuke said glancing over at the remains of his Snake Clone. "But I suppose you are lucky. I'm not at 100% right now and I feel like a re-match." Sasuke scribbled on a scroll and put it in Neji's hand. "Enjoy your sleep. It'll be the last peaceful one you'll ever have."
Neji: Wow…
Gogeta: Pretty good, eh?
Neji: Well…I'm just surprised you're using Sasuke.
Gogeta: Yeah, he's not my favorite character on account of him being a betraying, back stabbing son of a *****, but I really like the idea of Byakugan v. Sharingan.
Neji: Oh I see what you're doing. I wonder which Dojutsu Masashi-sensei likes more.
Sasuke: Obviously Sharingan. Look which one has more forms and powers.
Neji: Just means one sucked before and one has been good from the beginning.
Sasuke: That's it! Let's go right here, right now.
Gogeta: Ok while they fight that out, let me apologize for the Bleach reference if I got that wrong. I don't watch the show but I felt like putting the joke in. So if you Bleach fans out there are cussing me out for doing it wrong…well I don't care lol. Ok thanks for reading. The next chapter should be out pretty soon…that is unless I leave for the Navy before I finish it. Laters.
Tenten: Honestly, why do I always end up being captured in your fanfics…oops spoilers.