Disclaimer: See previous chapter. I don't own Naruto and co... it is they who own my soul. O.O
Author's Note:
See? Fast update... lol.
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It was in the next day that she ultimately implemented her decision. Dragging herself up extra early was not easy.
But she did it anyways, and was proud of herself when she managed to accomplish the feat.
She actually caught Lee and Gai before they began their daily morning run.
They were happy to have her along.
Gai-sensei was crying because he felt 'so proud of the precious flower of their team'
for beginning to show 'such a dedicated attitude towards youth'.
He also offered to buy her a pair of green spandex but with a sweat drop she refused politely.
She felt strange. On one hand, she felt sort of awkward and rather strange being there.
On the other hand, she shone inside at the praise she received from her sensei,
who despite his eccentricity she did respect a lot.
--
They began their running at a slow pace, Lee crutching along.
However it wasn't long before they started to go a bit faster.
They had run about ten times around Konoha Village when she finally felt that she couldn't run anymore.
She was mystified at how Lee could do this when he was on crutches for goodness sakes!
Despite encouragement from both of them she simply couldn't and literally collapsed.
She knew her muscles were going to be killing her later on.
--
Lee tisked and told her that she wouldn't lack stamina so much if she had trained with them more often.
He also offered to giver her some weights, but like with the spandex she refused.
She could tell this upset Lee a bit, but there was no way she could have at the time
given her exhaustion, even consider the idea of adding additional weights to her legs.
They argued a bit about this... to the point where once again Tenten felt like she might just cry.
But she knew she wouldn't. The other day really was a sort of one-time thing.
She hardly knew what came over her. This still upset her though.
--
Gai, who had been a bit ahead of both of them, ran back then and asked what was going on.
Lee complained to the sensei that Tenten wasn't trying hard enough.
--
Gai admonished Lee for being insensitive.
--
"Lee! You must not be so insensitive! Tenten is the flower of our team,
and yet she is but like the newly sprouted roots of spring, needing to be nurtured in the ways of youth.
We must be more understanding!"
--
Lee, after seeming to have thought it over, bowed his head in shame.
--
"I apologize Tenten!" and then hesitantly he asked, "Will you... come again tomorrow?"
--
"Hai... Um, it's okay. I apologize too Lee. You're right, I do need more stamina training.
But I really don't want to wear spandex or weights... they're really uncomfortable for me."
--
"Then you don't have to! We should all do what we feel is best! Yosh!" Tenten blinked.
She could have sworn she had said those same words yesterday.
It seems that despite looking and acting like an idiot, Lee really was less of a baka than everyone thought him to be.
--
"Besides! You can try again tomorrow... and the day after... never give up when the flames of youth are inside you!"
--
Tenten
just lay there grinning at him. 'You know what, this really isn't so
bad after all.'
--
Afterwards Gai asked her if she wished to be walked home. She told them with a wave of her hand that she was fine,
and would recover in a few more minutes. They nodded their heads, and with a cry of "Yosh!"
they sped back off at a faster pace than they were going before. It was then that Tenten realized
that they had been going slow purposely for her sake.
--
"Damn it! I really DO lack training!"
--
And thus there was no way she wasn't going to drag herself back up tomorrow...
not if she really wanted to achieve her dream of becoming like Tsunade.
Doing this made her realize that despite her years of effort in target practice...
simply doing that was never going to get her any closer to her goal.
She'd have to do a lot more...
--
"Maybe Neji will help me..." at this she smacked her head, "Oh, what the hell am I saying...
He's way too selfish to help anybody but himself."
--
After saying that though... she tilted her head a bit while staring at the clouds. "But maybe..."
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Author's Note
This chapter has the Lee & Gai to Tenten interaction chapter. Don't know how well it comes out but... well, at least I have the idea
that it's somewhat original.