Light violet hues gazing off into the distance, long black locks of hair gently swayed in the breeze as the Hyuuga waited for the rest of the team to settle down. It seemed no matter how much he ignored the green spandex wearing duo, they always seemed to come back even more hyperactive and stupid each time. "Neji!" Gai exclaimed, striking a pose that seemed very similar to the younger's. "You must train with us, or else we will fall behind Kakashi's team!" Ignoring the more-then-obvious glare the Prodigy was offering to him, Lee quickly darted infront of his rival, offering his familiar toothy grin. "Yes! Training makes perfect, and it's obvious you have been slacking." A vein popping out of the side of his forehead, the Byakugan heir simply turned his back to the group and headed off. However, this didn't prevent one person from tagging along. "Neji! Neji, wait up!" Tenten's light voice carried over the constant mentioning of youth, as she lightly jogged up behind the upset Hyuuga.
"Those guys are too annoying to hang around with all day." Tenten sighed a bit, allowing her head to droop down.
"Yeah, but they are part of our team, and it is as simple as that." Neji announced, listening to the fading voices of the look alikes, and the musical rhythm of their sandals hitting against the dirt path.
Gentle digits running across pieces of debree, and brown optics gazing at some of the construction workers, a saddened expression managed to ease itself upon her calm demeanor. "I don't believe Tsunade is sending us out on a mission, even though the village is in a condition like this." Complaints like these were becoming quite too common, and all Neji had done to reply to such a statement was a small sigh before gazing back out towards the few citizens that still roamed the ruins of their once proud village. "The mission is in order to find the remaining members of the Akatsuki and to gain information on their skills. It is important we gain as much information as possible before they decide to attack again." Neji's view on the subject was not to be taken lightly, and Tenten knew fairly well that the Gentle Fist user would do anything in his power to prevent harm to his home again. Coming to a pause in the middle of the street, Neji's head turned for the first time, causing the weapon mistress to come to freeze in place, being paralyzed by her partner's all-seeing gaze.
"It is best if we leave now. If we leave with a four-member squad, that would easily put us at risk of being caught."
"But we need Lee and Gai-sensei! What if we are caught, and are forced to fight more then one person?"
"Then we will simply run." Neji countered, allowing the thick atmosphere to silence the two of them.
After a few moments of thinking, Tenten nodded in agreement, heading towards the outer portion of the demolished village of Konohagakure.
Chakra focusing itself into both of his eyes, Neji's Byakugan easily scanned the area as the female companion watched the one fault in his technique; his blind spot. Being miles away from the village, it was enough to put any experienced shinobi on their feet. Perching himself on a large tree branch, the black haired chuunin's head turned left to right, spotting nothing but animals and Tenten's chakra flow.
"Neji~ Let's take a break. I'm tired." Dropping to her knees all dramatically, the kunoichi let a small sigh pass her lips, as Neji turned to stare down at her. "Alright.
Listening to the birds chirp as they flew over the canopy of the tree's, small beads of sweat rolling down both of their foreheads. No hints on the location of the remaining threats, and to make things worse, they both had quite a way to go. Reserving his chakra by deactivating the Kekkei Genkai, Neji crossed his legs in an attempt to calm himself down. It seemed like an eternity sitting there in complete and utter silence. Slowly reopening his eyes, Neji gazed into the bright blue skies, letting his head press against the bark of the tree. "Let's go." Tenten rushed out of no where, catching the Hyuuga off guard. Wasn't she the one who asked to take a break in the first place? However, the source of her anticipation quickly came into view. A bright orange mask peeking out of a bush simply gazed at the two, acting as if he or she didn't know that their body was sticking out like a sore thumb. Reaching into his weapon pouch with the familiar quick motion of his wrist, before whipping the sharp projectile at his prey. Flying forward with such velocity, it seemed that it was speeding forward like a bullet, but unfortunately, Tobi's body seemed to dart of the way, leaving an after image in place of the true target.
Somehow, the red and black cloak of their opponent was standing only meters away, waving gloved digits towards them while gripping the kunai in his other hand. "Ohayo! I think you dropped this!" The confirmed male exclaimed, as Neji's Byakugan quickly activated.
"This is going to be a long day..." Neji muttered to Tenten, as she prepared her scrolls. "I have your back." Tenten proclaimed, before the paper poofed into a cloud of smoke, and created some nunchaku with little to no effort from the user. "Whats your name?" Neji asked abruptly, as the stranger pointed at himself cluelessly. "Me?" He asked, acting surprised, before he rubbed the back of his head. "My name is Tobi!"