Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. He belongs to Hinata.

Chapter4

"What is it, Inuyasha?" dog demon startled Kagome by suddenly getting up and staring intently in the opposite direction from where he was look at before, "did you hear something?"

"Do you feel anything?" Hanyon asked without answering her question.

"No, not r..., "but as soon as she thought about it her senses told her different, "I do feel something, some kind of power. It's really close and it's growing!"

"Is it a demon?" Sango already had her boomerang at the ready, just in case.

"No, it's something different," Miroku said, getting to his feet from where he was comfortably seated by their campfire, "I have never felt anything like it before."

"Neji and Tenten are still out there," concern obvious in her voice Kagome tried hard not to show it, "let's go! They might need our help!"

Their spar started as usual. Tenten attacked. Neji defended. They both agreed to Tai-jitsu only and nether broke the promise.

Fighting against Neji's Gentle Fist was a challenge, but Tenten knew his style better then anyone. He did not even activate his Blood Limit, but from the years of training, he didn't have to. The basic movements and strikes of his style were still just as devastating if used correctly and Neji was a master.

Tenten grinned and attacked once again. Well-aimed kick, skillfully deflected, and she was out of reach again. The trick was to stay out of Byoukugan user's reach. If she didn't - there was a serious risk of her losing control of her limbs eventually. You didn't have to see charka to know what points will paralyze movement.

And that is how it went. Back and forth. Lightning fast attacks. Perfect defense. Getting tired of this game and Neji's obnoxious smirks Tenten faked a strike to his right flank. As he was about to block it, she changed direction of her movement and swept at his feet instead. Neji gracefully avoided both attacks.

"If that is how you fight on your missions it is a wonder you survived this long," his smirk was still firmly in place and Tenten was getting irritated. This spar was getting her nowhere. She was at disadvantage from the beginning. He managed to disrupt her equilibrium without even trying.

"My fighting skills will be more than enough to beat you." May be if she got him angry…

Throwing several punches at Tenten's vital organs Neji side-stepped another kick. His next strike landed on nothing but air as Tenten easily danced away.

"Running away will not save you," Neji started to say, but Tenten only heard those first words. She froze. An unwanted memory fought its way to the surface and she lost touch with reality.

"Running away will not save you-you will die, just as he did"

Pictures, as clear as reality, running through her mind, Tenten with a burst of charka leaped into the trees still not taking her eyes of Neji but not really seeing him. Nightmares were becoming reality in her mind, threatening to drive her insane, but the Weapon Mistress was a fighter. She would not let anyone break her!

"I will kill you," her face became an unreadable mask Tenten focused her charka and attacked again. Neji, sensing a change said nothing. Quietly shifting his stance, he concentrated on his energy himself. He did not live to be a Jonin by being careless.

High in the air, Tenten was unfastening her scrolls. Summoning her weapons forward she sends them with deadly accuracy hurling towards the target. As he activated his Byoukugan Neji could clearly see the wild swirls of charka his ex-teammate brought forth with her summons. She was wasting too much energy but he had no time to finish his thought as he was forced to use Kaiten. No sooner the whirlwind of charka died down Tenten was on the ground a sword in each hand.

"You are going to die!" her vacant eyes showed no emotion and her demeanor spoke of nothing but determination.

It did not take long for the group to find the source of the strange power. It was almost within shouting distance from their camp, Kagome noted.

"Why are they fighting?" Sango, who still held her boomerang protectively not sure, if she will have to use it, could not take her eyes of the sight. Tenten and Neji were fighting. Their movements were blurred with speed. Some of them, she was ashamed to admit, she could not see at all - they were just too fast.

"Who cares?" Inuyasha was ready for a fight himself, "Where is this power you felt coming from? Is it another shard?"

"No, I can't feel any shards," Kagome was certain of it. If Shikon Jewel had anything to do with it, she would have known right away.

"This power…"Miroku was just as mesmerized as Sango, "…it's….them."

"What do you mean it's them?"

"It's coming from them." and as if to prove Miroku's words Neji executed his Kaiten technique once again to deflect a couple dozen kunai Tenten send his way. Sword in hand she was constantly in motion. One second she would be in the air and in the next moment, her deadly swords will be slashing at her sparring partner. With every attack, her determination would double, but Neji was not standing still himself. He was slowly working on closing her charka points. If this fight continued, there was no doubt who would win…or was there?

Summoned fire technique forced him to take to the trees himself to avoid being burned to ashes as the grass where he was standing just moments ago was. Tenten, hot on his heals followed, not even bothering to summon more weapons. The tree took some damage as her sword cut deeply into it. She was too slow in pulling back. The sword flew out of her numb hand as Neji's strike solidly connected.

She grunted in pain but continued attacking. Several kunai later and a wild slash at his head which Neji successfully avoided kunoichi was still showing no signs of slowing down. Inuyasha group was shocked speechless.

"It looks like she is really trying to kill him," Miroku observed, and as if to prove his words, Tenten landed one of her own kicks, charka charged. It knocked Neji out of the tree tops they were fighting in and before he could redirect his momentum the ground came up to meet him. Sliding for several feet he quietly landed by Kagome's feet.

With a squeak, Kagome took several steps back.

"She's kicking his ass!" Inuyasha did not know if he should be happy or just amazed.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that Inuyasha," and before anyone could argue Miroku continued, "but the fight has gone on long enough. I suggest we stop it now and get back to the camp before some unwanted attention is attracted."

Tenten was already on the ground, coming after Neji with a sword in one hand. Her other arm, hanging limp, was empty of weapons.

"Hey, Tenten, that's enough. Let's go." Inuyasha called out. Neji, regaining his balance, Byoukugan at the ready only observed the kunoichi without comment.

Tenten still caught up in her memory, ignored him. All her attention was still centered on Neji.

"Didn't you hear me, bitch?" if Neji was annoyed by the way Inuyasha spoke to Tenten, he did not show it, too busy defending her newest charka charged attack. "Let's go. You can finish your fight later."

"There is something wrong," Kagome, observed, "I think they are really fighting."

"We have to do something. We can't just let them kill each other."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"Do not interfere," Neji said, seriously, in between blocks.

"Damn, he sounds just like Sesshoumaru."

As Tenten delivered her next attack Neji managed to catch the blade of hers word in between his charka charged palms. With another charka burst and a bright flash of power the blade broke. Using the created distraction to his advantage Neji successfully landed a strike that send Tenten flying into a near by tree.

It took her several moments to recover while Neji did not move other then adjust his Gentle Fist stance for better balance.

"Neji?" Tenten spoke for the first time since her initial death threat, "I…" slowly getting to her feet shakily taking several steps in his direction, "I thought you were someone else. I'm…sorry."

***

Everyone walked quietly to camp. Even Miroku felt the gravity of the mood and kept his hands to himself. The walk was not long. Not a single word was spoken.

Tenten avoided looking at everybody and upon reaching their settlement for the night she, in a very Inuyasha way, walked off to the nearest tree and with a burst of chakra was comfortably seated in it.

Neji followed his old teem-mate with his unreadable eyes still not saying anything. By all accounts she should still be in pain. In their fight he was forced to slowly close some of her chakra points and it was a wonder that the kunoichi could move at all right now.

Kagome and Sango just exchanged glances and chose to just sit by the fire… away from Miroku who was also quiet for a change.

"Ok, since nobody else what's to do it, I'll ask – What in the fuck has just happened?" all his bottled up frustration and confusion over the unusual encounter turned into a loud shout that almost made his own ears ring. "I want some fucking answers!" dog-demon was ready to fight.

"It's none of your concern," was Neji's dispassionate reply. He never took his eyes off Tenten.

"Why, you…"

Before Inuyasha could explode Miroku spoke in the most persuasive voice he possessed, "If you tell us what happened, we may be able to help," seeing no obvious reactions monk continues, "there are also several things we would like to know. I believe, the more information we have about you the more likely we would be to give you some help."

"We can take care of ourselves. Do not concern yourself with our welfare," apparently, Miroku has struck a nerve because Neji's voice, while not changing in its volume, did get several degrees cooler."

"But you do need our help," Kagome ignored the hostility radiating from the ninja and just smiled, "you don't know this place – we do! Our help could be the key to the solution of your problem.," before anybody could argue she continued, "Plus, we kind of like you guys and not landing a helping hand is not what friends are all about."

"Like them? You must be crazy, woman!"

"Inuyasha, you must admit that Tenten is nice and Neji is… " trying to find the right words to describe the ninja Kagome turned her eyes on Neji, "he's… emmm… cute?"

Savage growl was Kagome's answer, while Sango just smiled. Neji, for the fist time since the entire exchange started, chose to take his eyes of Tenten. After looking at each of them in turn Neji took a couple of steps back and turned around, as if trying to shield himself from the strange people.

"Don't fucking turn your back on me, you bastard!" Inuyasha, ready to charge was stopped by Kagome.

"Come on, Inuyasha, don't be like that."

"Do not tell me what to do, wench!"

"How many times… oh, for the love of… SIT!" frustrated Kagome was not the one to be messed with.

"Bitch, you…" as the half-demon once again became one with the dirt he could not keep in the string of violent curses.

"What was that?"

"Feh!"

"Ask your questions" the quiet command came quite unexpectedly, "I will tell you what I can."

"Would you eat shit and die?"

"Inuyasha! SIT!"

"It was worth a try," muffled words from the newly created hole in the ground were barley distinguishable.

"When you and your friend were fighting, you used magic. You never told us you knew anything about magic. You just said that both of you are ninja."

"We are ninja and that was not magic," Neji responded, "It's called chakra. Every person, has it. Ninjas learn how to control and manipulate it from the very beginning of our lives."

"Oh, but it felt… I don't know how to describe it," Kagome searching for the right words had a thoughtful look on her face.

"What you call magic feels different to us too. It's not what we are used to seeing," before Kagome could complete her though Neji cut in.

"Well, they are from different worlds, that will probably have to be enough of an explanation," Sango was not surprised.

"Why the fuck were you tying to kill each-other back there?" Inuyasha, now recovered from the spell, wanted an answer to his own question.

"It was just a spar," tightening of his features was the only indication that Neji did not like the question.

"No, it fucking was not! I have been fighting all my life and I know the difference, so…"

"Inuyasha…" Kagome's warning was clearly ignored.

"What the fuck is your problem? You two looked pretty fucking close so why the fuck would you…?"

"It. Was. Just. A. Spar." Neji spoke slowly, pronouncing each word clearly as if willing everyone to believe him.

"I don't…,"Inuyasha's growl could be heard through his words by everyone present. All Neji did was shift his stance a little as if getting ready for a fight.

"It really was just a spar – nothing out of the ordinary," Tenten's cheerful voice interrupted the confrontation in the makings. Smiling in confirmation of her words she moved to stand next to her ex-teammate.

"I'm still not buying it"

"Inuyasha, drop it." Kagome tried to reason with her friend, "They obviously don't want to talk about it,"

"Anything else you want to know?" Neji asked clearly wanting to end the entire conversation.

"Well…" before Miroku could finish his sentence he was interrupted by Tenten who was acting overly cheerful.

"Great! I'm kind of hungry," turning to the other ninja she continues just as cheerfully, "you still have help me out. I kind of have no control over one of my arms." She was smiling while she said it as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Let's go sit by the fire and you can fix my chakra flow."

Neji quietly followed her lead sitting down, facing the kunoichi. His face was as unreadable as ever and even Tenten could not guess what he was thinking. Activating his blood limit he quickly went to work.

"Yes! That's another thing. What the fuck is wrong with your eyes?" Inuyasha could not hold in the question while the rest of the group watched.

Both ninjas ignored the question with Neji expertly finding the correct chakra points while Tenten struggled to keep her fake smile in place.

"Come on, Inuyasha. I think they need a moment," Miroku said.

"But…"

"Let's go."

"Feh"

It seemed like the two ninjas didn't even notice the exchange. They continued on in silence until Neji finally chose to break it.

"Tenten," Neji didn't even ask. All he had to do was say her name the way he did and Tenten's act was impossible to hold on to anymore. She couldn't hide the emotions that showed through.

"About a year ago, while I was still a chunnin, one of our missions went wrong," she didn't say anything else and Neji didn't ask. "I sometimes still… " she couldn't look him in the eye.

"Emotions are a weakness," What happened to you

"I'm sorry," if it was not physically impossible kunoichi would have shrunk in size. It was such an un-Tenten like behavior that Neji almost winced.

"Some emotions can also give you strength as you learn to control them better," giving his old teammate a smile Neji continued, "and I believe that is the second time you lost a spar."

Tenten answered with her own little, but true, smile, "The first spar was interrupted!"

"I will take my payment now," and before Tenten could form a reply Neji quickly leaned forward capturing her lips with his own.

To be Continued…