SOOO sorry for the delay! I moved and then I had a lot of tech issues as the device that the chapters were on kind of went MIA. Please enjoy!
A large group had gathered in the third arena of the chuunin exams. Most of them genin wanting to see what the so called assassin could do without any formal training.
Neji watched as Rei stretched and prepared for what was probably going to be a rough test. Tsunade had kept it quiet so everyone was anxious to find out.
"I wonder what they will do? Sakura didn't she at least give you a hint?" Naruto was getting excited.
Most of the group was gathered around them with everybody making bets.
"She's gonna have her ass beat."
"Nope, she's gonna give Grandma Tsunade a run for her money."
"Hey Neji what do you think?" Tenten stood quietly next to Neji, waiting for the show to start.
"She had good aim this morning but that could've been a lucky shot."
"No, what do you think of her?" She turned and laughed at the blush starting in his cheeks.
"We know nothing about her, she could be dangerous and this test will give us an idea-"
"She's also pretty isn't she? I hope she's a good fighter because then she'll be perfect." His friend smiled and turned to the arena as Tsunade walked out with Guy Sensei and Kakashi.
"Alright so this is will be very simple. They each have a wooden knife attached to them somewhere thats been soaked in bright ink. You will get the knife and 'cut' somewhere fatal." The two men stood patiently as Rei looked a bit dazed.
"What you have no women around here?"
"They didn't want to accidently kill you. These two volunteered. You have a maximum of ten minutes. Go." She walked away as the men got into their fighting positions.
"Ummm..." Rei started to walk backwards. Her face becoming a little pale.
"Oh they also have instructions to knock you out." Tsunade sat in a chair placed by her assistant and waited.
"We're sorry but we kind of have to hurt you unless you can get to us first." Kakashi crossed his arms and Guy went right on ahead.
As he rushed forward Rei turned and ran.
Neji looked around and watched as everyone laughed at her retreat. She showed him she was fearless earlier, what on earth was she doing now?
Rei ran as fast as she could with the gap between her and Guy closing. The room watched as she managed to run up the wall to about the level of his head. She grabbed onto his neck as she started to flip backwards and used her momentum to yank him down with her.
The force from Guy hitting the ground knocked her over and she slid a foot away from him. The room watched as Guy got up quickly looking a little frustrated.
"That was a cheap move kid. Let me show you how an honorable Jounin fights!" He readied himself for one of his many justus' and started to move towards her.
She finally got up looking a little off balance, once again started to run in the opposite direction.
As he ran after her, Neji saw something in her hand. He bent over the railing in time to see her stop dead in his path and slashed the wooden knife across his chest leaving a bright orange streak.
"You mean a dead honorable Jounin right?" As Guy looked down in shock Rei turned to Kakashi who was clapping for her.
"That was pretty good, but I doubt you'll get me." He stood with his hands in his pockets as she started to walk towards him.
The arena was erupting with cheering and booing as the group of friends held their breath. If she could take Guy down that quickly, how long will it take for kakashi?
"Are you sure you can see me properly with one eye?"
"Yes I can, and I can see that you are probably going to attack me first since I'm not willing to run in head first like him."
"Sure" After she spoke she ducked down and disappeared.
"Oh hey, I think she's finally using some taijustu. At least she knows that." Sakura was taking notes on the way she fought.
Neji could only see that she was fighting a little dirty.
She kept up with Kakshi who was getting a lot of good hits in.
Rei managed to grab the front of his vest giving him easy access to put his elbow in her chest. She fell backwards hitting the ground hard.
With the wind knocked out of her the arena stated to cheer, waiting for Kakashi to knock her out.
"What a terrible assassin!"
"She's no match for him!"
"She can't even use basic justu can she?!"
Neji looked around getting angry about the whole situation, what did this have to do with anything?
Rei sat breathing hard as he bent down to say something to her. She reached up and pulled something from his pocket. In a matter of seconds the two vanished in an explosion of smoke.
The arena went silent with everyone watching for one of the two to pop out of the smoke. After a few minutes Rei fell out onto her back coughing holding something to her chest.
Naruto was the first to see what she was holding.
"Holy crap she has his mask!" Everyone bent over railings and craned their necks to see the black material craddled tightly to her chest.
Kakashi finally emerged with a long purple slash over his neck. He didn't look happy.
As everyone started to cheer and yell Neji watched nervously as kakshi grabbed his mask and the front of her kimono saying something harsh. She looked a little terrified as she coughed the smoke out of her lungs.
He was pushed from the railing and forced to follow foot traffic to the outside where Sakura quickly ran back inside to meet with Tsunade.
The group excitedly chattered away.
"Guys seriously if she can do that with no weapons imagine what she'll be like among us!" Naruto was a little more excited than he should be about this.
The group dispersed and left Neji to wait for Rei. He had a lot of questions.
Where did she learn to be to so reckless? Its not just skill she has no concern over her own safety.
As he stewed over his thoughts he became aware that someone was standing in front of him. He looked up to be greeted by hazel eyes and a huge smile.
"Hey! Can we go somewhere to get food? They gave me most of my stuff back so I can pay!" She started to walk in the direction of town, her long brown hair trailing behind her.
"Wait what happens next?"
"What do you mean?"
"What are they doing with you?" He grabbed her wirst and whirrled her around to look at him. Her clear skin wrinkling at the bridge of her nose as she thought about what to say.
"I will train with various Jounin since I'm not really sure what justu is in general and when they're ready they'll make a decision."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I will train with a bunch of the Sensei's until they think I can be trusted.. Or something like that." She turned and continued to walk.
They made their way to town and ended up in a small resturant, while they sat waiting for food she fired off questions about justus and for advice.
"So I take it that you have no clue how to do anything?" He stared at her from the other side of the table. She had a few scrapes on her arms and legs. And one cut under her eye.
"Nope, I was raised in a forgery helping my dad make weapons. I never learned how to use.. What do you call it? Oh chakra, but I did learn how to use every weapon my dad ever made and was starting to learn how to make them when he died." She watched out the window as she spoke. She was easily distracted.
"How old were you?"
"I had just turned 9, I was given an opportunity to use my abilities to get revenge and I took it." As food arrived she munched away.
He was a little shocked with how easily she spoke about her sad childhood, he never spoke to anyone about what he has gone through. Opening up to a very special few, he kept everything to himself.
"How did you get the opportunity?"
"She was a rogue Shinobi, she taught me a few things about moving faster and gave me work." She finally looked back at him and smiled.
They finished eating and headed back to his house, she kept a good distance from him as they walked together. She seemed almost like tourist when he realized that she did have plans to live here.
"So what made you want to come here? And how the hell did you meet Sasuke?" That was a question that still eating away at him.
She hopped onto a low fence and balanced as she walked, at least she wasn't clumsy.
"I met him during… uhh… work. He suggested that I make my way out here eventually. We became fast friends and I bumped into him every so often." Her hesitation bothered him but she was at least answering the questions
He kept watching her walk as he noticed Lee walking back into town after a week long trip. His friend waved to him and started to walk a little quicker when he saw the girl next to Neji.
"And I wanted to come here because I wanted a second chance, my life wasn't bad before but-"
"Hello Miss, is he boring you? I can make sure you get the best second chance here in Konoha, and there are several places to go see!" Lee hurried over and took her hand helping her to step down.
Her confused face made Neji smirk a little. He put his hand on top of her hand and tried to speak without laughing.
"Rock Lee this is Rei Aioshi, she is currently under probation by the Hokage and I am housing her until she is deemed fit to live among us." Lee had the same look he would give Sakura when he was head over heels for her.
"Hello Rei when you are ready for a tour of our beautiful city please contact me!" He bent down and kissed her hand that he never let go of. This bothered Neji a little more than it should.
"Thanks Lee, we need to leave now she's a bit tired." He grabbed her wrist and staretd to yank her along.
"Thank you Lee! I hope to see you around! He seems nice, maybe tomorrow I can-"
"We need you to train and concentrate on that. Not sight-seeing."
"Yeah well maybe I want to see the city I'll be living in." She stopped in her tracks causing him to jerk backwards.
"Stop, just walk." He pointed in the direction of his house and the rest of the walk was extremely quiet.
When they finally arrived home he went straight to the bath and processed the day while he soaked.
He watched her get beat up and dominate in the arena, he highly doubted she would last ten minutes in their world and he could feel a nervous pull in the pit of his stomach.
But she has talent. Good aim and fearless. She is going to make a brilliant Kunoichi, she's graceful in the way she moves and is very beautiful.
He sat up in the bath baffled a his thoughts, he's known the woman for a day. Why was he thinking this way?
Neji quickly got out and headed to his bedroom to change, he peaked in the living room where she was and saw her sitting passed out on the couch again.
Walking over he saw her hair sprawled around her face and chest like a light blanket. Her pale skin blemished with scrapes and bruises. Leaning down he could smell sweat and pine. She smelled like the trees.
He easily lifted her and carried her off to her own bed.
This may be harder than I thought. She really is perfect.
Please keep an eye out for the next chapter! I promise it won't be weeks in between every chapter. Even I think its cruel...
