The Naruto franchise is the property of Masashi Kishimoto.
Chapter 26: Tomon, Gate of Limit
"Hey, Neji?" Sakura asked, "What's your chakra affinity?"
They had just finished a light spar to test the extent to which Neji's chakra network had recovered. It far from what it used to be, but it was certainly a start. He was able to utilize what he considered the basics of ninjutsu, though the jūken was still out of his reach for the moment.
"Is it important?" the prodigy asked.
Sakura blinked.
"Well, yeah, I mean..." she said, "You could create new jutsu."
"I don't need a more powerful jutsu," he said, shaking his head, "While Uzumaki can spare enough chakra to hit everything as hard as he can as often as he can until it stops moving, I have to be more efficient, in case of bunshin techniques and the like. The jūken can do all that and furthermore deprives targets of their ability to use evasive techniques like the Kawarimi no Jutsu. Outside of it..."
He exhaled.
"I know a few fire techniques."
"Fire?" the medic asked, "Why fire?"
An expression of distaste crossed the ANBU captain's features.
"Utility. Disposal of bodies and such," he said, "But originally to 'ignite in me the fire of youth'."
A sparkling laugh.
"But, don't you want to know what your affinity is?" the rose-haired medic persisted.
Neji held out a hand.
"If it's that important to you," he said patiently, "Then I will try it."
"E-Eh, well, I do have this chakra affinity paper..." she said, caught red-handed.
"What a coincidence," the stoic prodigy smirked.
"It would be a shame to waste it," the medic said, slipping it into his hand.
"Agreed."
Neji held the paper on his palm and channeled a bit of his chakra into it. Instantly, it curled up on itself, forming a small, but neat, ball.
"Lightning," Sakura mused.
"What is yours?" he asked with a tilt of his head, almost managing to make the question sound casual.
"Water," Sakura said with a beaming smile, recognizing the awkward inquiry as Neji's unique brand of caring, "Do you know any lightning jutsu?"
"In theory," Neji said.
"In theory?"
He shrugged.
"With the Byakugan, I can see the forms of chakra within various techniques," the prodigy said, "But it's not quite like the Sharingan in that actually copying them requires a great deal more control and effort. In any case, I have only seen one lightning jutsu."
"Which one?"
With great care, he locked his fingers together in an ox hand seal. Disengaging, he fitted them into the rabbit seal, then collapsed them to form the monkey seal.
"Chidori."
He held his hand out before him, fingers loosely cupped. Static began to arc from finger to finger, pushing outward and dissipating into the air as more and more chakra was committed to the technique. Something caught, though, and the sparks began to backwash into his body.
Untempered energy mixed with raw electricity, searing Neji's nerves and throwing his muscles into wild convulsions. He gritted his teeth, trying to cut off the technique but was unable to tame his own body.
Sakura caught him by the wrist, using her superior strength to force his hand into the ground, discharging the excess energy with a small explosion.
~o (5) o~
"I think I know when the petals appear now," Sakura said as they sat atop Hokage Mountain. Her hair was still somewhat singed, and she found herself almost thankful for Neji's blindness.
"Oh?" Neji asked. His hand strayed up to his forehead, which now sported a seal with five symmetrical petals.
"It's every time you overcome your old self," she said thoughtfully, "Or rather, an aspect of yourself."
"What do you mean?" the prodigy asked, licking a bit of ice cream off of his lips. Sakura found herself momentarily entranced by the sight of his tongue.
"Sakura?"
"Huh? O-Oh, well," she stammered, blushing, "Well, the first petal appeared when you... I mean..."
"Learned to rely on you?" Neji supplied.
"Right..." the medic said with a small smile, "And the next was when you opened up to me. I'm... not sure why the third appeared."
"The third," Neji said quietly, "Was when I learned that fate was more than just an obstacle to overcome. And the fourth was when I recognized more than the strength to kill."
"And the fifth was when you used a new chakra nature," Sakura mused.
"Used," Neji repeated with a wry smile, "More or less. So the question would be what the seal holds."
There was a long silence.
"Something dark... Something powerful..." the medic frowned, "Maybe it's your old self. Or, rather, the darkness in your old self that Sasuke unleashed."
"Then at the end of all this, I'll have to overcome myself."
"You can do it," Sakura said with an encouraging squeeze of his hand, "I don't know why, but I think you'll be stronger than you were before at the end of all this."
Neji disagreed. He knew the reason for his strength already.
It was the girl sitting beside him.
But he said nothing.
~o TBC o~
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