Takara was catching her breath while shoveling down the delicious egg and chicken domburi from her bento box for strength.

She had taken a small break from training with Neji, and she wanted to be down as soon as she could. She never knew training could be so much fun! Sure enough, it was all the same type of training, but something about Neji... made it better.

Taka looked at the handsome, pale-eyed wonder boy she had met six weeks before. He had proved beyond the reasonable doubt that he was not Prince Charming material, but that didn't mean she still couldn't be a princess.

He was more like-- Eric. The man from The Little Mermaid? The one who longed to be freed from his family's oppressiveness by the love of another? And Taka was more than happy to become the princess of Atlantis AND a mermaid.

"This break is long enough." Neji closed the top on his empty bento box. "Come here and we'll practice shuriken accuracy."

"Yes, Neji-kun! I need to work on that."

"Now, its all a matter of how you hold the shuriken. Hold it here, in between these two fingers, and throw it."

Takara did, but it didn't even make near the target. It fell to the ground before it went anywhere.

"Hm... you need to throw harder."

"Okay, Neji-kun. I'll try harder." This time, Takara threw it, but this time the balance was off, so it flew around and like an enraged butterfly and both Neji and Taka ducked. It landed in the ground near the stream. Neji went over to pick it up, giving Takara a brilliant(to her) idea.

"Neji-kun, I have an idea."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Let's go swimming, Neji-kun!"

"We're training now. Don't be foolish."

"Oh please, Neji-kun! It's such a beautiful day! Just today, please?" Takara cutely laced her fingers together and begged him, unintentionally making Neji blush. He couldn't say no.

Splashing about in the yellow-white sun light, two immersed children found themselves wading into deeper water.

Of course, after last year's incident in the river, Taka's parents made her take swimming lessons, so there was seemingly no threat.

Neji, enjoying himself more than he thought he should, stepped on a stone in the stream, and slipped. He caught onto a current, and went down the river. Of course, he knew how to swim, but the current was too strong.

Takara was immediately distraught and ran up the river bank, following Neji down the stream from the side of the water.

The river got deeper and deeper, until Neji was fighting the current of the main stream.

The waterfall in the not-so-distance was no consolation.

It wasn't massive, or Niagra Falls-like, but it was far from small.

Before anything else could be done, Neji plummeted down to the river below to a possible watery grave.

Takara, on instinct, dived down the waterfall after him.

One Plunge Later

The water was teasingly lukewarm, and surrounded Taka like the vastness of life itself.

Neji was no challenge to find.

He was breathless in the water, floating in the bright depth with light shining on him through the surface, surrounded by nothing but water itself.

His mouth was open, and that wasn't a good sign.

Takara carried him to the surface and put his head above water. His throat made a gasping noise, but he didn't proceed to breath.

Taka put him on the shore, but the gentle caresses of the river's delta still reached Neji's legs.

Takara pounded on Neji's chest, trying to revive him, but feared for the worst: that she would have to give him mouth-to-mouth. That was something she would most certainly not to, for too many reasons to list.

Though it was totally not the time, she thought of Ariel looking over on the unconscious Eric, as she sang "Part Of Your World".

It was uncalled for, but Taka began to mutter the lyrics in her sweet, angelic voice.

The Hyuga boy began to stir. First he turned about a bit, and then sat up with his eyes open.

"Neji-kun, I was so afraid for you! I'm so sorry, that was all my fault."

"Well. We won't be doing that again," he said with a sort of condescending air about it, as though he was suppressing annoyance. But Taka didn't mind. She deserved it, and it was some of what made Neji... Neji.

But still, this time it sort of hurt.

Tears began to pour from her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Neji-kun, it was all my fault. Please forgive me. If I hadn't... then... then... you wouldn't have been put in such danger. I'm useless..."

"Hm?" Neji was only slightly taken aback, but that was still a lot for him. "Stop it. It isn't befitting for a ninja to carry on like that. Instead of behaving like that, why don't you try and fix yourself, if you're so useless. You'll never improve yourself if you don't train. Your fate as a shinobi is sure to be a failing one."

Neji got up to walk away, and though he couldn't see it, he knew Takara had on the warm, beloved smile that seemed to radiate light.

He didn't understand it about her, but every time her gave her a lecture, or any sort of criticism, she'd smile and give off a loving glow, with the kind of smile that brought wilting flowers to life.

He didn't understand it, but he didn't question, because he enjoyed it.

The reason, however, why Takara smiled that way was simple. It was her, I-know-I'm-cared-for-smile.

It showed itself once in five pink moons, but when it did, it shone a graceful light around her that her herself wasn't capable of achieving.

Clumsy or not, she loved to feel loved.

Her brilliant smile faded into a satisfied grin as she tagged along behind her not-so-Prince-Charming.

Hasn't she learned to avoid water?

What a foolish young girl!

But still, she's a savior to her "Eric"

And a beacon to the world!

Author's Corner

Review! I'm telling you, it makes me update faster... come on, you can be my first flame. : And you get to be in the cool shout out list.

Shout Outs(regulars get nicknames)

moogle in paradaisu: Thank you! I try. :

Punk-chan: Yeah, but as broken as an eight year old can be. Don't worry, she'll really get her heart broken one day... (that's foreshadowing right there, people!) And I got your OC. I have a few ideas for her... :

Domi-kun: Rest assured, I have big plans for your OC. And I know, I'm a cruel writer. :P Nah, don't worry. She always seems to turn out okay, eh? (that's the point of the heroine --')

Ceru-chan: Thanks! I already have plans for the OC, though they're a bit tweaked from what you sent me. And if you want me to update... I like da reviews.