Notice: I do not own Naruto, and make no claims of copyright on the
characters who are not my property. Original characters, however, are mine.
Author's Notes: Okay, so it's been a bit since I updated. Sorry, things have been busy, though they are hopefully getting better now. This chapter is really quite short, but there's enough here to make a whole chapter. For anyone waiting on Shiren's or Xi's past, I'm afraid the full story will be waiting a while (like until the climax arc begins). But I will promise that Xi will chat with Raikage once all these matches are over, and that should get a lot of stuff out in the open.
Thanks to reviewers, and if FF.net is being troublesome, how unfortunate, but it makes it all that much nicer to hear from you!
White and Green
Neji stood facing his opponent on the battlefield, the tall lightning ninja Monihii Yon. The lightning ninja attempted to look down on Neji, despite being only a few inches taller, but no mater how he stared he could make no impression on the white eyes of his foe. Neji looked back at him dispassionately. I will finish this quickly, as a ninja should. Though Xi had laid the restriction on Neji that he could not kill anyone during the tournament, 'regardless of whether you might change the course of the battle that way,' he was more than confident that he could defeat his enemy. This ninja's abilities are surely in the same vein as his twin brother's. He is not weak, but he is not on the same level as I am. I will end this in a single attack, if he can stop me, then I will consider my options from there. That was Neji's resolution.
From the corner of his eye Neji could observe Shiren and Gosain, as well as the other ninja of the tournament, looking on. Gosain had a grim and tired look, but he seemed very sure of his convictions. Shiren was looking on with a soft smile, not cheering, but Neji could recognize her support. Two will cheer for me at least, better than the last time I was in a match like this, he remarked inwardly. I wonder, perhaps even Xi hopes for my victory, if he cares at all.
"Fifteen meters separate them." Dar said sideways to Xi, high up in the stands. "I would say this takes twelve seconds."
"Eight." The dragon ninja said immediately, his tone absolute, the statement of an established fact.
"Really?" Dar asked seriously. "I think it will take a moment or two to block whatever attack the Lightning ninja offers." All about them the crowd was muttering a bout the two contenders. Few knew anything about Neji, his Hyuuga lineage had not been revealed in the program, and the leaf ninja was obscure to the watchers from stone. Skilled ninja in the audience, however, were looking down at the field intently. This was the genin who led the team that had discerned hidden ANBU, and had slain twenty- one genin from Hidden Waterfall. They wondered about his capabilities, about how strong this leaf ninja truly was.
"Watch," Xi replied. "See the nature of the dragon ninja, and of the eyes of the Hyuuga."
Dar turned his gaze back down to the open field; his right hand gripped the hilt of his sword.
The examiner, looking rather angry, walked up between the two of them. "Let's try to avoid any career ending injuries in this fight gentlemen." He told both younger ninja. "It's made the crowd rather testy."
Neji gave a slight nod in response, but Yon gave a viscous grin. "Heh, I ought to take Nemari's vengeance out of your hide, Leaf boy."
"I would have offered you the chance to give up." Neji said, directing his speech at the examiner, not Yon, obviously making the lightning ninja extremely angry. "Now it appears I should teach you a lesson."
Acade's face showed no response. He raised his hand high. The crowd tensed. "The final match of the fourth round: Monihii Yon of Cloud versus the sole entry from the Leaf: Draci Neji!"
"Begin!"
Neji's legs filled with chakra, and he slid forward in a motion that could not truly be called a run, the motion so smooth and focused it seemed that he simply was gliding across the ground, blasting toward Yon like an arrow loosed from a bow. His arms hung loose close to his sides.
A gasp rode from the crowd at the strange sudden charge, and Yon's eyes widened, for he could see the face of Neji, and saw the terrible change that had occurred, the taught veins and twisted lenses that focused the vision of the Byakugan. There seemed to be some desperation in his moment even as he pulled eight shuriken and threw them in a perfect arc toward Neji.
Arms snapped up at a speed almost too fast to see, and with eight swift motions shuriken flew aside, flying apart to stick some distance away in the ground. Neji did not miss a single step, and did not slow an iota.
Yon hadn't even the time to realize his own doom.
Two great cracking slaps split the arena, as Neji smashed into Yon's chest, his hands bursting over the lungs, driving the air from his body and closing tenkentsu after tenkentsu. Ribs bruised beneath clothes, blood burst from Yon's mouth, and his heart skipped a beat from the tremendous force of the blow.
Even before the force of the blow sent the lightning ninja flying into the ground, Neji had followed his strikes with two more attacks, extending his first two fingers he slammed shut every tenkentsu on the shoulders, so that the arms went instantly limp. Yon struck the ground full on with his back, lacking the ability to roll.
The lightning ninja shuddered once, and coughed blood. He gasped and wheezed, but did not have the strength to stand. His legs spasmed randomly, but he made to moves and did not speak.
Neji stood calmly with a kunai in his hand, ready to throw should it prove necessary.
Acade was instantly next to the fallen Monihii Yon. He checked the body with swift hands. "Bruised ribs, maybe broken, but no other serious injuries." He muttered to himself. "Get medics!" He then shouted as he stood. Turning to face the Kage's seated far above, Acade called out in a clear voice. "Winner: Draci Neji!"
Neji put his kunai away and walked past the fallen Yon on his way back to the waiting room. "Bad luck in the opponent you drew." He said to the lightning ninja in passing. For the rest, he was quite satisfied with what had gone on.
"The first round has concluded." Acade called out to the crowd. "We will now break for lunch and to allow the competitors some time to recover. The second round will begin with the match of Aburanki Kei and Tonetero!"
* * *
The remaining contestants gathered for lunch in the waiting room, at small benches that were not comfortable in the slightest. They were kept well heated, instead of the blustery wind of the outdoor stadium, but there were dark looks now. Eight ninja remained, and they gave each other devious looks as the forced themselves to consume the meager offering that had been given. There was no contact with the outside, Examiner Acade watched them, and their jounin had to remain up in the stands.
Neji sat with Shiren and Gosain on a long bench. They ate in silence, focusing on what was to come. Gosain looked tired, but he was quickly regaining energy. Others edged away from Neji, not wanting to approach him, or Gosain. They had proved themselves dangerous.
The remaining stone ninja, Tsukabe Ota, did not eat; he simply sat cross-legged on the floor, composed and ready. His face was serene. Gosain's opponent. Neji recognized the power in the man. He is very strong. It will be very difficult for Gosain, and he has already fought a very difficult fight. I may have to face him. So Neji took his measure of the stone ninja, an adolescent who looked completely mature. Ota was focused, adult in a way that many ninja would never achieve. He and Gosain are the oldest ninja here, Neji determined. They have seen the world.
Contemplating the Stone ninja, Neji was almost completely surprised when the young lady from Grass, Aburanki Kei, joined his team.
"What do you want?" Shiren asked pleasantly, reacting quickly to the Grass ninja's approach.
Her speech was open, and exposed, heads turned. Tsukabe Ota and Monihii Waru did not bother to watch once they noticed what was happening, but the two other Grass ninja stared at Kei, and the eyes of Tonetero held something truly foul.
"I wished to speak with you, team fifty-eight." Kei said. Her voice was harsh, defensive, but somehow desperate.
Neji did not respond, he decided to let Shiren speak instead. I think she will handle this better than I.
"So speak." Shiren said simply. "We've nothing to hide, though you'll understand if I don't start spouting secrets."
"That doesn't matter." Kei replied. She moved closer, trying to put Neji between herself and Tonetero. Neji, catching a shift in Shiren's glance, stood up and blocked her in, shielding the grass ninja. When that was done Kei spoke again. "I am going to lose my next match." She said frankly, with a fatal certainty.
"Hardly the best attitude." Shiren quipped.
"It's not my way to lie to myself." Kei said fiercely. "But I cannot beat Tonetero, he is a terror. I will do my best, but I will lose the next fight, and I may well die. Tonetero has a grudge against me, since I am the one who leads our team, at least, so our jounin says."
Shiren nodded quietly, her eyes understood Kei's words. "What do you want from us?" She asked, considering.
"You are strong." Kei told them all. "Stronger than anyone here I suspect. I would ask for you to consider my request. You especially, Senirai Shiren, since when you win he will become your opponent."
"You are awfully sure I will win." Shiren smiled softly, creeping lines of amusement in her eyes.
Of course you will win Shiren. Neji thought, but he found her modesty both amusing and admirable. I wonder if I could have said that?
"You will win." Kei said, sad and assured. "And I ask, when the time comes. Avenge me!" It was a hissed whisper, dark and terrible, and spoke of hidden horrors and tormented sins in the past.
Shiren's midnight blue eyes flashed. The smile disappeared from her face. "If you wish that, then I will."
"You will owe Shiren for this, Aburanki Kei." Neji said from behind her. "Do not forget that."
Kei looked at Shiren, and seeing the stern look on her dark face, nodded slightly. "If I survive, I will someday make good on the debt. You have my word."
"Very well then, I will do my best." Shiren told Kei.
Aburanki Kei walked away then, going back to sit with Tonetero and the third grass ninja. She looked uncomfortable in the extreme, and the thorn-covered ninja gave her a look that promised hideous and unspeakable things to come.
Shiren looked at Neji seriously, probing deep into his eyes. "Is this the right thing?" She whispered, softly enough that not even Gosain could here.
Neji had no sure answer. "I cannot say," He told her. "The choice is yours, but I believe you made the right decision." He paused, and then said one last thing. "I do not like his eyes, they are hollow."
Silently, Shiren appeared to consider those words.
Soon enough the tension filled break was over, and the eight remaining ninja ventured back out to the waiting room. There they still had to pass some time before the crowd would gather back into its seats and settle down. They were all silent as they waited, watching the empty field, going over the fights inside their minds. Four to fight again, and four whose strength was unknown, but the most heralded names would have their first matches now, and the excitement was palpable.
Above in the stands, Draci Xi once again found himself sought out by the chuunin Dar. "Is my company that good?" He asked sideways at the young man. "I hadn't thought it so."
"It's not." Dar replied frankly, but made no move to leave. After a time, as the first two contestants were marching out onto the field, he finally spoke to the silent Xi. "What do you expect from this match."
"Something brutal." Xi answered. "That bloodline ability was supposed to have been exterminated. This Tonetero cannot be a good omen. This village experiments too much with things even more horrible than me."
"An interesting benchmark." The stone ninja remarked with a soft laugh.
"You have the gall to say that?" Xi's eyes gave Dar a sideways glance filled with sarcasm. The other ninja fell silent.
The two grass ninja faced each other on the field of battle, as the afternoon sun broke through the clouds and the crow roared with impatience.
Casting his gaze up to the Kages sitting in their high position, Xi thought he saw concern from Raikage, a cold dislike of what was coming. He also saw a morbid fascination from Tsuchikage. This amuses you old man? Xi thought. Only you could take such an interest in the first death knell of a Hidden Village. The Dragon ninja turned away. Perhaps there will be a miracle, he thought, looking at Aburanki Kei. That wouldn't be fitting though, not today. He decided only a moment later.
The Examiner walked out between the two ninja.
Author's Notes: Okay, so it's been a bit since I updated. Sorry, things have been busy, though they are hopefully getting better now. This chapter is really quite short, but there's enough here to make a whole chapter. For anyone waiting on Shiren's or Xi's past, I'm afraid the full story will be waiting a while (like until the climax arc begins). But I will promise that Xi will chat with Raikage once all these matches are over, and that should get a lot of stuff out in the open.
Thanks to reviewers, and if FF.net is being troublesome, how unfortunate, but it makes it all that much nicer to hear from you!
White and Green
Neji stood facing his opponent on the battlefield, the tall lightning ninja Monihii Yon. The lightning ninja attempted to look down on Neji, despite being only a few inches taller, but no mater how he stared he could make no impression on the white eyes of his foe. Neji looked back at him dispassionately. I will finish this quickly, as a ninja should. Though Xi had laid the restriction on Neji that he could not kill anyone during the tournament, 'regardless of whether you might change the course of the battle that way,' he was more than confident that he could defeat his enemy. This ninja's abilities are surely in the same vein as his twin brother's. He is not weak, but he is not on the same level as I am. I will end this in a single attack, if he can stop me, then I will consider my options from there. That was Neji's resolution.
From the corner of his eye Neji could observe Shiren and Gosain, as well as the other ninja of the tournament, looking on. Gosain had a grim and tired look, but he seemed very sure of his convictions. Shiren was looking on with a soft smile, not cheering, but Neji could recognize her support. Two will cheer for me at least, better than the last time I was in a match like this, he remarked inwardly. I wonder, perhaps even Xi hopes for my victory, if he cares at all.
"Fifteen meters separate them." Dar said sideways to Xi, high up in the stands. "I would say this takes twelve seconds."
"Eight." The dragon ninja said immediately, his tone absolute, the statement of an established fact.
"Really?" Dar asked seriously. "I think it will take a moment or two to block whatever attack the Lightning ninja offers." All about them the crowd was muttering a bout the two contenders. Few knew anything about Neji, his Hyuuga lineage had not been revealed in the program, and the leaf ninja was obscure to the watchers from stone. Skilled ninja in the audience, however, were looking down at the field intently. This was the genin who led the team that had discerned hidden ANBU, and had slain twenty- one genin from Hidden Waterfall. They wondered about his capabilities, about how strong this leaf ninja truly was.
"Watch," Xi replied. "See the nature of the dragon ninja, and of the eyes of the Hyuuga."
Dar turned his gaze back down to the open field; his right hand gripped the hilt of his sword.
The examiner, looking rather angry, walked up between the two of them. "Let's try to avoid any career ending injuries in this fight gentlemen." He told both younger ninja. "It's made the crowd rather testy."
Neji gave a slight nod in response, but Yon gave a viscous grin. "Heh, I ought to take Nemari's vengeance out of your hide, Leaf boy."
"I would have offered you the chance to give up." Neji said, directing his speech at the examiner, not Yon, obviously making the lightning ninja extremely angry. "Now it appears I should teach you a lesson."
Acade's face showed no response. He raised his hand high. The crowd tensed. "The final match of the fourth round: Monihii Yon of Cloud versus the sole entry from the Leaf: Draci Neji!"
"Begin!"
Neji's legs filled with chakra, and he slid forward in a motion that could not truly be called a run, the motion so smooth and focused it seemed that he simply was gliding across the ground, blasting toward Yon like an arrow loosed from a bow. His arms hung loose close to his sides.
A gasp rode from the crowd at the strange sudden charge, and Yon's eyes widened, for he could see the face of Neji, and saw the terrible change that had occurred, the taught veins and twisted lenses that focused the vision of the Byakugan. There seemed to be some desperation in his moment even as he pulled eight shuriken and threw them in a perfect arc toward Neji.
Arms snapped up at a speed almost too fast to see, and with eight swift motions shuriken flew aside, flying apart to stick some distance away in the ground. Neji did not miss a single step, and did not slow an iota.
Yon hadn't even the time to realize his own doom.
Two great cracking slaps split the arena, as Neji smashed into Yon's chest, his hands bursting over the lungs, driving the air from his body and closing tenkentsu after tenkentsu. Ribs bruised beneath clothes, blood burst from Yon's mouth, and his heart skipped a beat from the tremendous force of the blow.
Even before the force of the blow sent the lightning ninja flying into the ground, Neji had followed his strikes with two more attacks, extending his first two fingers he slammed shut every tenkentsu on the shoulders, so that the arms went instantly limp. Yon struck the ground full on with his back, lacking the ability to roll.
The lightning ninja shuddered once, and coughed blood. He gasped and wheezed, but did not have the strength to stand. His legs spasmed randomly, but he made to moves and did not speak.
Neji stood calmly with a kunai in his hand, ready to throw should it prove necessary.
Acade was instantly next to the fallen Monihii Yon. He checked the body with swift hands. "Bruised ribs, maybe broken, but no other serious injuries." He muttered to himself. "Get medics!" He then shouted as he stood. Turning to face the Kage's seated far above, Acade called out in a clear voice. "Winner: Draci Neji!"
Neji put his kunai away and walked past the fallen Yon on his way back to the waiting room. "Bad luck in the opponent you drew." He said to the lightning ninja in passing. For the rest, he was quite satisfied with what had gone on.
"The first round has concluded." Acade called out to the crowd. "We will now break for lunch and to allow the competitors some time to recover. The second round will begin with the match of Aburanki Kei and Tonetero!"
* * *
The remaining contestants gathered for lunch in the waiting room, at small benches that were not comfortable in the slightest. They were kept well heated, instead of the blustery wind of the outdoor stadium, but there were dark looks now. Eight ninja remained, and they gave each other devious looks as the forced themselves to consume the meager offering that had been given. There was no contact with the outside, Examiner Acade watched them, and their jounin had to remain up in the stands.
Neji sat with Shiren and Gosain on a long bench. They ate in silence, focusing on what was to come. Gosain looked tired, but he was quickly regaining energy. Others edged away from Neji, not wanting to approach him, or Gosain. They had proved themselves dangerous.
The remaining stone ninja, Tsukabe Ota, did not eat; he simply sat cross-legged on the floor, composed and ready. His face was serene. Gosain's opponent. Neji recognized the power in the man. He is very strong. It will be very difficult for Gosain, and he has already fought a very difficult fight. I may have to face him. So Neji took his measure of the stone ninja, an adolescent who looked completely mature. Ota was focused, adult in a way that many ninja would never achieve. He and Gosain are the oldest ninja here, Neji determined. They have seen the world.
Contemplating the Stone ninja, Neji was almost completely surprised when the young lady from Grass, Aburanki Kei, joined his team.
"What do you want?" Shiren asked pleasantly, reacting quickly to the Grass ninja's approach.
Her speech was open, and exposed, heads turned. Tsukabe Ota and Monihii Waru did not bother to watch once they noticed what was happening, but the two other Grass ninja stared at Kei, and the eyes of Tonetero held something truly foul.
"I wished to speak with you, team fifty-eight." Kei said. Her voice was harsh, defensive, but somehow desperate.
Neji did not respond, he decided to let Shiren speak instead. I think she will handle this better than I.
"So speak." Shiren said simply. "We've nothing to hide, though you'll understand if I don't start spouting secrets."
"That doesn't matter." Kei replied. She moved closer, trying to put Neji between herself and Tonetero. Neji, catching a shift in Shiren's glance, stood up and blocked her in, shielding the grass ninja. When that was done Kei spoke again. "I am going to lose my next match." She said frankly, with a fatal certainty.
"Hardly the best attitude." Shiren quipped.
"It's not my way to lie to myself." Kei said fiercely. "But I cannot beat Tonetero, he is a terror. I will do my best, but I will lose the next fight, and I may well die. Tonetero has a grudge against me, since I am the one who leads our team, at least, so our jounin says."
Shiren nodded quietly, her eyes understood Kei's words. "What do you want from us?" She asked, considering.
"You are strong." Kei told them all. "Stronger than anyone here I suspect. I would ask for you to consider my request. You especially, Senirai Shiren, since when you win he will become your opponent."
"You are awfully sure I will win." Shiren smiled softly, creeping lines of amusement in her eyes.
Of course you will win Shiren. Neji thought, but he found her modesty both amusing and admirable. I wonder if I could have said that?
"You will win." Kei said, sad and assured. "And I ask, when the time comes. Avenge me!" It was a hissed whisper, dark and terrible, and spoke of hidden horrors and tormented sins in the past.
Shiren's midnight blue eyes flashed. The smile disappeared from her face. "If you wish that, then I will."
"You will owe Shiren for this, Aburanki Kei." Neji said from behind her. "Do not forget that."
Kei looked at Shiren, and seeing the stern look on her dark face, nodded slightly. "If I survive, I will someday make good on the debt. You have my word."
"Very well then, I will do my best." Shiren told Kei.
Aburanki Kei walked away then, going back to sit with Tonetero and the third grass ninja. She looked uncomfortable in the extreme, and the thorn-covered ninja gave her a look that promised hideous and unspeakable things to come.
Shiren looked at Neji seriously, probing deep into his eyes. "Is this the right thing?" She whispered, softly enough that not even Gosain could here.
Neji had no sure answer. "I cannot say," He told her. "The choice is yours, but I believe you made the right decision." He paused, and then said one last thing. "I do not like his eyes, they are hollow."
Silently, Shiren appeared to consider those words.
Soon enough the tension filled break was over, and the eight remaining ninja ventured back out to the waiting room. There they still had to pass some time before the crowd would gather back into its seats and settle down. They were all silent as they waited, watching the empty field, going over the fights inside their minds. Four to fight again, and four whose strength was unknown, but the most heralded names would have their first matches now, and the excitement was palpable.
Above in the stands, Draci Xi once again found himself sought out by the chuunin Dar. "Is my company that good?" He asked sideways at the young man. "I hadn't thought it so."
"It's not." Dar replied frankly, but made no move to leave. After a time, as the first two contestants were marching out onto the field, he finally spoke to the silent Xi. "What do you expect from this match."
"Something brutal." Xi answered. "That bloodline ability was supposed to have been exterminated. This Tonetero cannot be a good omen. This village experiments too much with things even more horrible than me."
"An interesting benchmark." The stone ninja remarked with a soft laugh.
"You have the gall to say that?" Xi's eyes gave Dar a sideways glance filled with sarcasm. The other ninja fell silent.
The two grass ninja faced each other on the field of battle, as the afternoon sun broke through the clouds and the crow roared with impatience.
Casting his gaze up to the Kages sitting in their high position, Xi thought he saw concern from Raikage, a cold dislike of what was coming. He also saw a morbid fascination from Tsuchikage. This amuses you old man? Xi thought. Only you could take such an interest in the first death knell of a Hidden Village. The Dragon ninja turned away. Perhaps there will be a miracle, he thought, looking at Aburanki Kei. That wouldn't be fitting though, not today. He decided only a moment later.
The Examiner walked out between the two ninja.