Neji and Asuka headed for the clearing and Neji held out his hand for her to stop. A moment of insecurity flooded her as she halted, her heartbeat thudding in her ears.
Neji held out two fingers in reminder, and caught her eye.
His pale eyes burrowed into her. They made the world disappear, and suddenly she felt just as empty as his eyes. Hesitation and fear gone, she repeated the action, cheeks dusted pink.
He was turned away just as soon as she had done so, and she wondered how such lifeless eyes could make her feel so much.
She watched him tense, "They're coming."
Only moments after the words left his mouth he was gone.
She heard the fight begin, and jumped to catch a branch above her. Pulling herself up into the tree, she moved to find a spot where she could see clearly.
It was quickly apparent that Neji was the underdog here, Guy Sensei's speed made him hard to track, even for Neji's eyes. He was going to need them sooner then she had thought.
She hoped Lee was watching, he would need to study Guy's style so that he could catch the best timing to snatch up the bells.
Nerves started to build up as Neji received a blow to face that sent him rolling.
Come on Neji, she thought, quit trying to do it yourself.
The fight seemed to drag until Neji moved two fingers behind his back as he regained his stance from another heavy blow.
Asuka dove in, making her first move straight for the bells. Guy Sensei deflected her like a fly, and she rolled. She caught herself mid-roll and skidded to a stop, quickly realizing that Neji would be in no place to continue fighting after a couple blows like that one.
She gritted her teeth, she would need to fight and dive for the bells one last time as a signal for Lee.
Her eyes widened, Guy Sensei was on her before she even had time to think of her next move.
She blocked and used her size to her advantage, using his arm as leverage to make a flip and land on his other side.
She dipped down and went for a low kick to the back of his knees, he dodged and she barely dodged his return attack.
Her heart pounded in her ears as she pulled her own weight back, taking two flips away from him.
The distance was ineffective, he was on her again. She gritted her teeth as she received the first serious blow that sent her reeling. She went rolling and hardly had time to struggle to her feet when she noted that Neji was making another move.
"Idiot," she muttered, one more hit and he was toast.
She moved for her weapons, using the short blades as handles for her chakra. Her ability to mold chakra was weak, she had yet to master the skill and she had used up most of her chakra in finding Neji.
One slithering wave of chakra from her blade was all it took to make Guy Sensei jump back three paces. She used the moment to throw herself into a standing position.
She wouldn't be able to extend her chakra that far again. She threw the short blade up and let it separate catching half in each hand; she twirled them both between her fingers and let one land with her thumb resting at the bottom of the hilt.
She only needed to fight long enough for one more dash at the bells.
With that in mind she threw herself at Guy Sensei, one swipe, throwing half the blade to land heavily in the dirt. She held the one and used it with her punches and support for one handed flips, lining it with chakra whenever he got to close.
Guy Sensei was grinning, and saying something, but she didn't have the time to hear him. Chakra was buzzing in her ears along with the pounding of her heart and the swishing of her movements through the air.
She took two more heavy blows and was swimming in pain. She focused her chakra to the hits, holding her head high. She wouldn't let him see it.
She crouched for another low kick and spun half way, his dodge giving her just enough time and space to make a grab for the bells.
She barely missed, and Lee followed not a second behind her like a blur. His fingers brushed the bells and Guy Sensei came down on him with the hardest kick she'd ever seen. Lee was embedded at least two inches into the ground and Asuka was half positive that his back was snapped in two.
"Excellent teamwork!" Guy Sensei bellowed, tears streaming down his face. "You all pass!"
Asuka felt her jaw drop.
"Such youth in your fighting spirit!" Guy continued to shout and Asuka just fell backwards onto the grass.
She let herself relax a little as Guy Sensei explained the purpose of the test, she had been right. It was to test their teamwork and their skill.
She blocked out part of his lecture, as he lifted Lee from the ground and began to discuss youth and passion. Asuka did, however, pick up that he mentioned her as being the cause for them being discovered. Her protecting Neji, vs jumping in to her own advantage, meant that they were working together.
She grimaced, what a stupid reason, she should've let Neji get beat to a pulp.
Her chest caved in a little, she had received a decent blow to her lower right ribcage.
She pooled chakra to dull the pain, and winced when the pain returned to her head.
Asuka continued to shift her chakra, wondering where Neji was. She couldn't hear his voice, but she couldn't imagine he had much positive to say anyway. Lee sounded ok, she peeked an eye open to see him standing only slightly crooked. She did not envy that kick in the slightest. Neji was still unseen.
She finally found a steady flow that deterred the pain and let her muscles relax into the grass.
She wondered if Neji had collapsed just as she did. He would need to be patched up soon, unlike herself he wouldn't be able to shoo the pain away or heal anywhere near as fast as she did. She had brought some first add and she should probably offer it. She grimaced. Lee would need to get his back checked as well. He would have to ice it this evening.
Her thoughts rolled on in minor medical attentions, idly listening to Guy Sensei, and letting her muscles float in even chakra.
Neji kept his mouth screwed shut as he listened to Guy Sensei and Lee. Asuka had been right about the point of the exercise, and it infuriated Neji.
He had been completely unable to keep up with Guy Sensei, he should've lasted a lot longer. He was fuming that he had to ask Asuka for help so soon and that she had the nerve to try and protect him, all the while blowing their cover. He gritted his teeth, not that they actually needed the plan to work in the end, but the failure still enraged him.
He glanced over in Asuka's direction. She lay out in the grass motionless, but her face was knitted into a clear representation of pain.
He felt his cheeks flush and he was suddenly not only angry but embarrassed.
He was in a lot of pain himself, and he was angry at her taking a few hits for him. She was more agile and missed more than what he would have gotten, and he was frustrated with how long she lasted. However, he was embarrassed at her pain for his sake.
He watched her with a glare.
Guy Sensei's discussion with Lee ticked by, and Neji was becoming increasingly aware of how unmoving she was.
The idea that she could be hurt badly, pecked at his mind like a leaky faucet.
Gravely injured, on his account, on her first day of training…. That sounded like a swell way to start of his career as a ninja.
He scowled.
Damn it all.
He stood slowly, wincing at his own injuries, and walked over to her.
Standing there awkwardly for a few moments, he stuffed his hands in his pockets.
He never much liked girls, at least not the way the boys did. Not to say that he liked men, but women just seemed… frustrating, and whiney. He didn't much mind Asuka though. She was dependable in most aspects, pleasant, and she didn't whine or stand for any nonsense, as he had discovered today. She was even pretty.
He watched her carefully, seeing if she was breathing normally.
She still isn't cut out to be a ninja, He reasoned, watching her chest rise and fall evenly. Her hair was loose around her face and a white curl clung to her cheek while the rest fell around her into the grass. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were parted slightly….
He felt his own cheeks flush again, anger refueling with the realization of his fault in her injuries.
"Asuka," He said her name curtly, and watched her eyes fly open.
The sun made them glisten a little more than normal as she pushed a hand into the air to shade her view.
"Are you alright?" she asked him curiously.
Of course she was worried about him.
He scowled a little, "un." He replied lamely, unable to make himself ask if she was ok.
She smiled up at him and sat up slowly.
"Lee-san looks like he's ok too," She said. "I have a feeling he went easy on us."
He chose to again reply lamely, "Un."
She glanced at him, "I have first aid in the bento box."
He chose not to reply this time.
"I'll patch you up once we get back to the meeting spot."
He nodded as she stood.
"Guy Sensei," she spoke clearly above the Guy and Lee. "I think now would be a good time for lunch," she pointed out sweetly.
Guy agreed in a meaninglessly loud manner and started off, Lee not far behind.
Asuka went to follow them and Neji stood in an awkward and frustrated pose.
"Asuka," he said again, still curt and refusing to make eye contact.
"Hm?" She turned to him curiously, and he glared a little in her direction.
"Are you alright?" He finally asked.
She blinked but smiled softly.
"Mm," she nodded. "I'm alright."