Watch Me
Part Two: Retainer
Neji recovered and cut his recovery period in half thanks to Shizune's attention. Gai and Lee escorted him home on the day he was released and stayed long enough for Lee to make the trio tea and have an awkward silence.
Things will change… Neji thought to himself as Gai slid the door closed behind his exit. Things will improve if I work harder… I cannot be the one who loses to anyone ever again… especially not to myself.
Neji didn't know what it would take to make believing himself capable of change a normal phenomenon, but he was willing to attempt anything. He had proved a month ago that he was more than just a genius who gave into fate.
"This isn't about Naruto or Sasuke, Gai or Lee." Neji whispered to himself as he watched the reflection of his right eye in his green tea. That eye held so much potential. He would see so much. If he let himself see. "To become something new, better, stronger, I have to forget who I was: weak, hateful and pathetic. I must forget my old foolish lessons and learn… I must forget bitterness and jealousy. I must define destiny myself."
Neji stood up and walked to the wooden bookshelf pushed flush to the eastern, milk tea colored wall. The shelf was just above his eye level, holding a picture from a very long time ago, an ink well on a tray of paint brushes, and a sacred scroll with his father's handwriting. His fingers reached into his pocket and pulled a single feather out. He examined it in front of his pale eyes and smiled at the simple thing that gave him inspiration. He placed the feather gently onto the shelf. He never used to smile: grin and smirk overconfidently yes, but he was smiling now. "Father, Mother, watch me… I'll do what you asked of me, Father. I'll live on… and Mother, I promise I'll learn to fly close to the heavens so you can smile on what a man I've become."
His eyes turned from the picture of his parents and himself as a three year old boy, before the time when he became a caged bird. Both of his parents were smiling, his mother had one hand on Neji's slight shoulder, the other gripping his father's yukata gently. His father's hand rested on Neji's other shoulder and the small boy himself was smiling widely as he looked up at both of them.
He had inherited the Hyuuga bloodline stronger than anyone else from two branch family members and he himself was a branch member. His parents loved each other and proved that love with a single son even though that boy would become marked with a sign they hated. But they loved Neji and Neji felt it in his heart through his mother's gentle touch and his father's words to 'live on'.
His face turned from that picture, the feather and that scroll, to the side of his bookshelf to wear a scroll hung with two words sketched into them gently. "Hyuuga Destiny." Neji's eyes narrowed at the words and thought to rip down the scroll. He thought to feel anger. But his bare hands unclenched and the hatred from his eyes disappeared. Those insightful eyes turned back to the bookshelf and touched his delicate fingers to one of the paint brushes and dipped it into the inkwell. Not a single drop of ink spilled as Neji walked with purposeful steps. He lifted that brush and wrote on his wall with careful and beautiful strokes over that painful scroll.
Overcome
Hyuuga Destiny.
…
That afternoon, that very day, Neji walked from his eastern edge of the Hyuuga Bunke compound and approached his uncle in his study where the man was moving, practicing his Juuken motions. His footwork was excellent. He truly was a master of the Gentle Fist.
"Hiashi-sama."
"Neji."
"Hiashi-sama, I have come to request a favor."
Hiashi stopped his motions and stood perfectly vertical. His shoulders were strong, stretched back tight inside his robes.
"It is unlike you to request anything from anyone, even less so from the Main House."
"I do not ask you this as the leader of the Hyuuga Clan or as a Main house member. I ask you this as my uncle, the brother of my father."
Hiashi's Hyuuga eyes met Neji's Hyuuga eyes. Hiashi had seen that Neji looked very much like he and Hizashi had looked as teenagers, though Neji's face was still round with determination. By that age he and Hizashi had understood their world and how tightly it bound to them as Main House and Branch House.
"What is this favor you wish to ask me as my nephew, the son of my brother?" Hiashi asked.
Neji stepped closer to his uncle and bowed respectfully to his knees. His eye level was straight forward, though he was on the floor, he would not look down nor up, he kept his eyes forward. "Please, oversee my training from now on." Neji replied.
Hiashi looked at the teenage boy. His hair was growing back, still much too short to wear in his customary style, the way Hizashi had worn his. He was wearing his forehead protector, but it could not block Hiashi's eyes to the curse seal that he himself had carved into Neji's body.
"You are preparing for the next Chuunin exam already?" Hiashi asked.
"I am preparing for the rest of my life, Hiashi-sama. I wish to become a strength for Hyuuga, rather than a burden to it. I wish to become strong, truly strong." Neji responded. He had never been so honest in his whole life.
Hiashi stood straight with his bare toes turned outwards by a slight degree. "Then beginning tomorrow you will learn true strength."
"Arigato, Hiashi-sama."
"Understand Neji, your training will not be my main priority. I will continue to train Hanabi and if Hinata develops talent, she will come before you as well."
"Hai."
…
Neji learned that his body could withstand a significant amount of damage and could be forced to bend for the evasions that would save his life. Hiashi was a merciless teacher, he taught him regularly, taught him with a violence that demanded that Neji learn, react and think immediately and always.
His teammates noticed the difference in Neji immediately. Though Lee was getting stronger and Tenten's arsenal was steadily increasing, Neji remained at a higher level. He still spared with Lee and always beat him, but these fights were different. These fights Gai and Tenten actively watched and realized that Neji wasn't trying to teach Lee a lesson and Lee wasn't trying to overcome a genius. That Naruto kid had some power, Gai decided, to change his proud Neji and to inspire his kawaii Lee. They would be ready, for the next Chuunin exam.
"Neji, Lee, that is enough for today." Gai declared after watching his two male genin spare for near three hours. It was their longest fight to date resulting just as much from Lee's improvement and Neji's desire to keep his body moving, keep training, keep improving.
Neji recalled his Byakugan and beside him Lee took a deep relaxing breath. Tenten smiled at the two of them and handed them water as they sat with their sensei under a wide plum tree. "Lee, Neji, Tenten I have made a decision."
"A decision?" Tenten asked.
"About what, Gai-sensei?"
"As you know in a month is the first Chuunin exam under Godaime Hokage Tsunade-sama. I believe you are all ready for a second pass at it."
"Honto?" Tenten asked.
"Of course, my kawaii kunochi! I believe this time you will all prove to be victorious before the springtime of youth!" Gai delivered a thumb's up.
"Ossu!" Lee shouted triumphantly.
"We will need to begin preparing strategies and training to improve our team work. We've made modifications to our techniques. We need to integrate our new skills into an effective execution pattern."
Gai smiled at Neji, glad to see his strategic student was still improving so much.
"But you know, Neji," Tenten said, "We'll need to keep some secrets, just in case we face each other in the third round. The element of surprise will force us react in battle situations."
Neji nodded in agreement. "If we develop trump cards, those can remain hidden. Forcing others to improve due to the uncertainty of the unknown is also training."
Uncertainty of the unknown? Lee thought to himself. He smiled gently to himself. He is changing. He's more than just a bloodline genius. Lee looked up and saw that Neji just shifted his gaze to fall on Lee and the Hyuuga boy smiled ever so slightly. Lee did the only appropriate reaction for the moment. He gave Neji a thumb's up. I hope we fight in this Chuunin exam, Neji. I've always wanted to fight someone who is truly strong.
…
Gai and his genin squad turned in their registration forms early and were rewarded as such by running into Hatake Kakashi.
"Kakashi." Gai stated.
"Gai, Lee, Neji, Tenten. You have come to register for the Chuunin exam, ka?"
"Of course, Kakashi. My genin are prepared and undefeatable!"
Tenten blew a strand of hair in her bangs upwards. Only one of us even made it to the third exam last time and he was eliminated in the first round.
Neji said and thought nothing. The fire in Lee's eyes was burning fiercely.
"Mah, your students are talented. I expect them to do well." Kakashi smiled with his single visible eye.
"What about you Kakashi?" Gai asked.
"Me what?" Kakashi asked.
"What are you doing for the Chuunin exam?"
Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "I'm already a Jounin, Gai. I don't need to prepare for a test I've already taken."
Gai face vaulted before he grabbed the sides of his head. "Kakashi! However very cool of you to turn my question into a joke!"
Tenten and Kakashi sweat dropped. Neji desperately wanted this to end.
With tears still running down his cheeks, Gai turned his attention back to the Copy Ninja. "Will my precious students have the honor of facing your students again this exam?"
"Iie. I don't have much of a team remaining, Gai. Jiraiya has already taken Naruto for their training and Sakura has dedicated her studies to Hokage-sama. The chuunin exam, for the time being, isn't important to them."
Because there is only two of them. Neji thought. Lee bowed his head as well.
"I see." Gai said. "Well Kakashi, feel free to root for my adorable genin when they complete the exam this time!" Gai laughed vibrantly.
Kakashi's exasperation was apparent through his mask. Tenten's head dropped to her chest. He's making us look as ridiculous as him.
The flame in Lee's eyes continued to rise. "Ossu! We'll be shining!"
Tenten officially gave up. Neji raised his slender eye brows as Kakashi looked around Gai's shoulders and noticed someone. Neji turned his head as Tenten and Lee did and saw who Kakashi was addressing.
Neji's eyebrows furrowed. "Shiranui Genma?"
Genma approached and stopped just behind Gai's team. He didn't look any different than he ever did. His senbou was slack in his mouth; his forehead protector was tied securely to the back of his head, his hair in that medium length jagged cut that framed his face. It was the first time Tenten had ever seen him up close.
"Good afternoon, Genma." Kakashi said with a smile.
Genma rolled his tongue over the senbou point in his mouth. "Yeah."
Gai turned fully to face the other Konoha Jounin. "You have made a total recovery, I see."
"Yeah. Same as the rest of us. Lee-kun, Neji-kun."
Both boys nodded.
"Here." Genma presented three passes to the genin before him. "You left them by mistake when you were signing up for the exams. The process has been modified; we don't need to hold your registrations for longer than a few minutes."
The three genin took their IDs. "Arigato."
"Nah, Genma-san," Tenten asked, "will you be an examiner again?"
"Iie. Godaime is letting Raidou do it this time."
"Letting?" Neji asked.
"Making." Genma corrected with a half-smile. "He lost one too many bets and ended up taking my place on a significant shit list."
"How are you in any trouble with the Godaime?" Gai asked.
Genma bit the metal in his mouth. "I got showed up by kawaii Konoha genin." Genma replied, turning his gaze to Neji and Lee.
Neji blushed furiously and Lee balked. Kakashi watched their expressions with amusement. Should a person as pale as Neji blush that red?
"There was a graduating class two months ago, you weren't assigned to a genin squad, Genma-san?" Tenten asked.
"Iie. I train Jounin potentials, not rookies."
"Jounin potentials?" Neji asked.
"Jounin candidates. The Jounin test and Anbu tests are significantly different than that of the Chuunin exam. Their degree of difficulty is exponentially higher, so those who express potential are trained by specific Jounin potential trainers, like Genma and other former Anbu." Kakashi clarified.
"How do candidates show potential?" Lee asked.
"They fly." Genma responded. Genma's tight lips barely moved to let the words out, but Neji heard it clearly and imprinted the words into his mind clearly. When Genma's eyes shifted nonchalantly, and very briefly, over the boy's face, the genin's eyes became glossy and a flush rose to his face. "Candidates must have an extensive knowledge of shinobi life: battle experience, creativity, talent and will. Specific units have special criteria but all require vast sums of knowledge, flexibility and most of all," Kakashi's eye found Neji's, the boy was listening intently as Lee beside him was taking notes of Genma's words, "a particular goal that they would do anything to achieve."
Maybe someone should take Neji to a nurse… Kakashi thought. He doesn't react well to teasing. Mah, I heard that Hinata is the same way… the side effect of the Byakugan perhaps. Kakashi retrieved Make-out Violence from his back pocket, able to hide his smile behind his favorite book. "Mah, I'll be off now, ja na." Kakashi said and disappeared behind the genin group's back. The three younger shinobi turned half backwards as he vanished in a cloud of smoke.
"Kakashi!" Gai shouted after the Copy Ninja's vapor trail. "How very stealthy of you, my eternal rival, to escape before I could issue a challenge and extend my lead! A strategic retreat; how very brilliant of you."
"Lead?" Tenten asked.
"I currently have 51 victories to Kakashi's 49 as of the last Chuunin exam." Gai smiled with all his teeth.
"But sensei… we've only seen you lose to Kakashi-sensei." Tenten stated.
Lee reacted immediately at Tenten's statement leaping beside Gai-sensei and in front of the kuniochi. He pointed a bandaged finger sharply, not inches from his team mate's face. "Tenten! Please do not sully Gai-sensei's honor in front of others! Surely we can take his word that he had more victories than Kakashi-sensei! Believe him! Believe!"
Tenten's hair became frazzled and her expression was somewhere between embarrassed, mortified and surprised. Neji wondered momentarily if it were possible to control his chakra well enough to plug his ears. Gai's laughter continued to ring and Genma saw no further reason to extend his visitation with Gai's team. He stuck his hands into his side pockets and flicked his senbou upwards. "Well, I need to return to the registrar. Ja."
"Hai." The genin squad replied.
Genma walked back without speed or enthusiasm. Neji noticed that he didn't lack for purpose or confidence. From his shoulders moving as they were just so, the leaves of the plum trees danced around him as if he sowed the wind. Come to think of it, I've never seen him fight. Is he a taijutsu type or ninjutsu type? A Jounin would need to be versatile even if they were specialized like Gai-sensei, Neji decided. A Jounin trainer would have to be talented to select the talents of other Jounin… I understand his confidence now; he's one of the many people who steer the future of Konoha's shinobi strength…
"Neh, Neji. I finished those new seals that we were talking about. We're not far from my apartment, let's stop and get them before we eat."
Neji blinked once and turned to Tenten. "Uh, hai."
"Gai-sensei, Lee, we'll meet you at the restaurant in an hour. Please try not to embarrass yourself or others until then." Tenten stated.
Lee's face scrunched up with inquisition. "Embarrass? When have we done anything embarrassing?"
Tenten sighed. She turned and left with Neji at her side. Her eyebrow ticked less than a foot away when Gai and Lee began training in the middle of the road, planning to complete twenty one laps around Konoha within the hour… and if they couldn't do that, they'd scale Nidaime's face only allowed to mold chakra in their big toe. If it weren't for Neji, there was a good chance that Tenten would go insane.
"Tenten." Neji said as he and his teammate made their walk to Tenten's apartment.
"Yes?"
"Do you plan on becoming a Jounin?"
"Of course! I want to be in ANBU in the Hunter-nin unit… as soon as I improve my tracking skills… You know that!"
"I didn't know you wanted to be in the Hunter-nin unit." Neji responded.
"Well, I only decided that recently when…"
"Uchiha Sasuke left."
"Hai." Tenten replied softly. She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "When I came home, Lee told me everything that happened. You were already out of the hospital by then."
"I know. You visited later with the lilies."
Tenten nodded. "When Lee told me what happened, I was relieved that you and he were alright… but I felt helpless too. I wasn't there and I don't blame myself, but I feel bad that afterwards I was no help either."
"Tenten."
"I wanted to be a great ninja like Tsunade-sama, but I don't have the chakra control for a medical ninja and my hands are rough. But being a good tracker with my weapon skills, maybe I won't have to feel helpless when you two go and do something stupid in the future."
"Stupid?" Neji asked as Tenten keyed into the lower level of her apartment complex. Neji held the door open when she swung it out and the shorter genin let herself in.
"Damn right!" Tenten shouted when the door closed behind Neji. They began ascending the three flights of stairs to her home. Neji smiled at her frustration. Tenten didn't like to curse in public, but she wasn't against cursing when a curse was the only word appropriate. "When I saw you with those bandages around you and when Lee told me about your wounds and his wounds and what might have happened… I don't like being scared like that. Next time…"
"Hyuugas are renowned both for their tracking abilities and chakra control. My mother was a nurse and my father a Jounin tracker… if you want I can help you."
"Iie. If I get to the point where I can't advance myself further, I'll take your help. We're teammates after all. But I've been reading reports and technique manuals. I've improved my sense of smile six fold in the last month."
"I noticed. You've improved the most of the three of us since a year ago."
"Until a month ago, I would have agreed with you."
Tenten let them into her apartment. Her parents weren't home. They never were it seemed. Tenten had three older sisters and one younger sister, whom she shared a room with. The older ones were married, the younger one studying at the academy at that very minute. Neji had known Tenten since they had entered the academy, but in all those years he hadn't met her parents. He was only allowed to come to her apartment at specific times when Tenten's sisters weren't around, least he be glomped by the younger one or molested by the older ones.
Tenten's room was purple and pink. Purple on her side and pink on her sister's side. Both beds were made, all the dresser drawers were closed, the rugs were neat and there was no dust at all. Tenten's dog, Little Brother, was asleep by her desk, just out of the way enough that Tenten could pull back the chair and sit in it. Neji sat on her bed while Tenten collected the scrolls.
"Here are the ones we talked about." She looked confused for a second, looking at the four scrolls in her two hands. "There should only be three. Oops, this isn't one… its one of my new weapon scrolls." She placed that one back on the table and tossed the other three to Neji. "Can you check them? I'm sure I copied the symbols correctly, but I might have transcribed inefficiently."
"Hai."
Tenten sat at her desk and made more calculations for her newest weapon scroll. Neji noticed that, as she had stated, Tenten was studying tracking skills. She had several scrolls on the subject and heavy volumes borrowed from the Konoha collection.
Tenten was creative with scrolls, she was creative period, but had a talent for seals. She had developed her Soushouryu from basic elements, combining them in ways that should be beyond the creativity of a thirteen year old girl. She worked diligently, silently; no one ever really noted how hard she worked.
There was only one transcription error in the scroll set. "Tenten, there needs to be a modification to this seal sequence." Neji pointed to the error. Tenten looked closely, realized her error and took the scroll to make the correction. She dabbed her thinnest brush into her shinobi ink.
"Neh, Neji."
"Yes?"
"Do you plan on becoming a Jounin?" She asked.
Neji didn't answer her. She fixed her scroll before tying it up and standing from her desk. She pushed the chair to the desk, mindful of Little Brother. She stepped around the animal and handed Neji his seal sequence.
"I know you do." Tenten said. "You were listening intently to everything what Genma-san and Kakashi-sensei were saying."
"Hai."
"Of all of us, you have the most of the things that are needed to be a Jounin. I think you can do it."
"Arigato, Tenten." But before then…
"Eh! Neji, we're going to be late to meet Gai-sensei and Lee!"
Neji noticed the time as well. He pulled himself off of Tenten's bed and followed her to leave her apartment and return to the middle of Konoha village.
Lee and Gai were late, coming in sweating from their one hour training session.
"Look at you both," Tenten pouted as she put her hands on her hips. "You're filthy! You two are so inconsiderate."
Gai and Lee turned front flips and landed on their feet. Gai smiled radiantly and Lee beamed with equal cheekiness. Tenten shook her head. They never learn.
Neji ate silently, Tenten ate politely, Lee and Gai ate like it was the end of the world. Neji kept his eye on Gai's sake, ready to intercept a mistaken alcoholic drink on Lee's part. They had already been blacklisted from Tenten's favorite restaurant, he didn't want to be removed from his favorite too.
Tenten munched happily on sesame dango while Neji thoughtfully experienced his tea. The words of Genma from earlier played through his mind.
"Candidates must have an extensive knowledge of shinobi life: battle experience, creativity, talent and will. Specific units have special criteria but all require vast sums of knowledge, flexibility and most of all… a particular goal that they would do anything to achieve."
A particular goal… Neji thought. I have an abstract ideal… can I make that into something physical? Something I can hold? His words again, they are inspiring me to think about myself and what I can do… Neji smiled briefly. Shiranui Genma… this is why you are a potential Jounin trainer isn't it? You have become the second person I've encountered whose eyes see more clearly than mine…
…
Neji went home by himself, sat on his futon, unwinding the bandages from his arm and leg. He pulled off his jacket and reclined flat on his back.
"Of all of us, you have the most of the things that are needed to be a Jounin. I think you can do it."
Tenten's words…
"Candidates must have an extensive knowledge of shinobi life: battle experience, creativity, talent and will. Specific units have special criteria but all require vast sums of knowledge, flexibility and most of all… a particular goal that they would do anything to achieve."
Genma-sama's words…
I have experience… I've developed a jutsu, I believe I have the capacity for other techniques, more creativity… Talent, yes. Will, yes… that I have strongly. I'm knowledgeable in the principles of Konoha, but I could learn more… flexibility is coming to me, slowly as I unravel my… particular goal…
My goal… I want to possess a will to believe in myself and change. I want it to come naturally and I want most of all for it to be my ninja way…
That's it. I want to live by my ninja way: to let nothing hinder my desires to improve. No matter if enemies are stronger, if others say I cannot or if it has never been done before. If I wish to do it, I wish to possess the will to believe that I can do it.
It takes more then strength. To reach my goal… I'll need someone to believe in me, the way Gai-sensei believes in Lee and everyone believes in Naruto.
Everyone who truly knows him loves Naruto to some degree and the love between Gai-sensei and Lee is blinding. Could someone come to love me like that?
I believe so. Yes, this thing I can see…
He already believes in me… His words, so kind… He must believe… Shiranui Genma… at that alone gives me strength… I will become a man who Genma-sama can look upon and smile.
Neji laughed out loud at his thoughts.
"I sound like Lee."
Neji's eyes began to close at their own regard. I can become stronger…
…
One month of vigorous training seemed to disappear from their memories as the day of the Chuunin exam arose. Konoha's shinobi were still the majority of the candidates, but there was a significant difference in the characters. As he stated, Kakashi's genin were not present. Neither were Asuma-sensei's remaining two genin.
"Oi! Neji!"
Neji turned his head and watched Inuzuka Kiba approached with Abarame Shino and Hyuuga Hinata immediately behind him and Akamaru settled on his head.
"Kiba, Shino, Hinata-sama."
"So you're also back in the pool for the second try this time?"
"Hai."
"Not as many familiar faces this time," Kiba noted. Akamaru barked twice.
"Ino and Chouji from our class will not be entering." Shino stated.
"Is Chouji still injured?"
"Iie, he recovered fine. He and Ino are doing intensive training with Shikamaru and Asuma. They don't want a repeat performance of last time."
Lee and Tenten approached their teammate and made their presence known at that moment.
"Repeat performance?" Lee asked.
"One for three." Shino clarified.
"Ano, but that was almost every team's record." Tenten replied.
Neji dropped his gaze for a moment when Hinata's eyes met hers.
"Neji-nii-san." Hinata said softly.
"Hai?"
"Let's do our best."
Neji smiled. "Hai, Hinata-sama."
"Hey! More familiar faces!" Lee shouted.
The two teams looked over their shoulders to see the Sand sannin approach.
"Gaara, Kankurou, Temari! You are also participating in this year's Chuunin exam?"
Gaara nodded while his siblings smirked behind him. Tenten eyed Temari and Shino watched Kankurou purposely. Kiba laughed.
"It will be different now that we're all fighting as allies."
"Don't expect us to go easy on you." Temari replied.
"Do not expect us to need to be rescued." Lee added.
"Hyuuga Neji." Gaara said simply.
"Sabaku no Gaara."
"The strength of the Sand." Gaara stated.
"The strength of the Leaf." Neji responded.
Without another word the two turned their backs to each other and walked off. Kiba was thoroughly confused. "Nande?"
"I think they just made a promise to see each other in the final round." Shino clarified.
"That sounds right." Kankurou responded. "Gaara's wanted to fight that Neji kid for a long time now." The puppet master put his hands in his pockets and left to follow his younger brother.
"Temari." Tenten stated simply.
"Tenten, wasn't it?" Temari replied.
"I never lose to the same person twice."
Temari smiled. "We'll see."
The sand parted and Tenten went to find Neji.
"I feel a bit of place." Lee admitted.
"Me too." Hinata responded.
"Then Hinata-san, lets work hard."
The timid girl smiled and nodded in agreement. "Hai."
Kiba turned to Shino and scrunched his knows. "How is it that we always get stuck together?"
"Stuck? Is our teamwork a burden to you?"
Kiba balked and leaned away from Shino. "Iie. Nothing like that. Calm down, Shino."
Akamaru barked twice.
…
Raidou greeted the passing teams and found at the end of five days… only three teams had made it. Anko smiled. "That's more like it."
Tsunade looked over the three squads while she stood amongst several Jounin. I had expected these three teams, but just these three? I was hoping for some excitement in a preliminary round… Saratobi sensei, you always got the good parts.
"Mah, congratulations you nine for qualifying for the third round of the Chuunin exam." Tsunade said.
Gai beamed and gave his genin a thumb's up which an enthusiastic Lee returned. Baki remained emotionless as did his genin, minus Kankorou's ever present smirk. Kurenai's smile was gentle. Kiba's smile was cheeky.
"Since there are less than the cap for the third exam, you all qualify for the final exam. You are all returning test takers so there is no need to recap the reasons for the exam and why we take them together, so I won't waste your time."
You didn't memorize the Hokage speech, did you Tsunade-sama? Shizune dropped her head. Tonton oinked, equally exasperated.
The nine contenders stood in a line. Kankurou, Temari, Gaara, Neji, Tenten, Lee, Shino, Hinata, Kiba. Five of them would have their second debut in the tournament. All nine of them had something to prove.
Anko stepped forward and offered the raffle box to Lee, Tenten, Hinata and Kiba. Temari frowned; this was different than last time.
"The five returning challengers have a strategic advantage. However, to take away some of that potential power, your opponents will not be chosen by your luck, but by someone else. Forgive me if it offends anyone." Anko said with a smile.
Neji didn't give into the temptation to respond. The other Jounin shook their heads at Anko's antics. She was the kind of woman who couldn't keep still.
"There are five names in the bin, four will be drawn, the fifth will have a By until the second round. Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, Rock Lee, Tenten, please read aloud your opponents for the first round of the Chuunin exam." Raidou explained.
Hinata opened her slip. She gasped allowed.
"Hinata, dosta?" Kiba asked.
"I have… Shino-kun."
Kurenai's eyes widened. This battle will be difficult.
Shino said nothing; it was hard to tell if he was reacting.
Tenten opened hers and blanched. No luck…
"Tenten," Raidou commanded. "Read the name you drew."
"Gaara."
Kiba and Gai twitched in shook and fear. Gaara crossed his arms over his chest. Temari smirked. Lee patted his teammate's shoulder. "A bit of advice Tenten as someone who has fought him before. There is something suspicious about that gourd."
Tenten punched Lee straight into the stomach. The bowl cut genin went blue in the face before standing straight up, his cheeks puffed to keep in his yell.
"Lee-kun, your name."
Lee relaxed himself immediately and smiled before opening his slip. He didn't believe it…
"Lee-kun. Please read your name."
"My opponent is Hyuuga Neji."
Gai and Tenten's eyes shot open wide. Neji's expression was shocked as well. Rock Lee versus Hyuuga Neji in the first round of the Chuunin exam. While Lee smiled enthusiastically, Neji sighed and closed his eyes. He didn't believe in fate anymore, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Fate was sitting around somewhere, giving him the finger.
Kiba laughed. "That's a fight I'd pay to see. Luckily we get front row seats, eh, Akamaru?" The small dog barked in agreement. Kiba opened his slip. His opponent was Kankurou.
Kankurou smirked. "This time instead of rescuing you from danger, I am the danger."
"We'll see about Puppet King."
Kankurou mutter something that sounded like "Dog Breath" under breath.
Temari sighed. "Looks like I have a by. It turned out that way last time."
Anko recorded the battles. "The returning challengers will now select numbers to decide the order of their battles.
Gaara was number one. Kankurou was three. Shino was two. Neji was number five. Temari was the wild card in slot four.
Hmph, Kankurou noted with amusement. If Gaara and Neji meet in this tournament, it will be the final round.
Temari noticed that when Kankurou beat the Ninkin kid, they'd have to fight. As an older sister she had both a responsibility to protect him and beat the hell out of him.
Hinata and Shino shared similar thoughts about the difficulty of facing a teammate. Lee was looking forward to it.
"Well," Tsunade said finally. "It looks like I will be getting interesting matches. From today's date you have one month to prepare for the Chuunin exam. Ike!"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow noticing both Gai's distress and Kurenai's. Not only were their students facing each other immediately, but all three of them would require retainers, it would be impossible to reasonably overlook them all. Gai will train Lee… Kurenai's students are all clansmen of the same jutsus. Distributing them to their parents will solve her issue… however, that will leave Neji and Tenten without retainers.
"Gai, have you selected retainers for Neji and Tenten?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow when he turned to find that Gai still hadn't recovered from the two shocks of his life. "Tenten… vs.… Gaara… Lee… vs.… Neji… Tenten Gaara… Neji… Lee…"
"Gai?"
"I think he's catatonic." Kurenai said.
The genin split into sides, standing opposite of their opponents. Shino looked to Hinata evenly. The pale Hyuuga Main House heir looked away. "Hinata."
Hinata raised her eyes hesitantly. "Shino-kun."
"We must do our best. When the time comes, you must come at me seriously. That is teamwork."
"Ha… Hai."
Hinata turned her eyes from her teammate, past her Jounin instructor and found Neji standing opposite of his opponent, but looking at Tenten's opponent. Tenten kept her feet still, forced her hands not to shake at her side. I'm not afraid… I'm not afraid… I am a kunoichi… Be strong, Tenten…
Lee was beside himself. He didn't know how long he had been waiting for this moment. It was the moment his dream may come true.
"Neji-kun." He said, finally collecting his cool. "Though we are teammates, we must fight with one hundred percent of our youth! Only then can we truly find our great strength."
Neji hadn't listened to a word Lee said. Lee face vaulted when he realized that Neji was staring intently at Gaara. Gaara was staring intently back.
"I won't kill her." Gaara said, as if to answer everyone's question.
"No, you won't." Neji responded. "She wouldn't let you. Don't underestimate my team, Gaara. They are as strong, if not stronger than me."
Tenten and Lee gasped. Kakashi raised his eyebrow. This is Hyuuga Neji, ka?
It was decided silently that Kurenai would over see Kiba's training and Shino's father would mind Shino. Kurenai thought she would look over Hinata, but the girl shook her head. Her voice, though soft, carried clearly through the meeting arena. "I will receive training from tou-san."
Neji heard clearly and thought about the implications for his own training. Last exam, Gai had left him to find his own instructor and Neji hadn't taken one, instead used Tenten's valuable service. But Tenten now needed an instructor and they both needed to develop trump cards. Neji frowned as Tenten frowned and turned her face to him. She knew as well that Lee would receive Gai's training. Neji looked across the Jounin squad. He stood out immediately.
"Neji?" Tenten watched Hyuuga Neji approached the Jounin and stop in front of one in particular.
"Neji-kun?"
"Hatake Kakashi, I have a favor to ask you." Neji said simply.
"What is it?" Kakashi asked.
"I want you to train… Tenten."
Kakashi's eye widened as Gai did the same. Kurenai couldn't hold her surprise. Everyone became silent.
"Train Tenten, ka?" Kakashi asked.
"You are a Tracker Nin, formerly an ANBU member. Your skills complement hers and as you have no team entered in the exam, you are free to train students. You trained Gaara's previous opponent, you are aware of his attack styles. Will you please be Tenten's retainer?"
"Neji." Tenten whispered in surprise.
Kurenai looked expectantly at both Kakashi and Neji. This is Hyuuga Neji?
Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "Well, if Tenten and Gai consent, I can do this easily."
Tenten smiled enthusiastically. She ran forward and stood beside Neji, looking up with clear appreciation.
"Gai-sensei, can I be trained by Kakashi-sensei?"
Tenten's face went dark and everyone became frazzled as they realized Gai was still in his tragic phase. "The adorable Lee vs. The kawaii Neji… the cute Tenten vs. the Gaara… The genius of hard work vs. the bloodline genius… the master of weapons vs. the master of the sand…"
Tsunade blinked twice, the rest of the Jounin remained blank in expression. "Shizune." Tsunade turned to her assistant.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama?"
"Get smelling salts."
"But he hasn't fainted." Shizune replied.
Tsunade rolled up the sleeve on her right arm. "He will."
The others blanched and took major steps away from Gai.
…
The genin squads left the arena more or less sorted out. Hinata would be trained by her father, Shino by his father, Kiba by Kurenai, the sandnin would train as they saw fit, Kakashi would train Tenten, Gai would train Lee…
"Hyuuga Neji."
Neji turned at his name, his vision confronted by the buxom Godaime. "Godaime-sama."
"All of the other genin have been assigned retainers, but you."
"Hai."
"Have you selected a trainer? I understand last tournament you did not have a retainer. I anticipate a different circumstance than last time."
"Hai, Godaime-sama." Neji responded.
"Then you have selected a trainer?"
"Iie. I will dedicate the rest of today to finding one. There are several Jounin in my clan who would be willing to oversee me."
Tsunade sighed and reached into her shirt. "I anticipated this occurring, that multiple teams would have more than one entrant and that they would need retainers." She pulled a thin book from her shirt. She handed it to Neji.
"A bingo book?" Neji asked.
"This is a list of Jounin and ANBU who will be on rotation only in Konoha for the next month. There is information on their styles and personalities. You can read through that to find a retainer candidate for you."
"Ah… arigato, Godaime-sama."
"Hai, hai. I am expecting great things from you, Neji."
The Godaime made her exit then. Neji separated from Tenten and Kakashi and found himself outside of a tea house. He made his way in and sat down. He was served warm tea that he didn't drink. He poured over the information carefully.
"Enjoji Yousuke. Specializing in poisons. Trained two previous candidates. Both chuunin rank." But they were seven years ago and have not made any advancement. He can make chuunin, but nothing else of them afterwards.
"Yuy Jin. Specializing in degenerative chakra attacks. No trainers previous. That doesn't fit my needs."
"Morino Ibiki. Specialization in torture. Nine previous entrants…" Good record, but not worth the risk…
Neji found himself on the second to last page with two possible candidates and little hope of doing better. He frowned when he realized that this page was missing information. It was only a list of names. "How can I choose from names?"
Neji scrolled down the list just to say he had been fair when one name struck out. "Shiranui Genma." He nearly lost his breath. Shiranui Genma. The man who had lead to the evolution of his will. The one who had been the spark for his continuing progress. For the month since his registration to that very moment Neji had ran Genma's powerful words through his mind. Those words had given him the strength to continue working when his body and mind wanted to quit. When he had sweated violently through his training, he thought of Genma's words and pushed himself. When his body threatened to collapse, he saw that feather and remembered his silent promise.
If he becomes my trainer, my dreams may turn to color… maybe I'll be able to see it…
Neji's training regiment had intensified since he had left the hospital. He had improved his already impressive chakra control as well as his nearly unsurpassed footwork. He thought were he could improve and he improved… but one thing hadn't come to him. That blind spot was still blind. Until his vision became full circle, he knew that his will to change and select his own path would always elude him.
Always was a word he was determined to modify in his vocabulary.
Neji stood and barely remembered to pay for his tea before he dashed to the Jounin headquarters. He looked around frantically hoping for a trace of him. Shiranui Genma.
"Byakugan!"
Many of the other Jounin became startled when the teenage Hyuuga genius activated his bloodline limit and searched through the walls. Neji's eyes traveled up all eight floors and found Genma on the roof by himself. He burst into a run outside, surprising at least two people when he gathered his chakra to his feet and ran up the side of the building to the roof. He had surprised himself and he had surprised Genma.
Genma stared at the panting Hyuuga boy.
"Neh, Neji, you're becoming more and more reckless every time I see you."
Neji didn't respond immediately as he caught his breath. He looked up finally and smiled, holding the bingo book up for Genma to see. Genma twisted his senbou in his teeth and looked at the list as Neji's flushed face showed signs of clearing.
"Genma-sama, you are accepting students to train for the Chuunin exam." Neji said. He stood to his full height, not even coming to Genma's shoulder. He made his body lines straight and tried to call back his cool.
"That's what this Bingo book says."
"My team has made it to the final exam, all three of us. My teammates both have trainers."
"Both of them?" Genma asked.
"Hai. Gai-sensei is training Lee." Neji provided.
"Not a surprise." The senbou bounced between his thin lips.
"Tenten is being trained by Kakashi-sensei."
"That's a surprise."
"However, unlike my teammates, I do no have a trainer. I would like to request that you be my trainer."
"Me?"
"Hai."
"Looking at this Bingo Book, there's nothing about my style that could tell you I'm best suited to train you… but you picked me."
"Hai." Neji responded. Those eyes were straining not to betray any more emotion. "From speaking to you previously, I have assessed your character. I think you are… the best for me… to train under."
"Neji, I bet no one's ever told you this before." Genma said simply, keeping his senbou slack in his mouth. "But you're a true genius."
Neji frowned.
"It doesn't come as any shock that Gai would train his favorite student. What made Kakashi take on Tenten?"
"I asked him to."
"Honto?"
"Hai." Neji respond.
"And because you asked me, you're hoping for a similar response?"
Neji was a smart boy; he knew that was a rhetorical question. He didn't answer. He felt his heart begin to beat in his chest a bit faster than it had a moment before, luckily not as fast as it had when he had dashed through Konoha. The old Hyuuga Neji would never have done anything like that… but the old Hyuuga Neji was someone he didn't resonate with anymore. And one of the reasons why, Neji thought passionately, is because of this man. I've grown this much just from his words… I can continue, I know I can with his help… I believe this. The words he said… he believes I have talent… he will train me because I'm becoming someone to put faith in…
"Train you, huh?" Genma said. He bit his senbou sharply, flicking the metal skyward. "Iie."
Neji's eyes went wide with a new experience then. His psyche shook, he felt like three thousand people at one time and they were all in pain.
End of Part