Still A Lady---Chapter 3

Sasuke's POV

I was leaning up against a corner of the wall, gazing out a window in the emergency room. Damn! I hadn't meant to hurt her. Not like that. Kakashi always did warn me about my competitive nature. He said I had a tendency of taking things a bit too far in training. It was just training, after all. Perhaps. But I liked to push myself and I pushed her because no one else would. It was my theory that if you didn't train as if you were in a real life-threatening situation, what was the point? I trained like my life depended on it because someday it would. Itachi taught me that. It would be his own advice that would help me to kill and defeat him one day. I only fought TenTen with so much intensity because I thought she could handle it. I always gave her my best. No less. She wanted to be good. I wanted her to be better. No enemy shinobi would show her mercy… would give a damn that she's female. That was the reality of it. Gai, Lee, and Neji all cheated her out of her potential. I wouldn't. I wasn't sorry that I had pushed her so hard, but a mild twinge of guilt gnawed at my conscience when the nurse reported TenTen had suffered 3 cracked ribs, several 2nd degree burns, torn ligaments, a dislocated shoulder and a bruised lung. Harsh? Maybe. But, hey, if she wanted to get better---- be the best----- she had better get used to the relentless training. I let up. The enemy would show no mercy; probably, do much worse than I did. The nurse finally returned to say I could go see her.

"Hey you."

"Hey," she said weakly, gazing up at me with a tired, haggard look on her face. "Damn, Uchiha, you really don't hold'em up, do you?"

I raised a brow. "Do you want me to hold back?" I asked surprised.

TenTen studied me. Her worn out expression softened as she gave me a weak smile. "No."

I smiled back, but a wave of uneasiness washed over me since I wasn't too confident that she was being totally honest with me.

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The next day, while waiting to meet Naruto at the ramen shop, I was abruptly confronted by one, Neji Hyuga; TenTen's crush and teammate. The look upon his face suggested that he was extremely pissed. It was cool. I was half expecting this little confrontation…..

"Uchiha Sasuke!" came the sharp, cool, angry voice of the Hyuga. Unfazed, I turned to meet him face to face. He clearly was deeply upset.

"We have some things to discuss."

"About?"

"About your little so-called training session with TenTen yesterday," Neji spat. It was unlike the Hyuga to fume and lose his cool. Guess he really did care more for his teammate, after all.

"You caused her unnecessary harm and injury!"

"I caused her to be on point and bring her best," I growled. "You, Lee and your "sensei" treat her like she's weak. That's why she is! She has the potential to be so much stronger."

"You went too far, Uchiha!" Neji griped.

"Why? Cause she's a girl? If you really cared Hyuga, then you'd push her to do her best. You do her an injustice by going easy on her. That's why Temari was able to kick her ass in the Chunnin Exams. That's why she's below her capabilities---- because she doesn't even know what she's capable of!"

"Enough Uchiha!" Neji fumed. "Indeed, TenTen is a very capable kunoichi, one of the best! But the fact that she's still a lady has somehow managed to elude your intelligence and sense of common decency! What the hell is the matter with you, Sasuke?!!"

"Fuck off," I spat.

CRACK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Neji hooked me quick in the jaw. As I was about to return the gesture, Kakashi intercepted by "poofing" in the middle of us.

"Is there a problem I can assist you boys with?" he asked, glancing back and forth at the two of us.

Neji narrowed his eyes and glared at me. "If Uchiha needs someone to test his strength and self-proclaimed superiority against," Neji challenged, "I'd be more than pleased to accommodate him."

As I took a step and started at him, Kakashi placed a firm grip on my shoulder, expressing a strength I had never known the Copy Ninja to possess. His tightened grip, stilled me in my place as he told the angry Hyuga, "Gai has told me of TenTen's condition, Neji. I understand you're upset. If you will, however, allow me to have a word with my student. I think I might be a bit more persuasive than your methods."

When the Hyuga hesitated to speak, Kakashi clenched my shoulder tighter, causing me to wince and clench my teeth. He steered me away into the closest booth before either I or Neji could utter another word or glare….

"Sasuke," Kakashi started, " Gai had a little talk with me this morning about some injuries TenTen incurred at your hand. Care to tell me what the hell you were thinking?"

I growled in irritation and annoyance. I was getting really pissed off at having to explain myself to these assholes. "I was trying to help her," I said with much attitude in my tone.

"Then help her, don't hurt her, Sasuke!" Kakashi exclaimed. "How many time have we been through this? Eh, Sasuke?"

My jaw tightened & I felt the anger swelling within me. I wasn't trying to hurt TenTen! Why didn't they believe that? What didn't they get? I was really fed up with the asinine insinuations.

"Look," Kakashi spoke, "I get what you're trying to do, Sasuke. I really do. I overheard your argument with Neji. It's good you respect TenTen's skills enough to deem her an opponent worthy of your best," Kakashi continued, "BUT, the point to be made Sasuke is this: She's NOT the enemy. Your comrades are your trusted friends, not some enemy out to destroy you. Why do you always seek to conquer and destroy your opponent?"

I sat silent with no answers for him. I'm almost positive I was scowling.

Kakashi sat studying me; frowning and displaying his deep displeasure with me. He finally settled back in his seat and said, " You know, Sasuke, you don't have to be as ruthless in battle as your brother…."

I shot him a look. "But I do! How the hell else am I to beat him?"

Kakashi sighed and shook his head in disappointment. I think I was even more disappointed than he. So long as I stayed in this village, I'd never reach my full potential. I'd never get the training I needed to obtain the strength and power required to beat Itachi. They just didn't understand.