CHAPTER 21: The Tournament: Neji

A.N. Yes, I'm back! Sorry again for the long delay (seems like I open every chapter that way, doesn't it?) Anyway, my crazy life has settled down a bit for now, so I will hopefully be able to return to a semi-regular writing schedule. And here's a nice long chapter to make up for it!

###

On the morning of the tournament, Shikamaru slept in. It was troublesome enough that he was going to have to participate in this stupid thing; he certainly wasn't going to exert himself needlessly beforehand. When the sun's first rays began to subtly tint the sky, he rolled over and pulled the covers over his head.

###

On the morning of the tournament, Neji went running. He was looking forward to the tournament and was fairly confident he'd do quite well, and he wanted to be limbered up and ready when he faced his opponents, even if they were only Pets. When the sun's first rays began to subtly tint the sky, he rose, rolled his futon up neatly, pulled on his clothes, and headed out into the hills.

He was not nervous exactly, but he was filled with a restless anticipation. He wanted to prove himself, to show these South Country people just what a Hyuuga could do. And he wanted to erase some of the debt he owed the Naras.

He ran along the road to the training areas and on along the gently sloping path up into the hills. He set an easy, steady pace, not pushing himself, just enjoying the cool of the morning and the warm wind in his hair. This early in the morning there was no one else on the road. He liked the feeling of being alone in the world. His sandals slapped along the sandy trail, sending up small puffs of dust. The rising sun painted the rocks with a rosy glow.

Shikamaru was waiting for him in the big kitchen when he returned, just pouring him a cup of green tea. "Ready for battle?" Neji greeted him.

###

"Ready for breakfast," Shikamaru said. Yoshino had prepared some of the traditional foods that were served before going into battle – chestnut-flour dumplings, dried abalone, a soup made with kelp. Neji seemed touched by this. He made a deep bow and thanked her.

"Don't mention it," Yoshino said briskly. "All the hours you've put in training my lazy son, you've more than earned your keep."

Shikamaru let her words wash over him. He was pleased that she was complimenting Neji, pleased that Neji now seemed part of their family.

After breakfast, they dressed and rode out to meet Asuma and Shikamaru's teammates by the South Gate. Ino and Chouji seemed in high spirits – as well they might, Shikamaru reflected somewhat grumpily. They didn't have a troublesome tournament battle hanging over their heads tomorrow. They could just relax and enjoy the show.

As they drew nearer to Chikaku, the scenery changed, becoming flatter, with scrubby trees and cacti. The road in was through the poorer outlying sections of Chikaku, and Shikamaru could see Neji looking around in shock. He himself was used to all this; it must be very different for Neji.

###

Chikaku village was very different from Suna. In Suna, there was a sense of order and power. Chikaku was dirtier, poorer, and more chaotic. Neji was openly shocked by the flimsiness of some of the dwellings on the edges of the village.

"Don't they have poor people in the North?" Ino asked.

Neji started to immediately answer, Of course not, then stopped. Was there poverty in Konoha that he just didn't know about? He spent most of his time in the Hyuuga compound, or the training grounds. He recalled Hinata suggesting timidly that they use some of the Hyuuga forces to help needy people. He had thought that was ridiculous; with Akatsuki on the loose, all their efforts should go toward defending the village and making it strong. But now, looking at the meager shacks and skinny, dirty children, he was not so sure.

A little ways outside the arena, a large stable area had been set off for the horses. Here they dismounted and continued on foot through the throngs of contestants, spectators, and vendors. They passed tables of swords and other weapons, souvenirs of every kind with Chikaku Tournament and the date stamped upon them, cooking tents full of strongly scented food. Neji saw several vendors hawking –

"Are those lizards?"

"Yup, roasted," Chouji said, eyeing them hungrily. "They're pretty good, really."

"Lizards, scorpions," Neji said. "Is there anything you guys don't eat?"

"Hey, meat is scarce out here in the desert," Shikamaru said with his lazy grin. "You take what you can get."

"I hear in Otogakure, they eat spiders!" Ino said brightly. Neji tried unsuccessfully to suppress a shudder.

"I don't know about spiders and lizards," Asuma said. "But eating scorpion was traditionally thought to give the eaters the qualities of the scorpion. They could withstand the heat better and were more deadly fighters."

A little beyond the food stalls, two or three heavily made-up young women lounged in the doorway. They called out to Asuma as he passed by.

"I'm a married man," Asuma said, lighting up a cigarette. Ino and Chouji hurried along with their eyes on the ground, their cheeks red.

Further on, a group of boys caught Neji's attention. They were all about his own age, with delicate features and identical robotic smiles. What really made him take notice, though, was that they were dressed in the same midriff-baring uniform that he had seen Sai wearing. A man standing with them pressed a card into Asuma's hand with an unctuous leer.

"For your pleasure, sir."

"Married," Asuma repeated shortly, tossing the card to the ground. Curious, Neji picked it up and turned it over.

Looking for a Pet? GET THE BEST.

R O O T

Impeccably Trained and Obedient

Superior Fighting Skills

Certificate of Purity

Shimura Danzo –32 Baku Road, Suna

Looking up, he caught Shikamaru watching him, a troubled and uncomfortable expression on his face. Neji crumpled the card and dropped it into a nearby trash bin.

"One of my cousins works for him," Ino said. "Danzo."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "I thought your clans were anti-slavery?"

"My parents are against it," Ino said, sounding a little defensive. "They don't like the Pet trade. But other members of our clan say it's a good job because Danzo's an important man, he's on the Council of Elders, and he's really helping out these kids because they're all orphans, and he gives them a home and trains them…. Stop looking at me like that, Shikamaru! I didn't say I think that!"

"If slavery is illegal in Suna," Neji said, "how can people still keep Pets?"

"Originally," Asuma-sensei said, "slaves were captured prisoners of war. Then Suna went through a peaceful stretch, and shady slave traders started springing up. Only the slaves they were selling weren't prisoners – they were orphans, or runaways, or the children of poor families. The worst of them would even kidnap kids. So the Kazekage decided to put an end to it. But some people had taken a liking to particular slaves, and made them Pets. It was a whole culture, with the ceremony, and the Mark, and special Pet rooms at meetings. Some very high-level men kept Pets. They petitioned the Kazekage to allow Pets to stay. He gave in, to keep the peace. And that's how it's been to this day."

"People say," Ino put in, "'Slaves are for profit; Pets are for love.'"

"I don't believe that," Shikamaru said. "How can it be love if the two people involved aren't equals?"

"Haku loves Zabuza."

"Yeah, and you know what Zabuza calls Haku? 'My finest weapon.' My dad told me that."

Neji felt a pang at hearing that, remembering Haku's tale of how Zabuza had saved him. But was that love, or gratitude? He hadn't gotten the impression that what Deidara felt for his Master was love, either…more like appreciation and admiration. And if Sai was to be believed, Kakashi had not picked him out of love, either, but because he mistakenly thought Sai was an Uchiha.

Ino was looking from Shikamaru to him, now. He could guess what she was thinking, and from the scowl on Shikamaru's face, so could he.

Shikamaru started to speak, but Neji cut him off. He found he suddenly didn't want to hear Shikamaru say the words; he wanted to be the one to make it clear.

"There is no love involved," he said. "That's a foolish romantic idea of these things. Shikamaru and his clan did me a great favor, and I am working to repay that debt."

Ino looked disappointed; Chouji relieved. He couldn't tell from Shikamaru's expression what he might be thinking.

He wished he hadn't seen those Pets. It reminded him that he was one of them; that he would have to compete as a Pet. Shikamaru had told him the Pets were good fighters, and he knew that to be true. But he still felt demeaned and stigmatized by it.

###

Shikamaru wished he hadn't seen those Pets. Their presence was an uncomfortable reminder that he and Neji were now irrevocably connected to that sleazy business. He hated the sight of the Root pets with their fake smiles, identical to Sai's. Just as with Sai, he found them creepy, hardly even human.

They reached the building and went into the main office to check in. Ino and Chouji went to find seats in the stands. They were not competing, Chouji because he was still recovering from his injuries, and Ino because Chouji had still been in the hospital, his outcome uncertain, when the registration had taken place.

"Good one," Shikamaru muttered to her. "Wish I had thought of that to get out of this."

"You're such an ass. I'm dying to fight. Right, Neji?" She threw a flirtatious glance Neji's way. Neji only looked nonplussed.

The Pet matches would be on the first day; hand-to-hand combat in the morning, and sword matches beginning in the late afternoon. Non-Pet or "Regular" matches would be on the following day. Neji was doing both hand-to-hand and swords; Shikamaru only swords. Asuma had insisted he do at least one, and Neji had insisted it be swords. He had been training Shikamaru. Shikamaru for his part just wanted to get the whole thing over with.

In the office, Neji was weighed and measured and photographed, which he seemed to take in stride. As they recorded the data, Shikamaru noticed the name on the top of the page.

"Nara Pet?"

"I didn't know if he'd want to use his real name," Asuma said. Shikamaru looked at Neji, who seemed to be considering.

"Some Pets use a fighting name," the bored-looking official informed them.

"How about 'Hanshou'?" Asuma suggested after a moment. "There used to be a Captain Hanshou in my favorite manga…he was pretty cool."

Shikamaru didn't know how Neji would take this, but he just said impassively, "That's fine."

The arena had partitioned several of its training rooms into smaller areas where the competitors could change, practice – and later that night, sleep. Neji changed into his battle outfit and wrapped and taped his hands.

"I'll walk around and scout out the other competitors," Asuma said.

Shikamaru glanced at him in surprise. "You're not going to be with him during the match? You're the sensei."

"For the Pet matches, the Master is traditionally the trainer. I'll be with you tomorrow."

"I'm supposed to coach him?"

"You'll do fine," Asuma assured him, at the same time as Neji said, "I don't need coaching."

For the early rounds the arena was divided, with several matches going on at once. They headed over to their assigned space. Across from them, Neji's first opponent was flexing on the sidelines, showing off his body.

"This guy," Shikamaru whispered, "he's a typical Chikaku muscle-boy, one of those guys who spend all their time training and preening." He shot Neji a sly grin. "Kinda like you, but without the brains."

"You are hilarious."

Neji's opponent strutted cockily to the center of the mat. Catching sight of Neji, he exclaimed loudly, "Damn, a White-Eyes? You gotta be kidding me!" He waved a hand dismissively at Neji, then turned to the crowd and pumped a fist over his head, miming victory.

Neji's eyes flashed, but he stood still and made a perfunctory bow. At a look from the referee, his opponent did the same. The referee blew his whistle.

It happened so quickly that Shikamaru hardly saw it. Neji did not even bother to take his customary stance. One minute he was standing straight, the next there was a blur of motion and his opponent was lying on the ground, groaning.

The ref waited a few minutes before calling, "Can you continue?"

"Sure, he can continue," his Master said, but he didn't sound very certain.

"I want to hear it from him. Can you continue?"

Neji's opponent only groaned again, then rolled over to hide his face in his arm. Neji bent down and said something to him; Shikamaru couldn't make out what it was, but from the look on Neji's face, it wasn't friendly. The ref stepped to Neji's side and lifted Neji's arm in the air.

"The winner…Nara Pet Hanshou!"

Neji walked back to Shikamaru's side. He gave Shikamaru a look.

"All right, point taken," Shikamaru said with a grin. "You're the coolest."

Asuma appeared at the rail, giving Neji a thumbs-up and beckoning them over. "This next guy's first opponent forfeited. His stats aren't impressive, so I doubt he would've advanced otherwise. It's his first major tournament. You can probably beat him in less time than the last one."

###

"I saw your other fight," the new Pet said in a low voice as they faced each other on the mat, waiting for the referee to blow his whistle. He was tall and thin, with raggedly cut hair and arms that were a little longer than his sleeves. "I know I can't beat you. But…" he hesitated, then went on quickly, "…could you at least let me score a couple of points? I want to do this for my Master. He's had a rough year."

Neji glanced across at the young man who stood at the edge of the mat. He too, was thin, with worn and mended clothing. He thought of the meager shacks on the outskirts of Chikaku. He thought of his own Hyuuga training grounds, and the Naras' well-equipped rooms.

"I will let it go the whole first round," he whispered. "I can't let it go too long, because I intend to win this, and I need my energy."

The other Pet nodded. He was clumsy, but not terrible; Neji could see how with training he might make a promising fighter. Still, Neji had to hold back a good deal to make the battle last until the first whistle blew.

"What was that?" Shikamaru asked as Neji sipped water. "You didn't even look like you were trying out there."

Neji just shrugged, unwilling to admit he'd been softhearted. "The next round will be better." He kept his word, coming off the whistle with a quick takedown that caught his opponent by surprise. Still, he had allowed the skinny Pet to score a respectable amount of points, and he saw the young Master throw a jubilant arm around the Pet's shoulders after the fight was called.

He moved steadily up in the standings, to the quarterfinals, then the semifinals, winning each match, until at last it was down to Neji and one other fighter.

"This guy is really strong," Asuma reported, as the arena staff set up a single central battle area for the final, championship battle. Neji looked up at the name on the scoreboard.

NARA PET HANSHOU

vs.

OTO PET JUUGO

Otogakure! Neji felt a jolt of adrenaline. "Is Orochimaru here?"

"I doubt it," Asuma said, "unless he's Orochimaru's personal Pet. One of his clan, most likely."

Neji did not know the man who walked in. He was huge, with wild hair and sad eyes. He was followed by a red-haired girl whom Neji recognized as Orochimaru's foulmouthed daughter. A wave of pure hatred rolled through him.

"Shikamaru," the girl said, a taunting edge to her voice. "So it looks like we are going up against each other."

Shikamaru nodded to her. "Hi, Tayuya." Neji glanced at him in surprise. He hadn't thought Shikamaru was on a first-name basis with any of Orochimaru's clan.

There was a roar from the crowd as the Otogakure fighter was introduced. Interestingly, it seemed to be an equal mix of cheers and boos.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said, at Neji's questioning look, "Orochimaru's not too popular around here."

A buzz of chatter went up when Neji's name was announced; there was some polite applause, but mostly people were craning their necks to see this new fighter from the North Country and asking each other who he was.

"This is for Kidoumaru, you white-eyed bastard," the red-haired girl called.

Again Neji felt the red rush of hate. Shikamaru gripped his arm.

"Pay no attention to her or anything else. Focus on your opponent."

"No taunting during the match," the referee admonished her. "Or your fighter will get docked a point. And watch the language, there are families here. Fighters, take your places, please!"

The huge Pet – Juugo – seemed almost meek as they faced each other. His fighting style was unusual; he was strong and put up a good defense, but he was not very aggressive at all. Neji had the strong impression he was being forced into this. Again he felt fury rise. How many people would Orochimaru destroy?

"Listen," he said, not caring who overheard, "I can help you escape Orochimaru."

Juugo only stared at him and put up one huge arm, pushing Neji away.

"Suna will offer you sanctuary," Neji pressed. "I know myself how evil Orochimaru and his clan can be. They would all be dead, if I had my –"

The transformation was instant and shocking. A wild roar erupted from Juugo's throat and he lunged forward, slamming his fist into Neji's midsection with the force of a battering ram. Neji staggered back, gasping. With another unearthly yell, Juugo seized Neji, lifting him bodily above his head, and hurled him into the back wall. Neji lay still, the wind knocked out of him. He could hear the spectators screaming frenziedly. Juugo rained three more punches down on Neji's back. It felt like Neji was being pounded with a bag of bricks.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the roaring and punching stopped. Neji rolled over, ready to take advantage of Juugo's momentary hesitation to land some blows of his own.

But to his complete astonishment, Juugo was backing away. The rage had faded from his face and the troubled expression was back. He looked toward the referee as if for help. The referee raised a hand and blew his whistle. Neji had no idea of what was going on. In his corner, he could see Shikamaru watching intently, his arms folded.

"Nara Pet!" the referee called. "Are you okay to continue?"

"Hell, yeah," Neji snapped, getting to his feet.

"Juugo!" the redhaired girl yelled from the opposite corner. "Stop being such a fucking loser! You're dishonoring the memory of Kimimaro!"

Juugo bowed his head. When he lifted it again, Neji saw that his eyes were red. Kimimaro…who was that? Oh yes, it was Orochimaru's oldest son, the one who was so ill. Neji guessed that he had died.

As Juugo took a moment to collect himself, Shikamaru beckoned Neji over and handed him the bottle of water.

"You okay?"

Neji nodded.

Shikamaru leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "If he goes berserk like that again, could you handle it?"

Neji started to bristle, then thought about it. "He caught me by surprise that time. I'll be on the lookout for it now."

"Maybe do more than that," Shikamaru said. "When he goes berserk, he's really strong, but he's not thinking clearly. He's a big guy, he has a lot of force and momentum when he charges. If you knew it was coming, you could use that."

"So, deliberately provoke him? I can beat him without that."

"Just see how it goes. He won all the earlier rounds without flipping out. If he does it to you again, don't let it be because he caught you by surprise."

"Places!" the referee called. Neji handed the water bottle back to Shikamaru, still mulling over what Shikamaru had said.

As they walked forward and faced each other, he said to Juugo, "Your Master is dead? I am sorry to hear it. He was a good man."

Juugo looked down again. In a husky voice he said, "I apologize for hitting you before. I can't control my temper. But winning this tournament is the only way for me to honor his memory."

Neji took his stance. Juugo seemed pitiable to him now; looking in his eyes, Neji could see how sad and tormented he really was. But, having taken a beating once, Neji was in no mood to show mercy now. He came out aggressively, going on the attack and taking advantage of Juugo's distraction to land a hard blow on Juugo's arm with his Gentle Fist. Juugo put up a fight, but Neji sensed his heart wasn't really in it. Still, he was strong and adept enough to block Neji from getting in another hit, while getting in a couple of strikes on his own. It went on for several minutes like this, with neither of them gaining a clear advantage. Neji knew he would have to take Shikamaru's suggestion.

Stepping back, he looked Juugo in the eyes. "Did I say your Master was a good man? Actually, he was a filthy dog. I'm glad he's dead."

Juugo exploded in rage again, but this time Neji was ready, sidestepping swiftly so that Juugo's own momentum sent him sprawling. Pivoting behind Juugo, he landed another Gentle Fist blow on Juugo's left shoulder. Juugo leaped up, with surprising agility for someone so hulking, and came at Neji with a murderous fire in his eyes. He slammed another punch into Neji's upper body; even weakened by the Gentle Fist, it was still hard enough to hurt.

Neji staggered back, trying to shake off the pain. He didn't have much left; he had to time this exactly right. Juugo charged again, and Neji turned to the right, exposing his left side. He was hoping Juugo would try to grab him again, and he did. Neji spun quickly, focused all his remaining energy into his palm, meeting Juugo's blow squarely with his own.

The resulting impact threw them both back several feet. Neji lay on the mat, panting. His arm felt like he had tried to punch his way through a six-foot wall of solid rock. Across from him, Juugo was also slowly struggling up to one knee, using only his left hand. The right hung limply at his side. He lifted it and cradled it with the left, gazing at Neji with those hollow eyes.

The referee blew his whistle. "Are either of you injured?"

With effort, Neji pulled himself to his feet. Too spent to speak, he shook his head.

"How about you, is your arm okay?"

"Your fucking arm is fine," Orochimaru's daughter yelled angrily at Juugo. "And even if it's not, use the other one, dumbass! Just snap that white-eyed bitch's neck!"

"I already warned you once about the language," the referee admonished her. He signaled to one of the medics, who walked over to examine Juugo's arm.

Neji saw Shikamaru looking from Juugo to him, concern etched on his face. He walked painfully over to the corner and sank down into a chair. "Don't do it," he told Shikamaru.

"What?"

"Don't ask them to stop the fight on my behalf. I won this. He won't be able to continue."

Shikamaru sat down beside him. "Here, have some water, you psychic beast."

Across from them, the medic working on Juugo looked up and shook his head. The referee walked over to the scorers' table and conferred with them for several minutes.

"Will both fighters come to the center, please?"

The medic helped Juugo to his feet. The referee grasped both their arms, then lifted Neji's high into the air. "The winner of the hand-to-hand combat…Nara Pet Hanshou!" Again the arena erupted in that wild combination of cheers and boos, as Neji and his opponent faced each other and bowed.

"Juugo-san," he said quickly, before the other man could walk away. "I apologize for my words before. I never knew Kimimaro. I have my reasons for hating that clan, but he was not one of them."

Juugo gazed at him for a long moment. "He was one of a kind," he said quietly. "I loved him."

Neji had his own suspicions about whether anyone in Orochimaru's predatory clan was even capable of love. But to say that now seemed needlessly cruel. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said instead.

Juugo nodded. "Thank you." He rubbed his arm. "I see now why they wanted a Hyuuga," he said. "I thought it was just for your looks, but you are very strong."

Looks? Neji was taken aback. He had never thought about the way he looked, until he came here, and then it was all negative – people constantly making remarks about his pale eyes, his pale skin, his long hair. But Orochimaru himself had pale skin and long dark hair, and although his eyes were not white they were certainly…unusual looking. "You are too," he said aloud. "Strong, I mean."

He had won, but Neji did not feel triumphant. He could not shake the memory of sad-eyed Juugo, caught in Orochimaru's web. And the thought that he had been sought after for his exotic looks rather than his abilities – indeed, that not many people in the South seemed to respect or had even heard of the Hyuugas – was rather dispiriting.

###

Neji had won, but he did not look happy, Shikamaru thought. Shikamaru himself was not happy at how Neji had gotten manhandled by Juugo. He still thought he should have stopped the fight and talked the referee into disqualifying Tayuya for her filthy mouth and unsportsmanlike attitude. But Neji would never have forgiven him for that, he knew.

They had a light lunch and rested in the shade. The sword rounds would take place in the afternoon. Shikamaru was still concerned about the beating Neji had taken.

"Are you sure you're up for this? We don't have to do both–"

"Why even ask me such a ridiculous question?" Neji said, leaning back and closing his eyes. He had taken off his white keikogi jacket and was wearing only his mesh undershirt. Shikamaru found himself enjoying the sight, before he reminded himself he shouldn't be. He leaned back and watched the clouds instead.

As he had in the hand-to-hand combat, Neji dominated the sword rounds, winning battle after battle. Shikamaru watched him with awe, mesmerized. He had seen Neji spar, had seen his swordwork hundreds of times during their training sessions, but he had never seen him in actual competition before. Neji's speed, grace and power were breathtaking to watch. There were absolutely no wasted moves, no sloppiness or hesitation.

He had learned a lot from training with Neji, But now he felt he was being taken to a whole other level. All the tactics Neji advised; all the moves that he slowed down in training to demonstrate them to Shikamaru – and he would never get that spinny thing, he knew that already – were on magnificent display here in action.

###

Neji got to the finals without too much trouble. There were not that many swordfighting Pets of his caliber, save one other. Asuma had already reported on him from the earlier rounds; he was considered a tensai, a prodigy, and had never lost a match.

"I am considered a prodigy as well," Neji felt compelled to point out.

"They rearranged some of the matchups so that you're against him in the final," Asuma-sensei informed them. "He's very popular."

"So I am the villain?"

"Not at all. Many people are betting on you," Asuma said. From the gleam in his eye, and the way Shikamaru shook his head, Neji suspected he might be one of them.

The tensai, when Neji finally faced him, did not look all that intimidating. He was small, with honey-colored hair that fell to his shoulders and a sweet smile. When he was announced the crowd roared their approval. Neji ignored them. Ever since he had come to the North Country, he thought, he had been fighting for the respect that should rightfully be his. He was determined to win. Even if they did not acknowledge him, he thought grimly, he would get that money to give the Naras.

The sword rounds were five minutes long, three rounds, or until one combatant scored five points. The tensai stood demurely and bowed courteously to Neji. But as soon as the whistle blew he was all business, his sharp blue eyes snapping open and his sword in motion. He was quick and nimble, with some unusual moves, a way of feinting and then dropping his sword so that it almost seemed to disappear for a second. Neji was impressed.

But he was also prepared. Asuma-sensei, who had seen this particular Pet fight before, had described the tensai's moves to him and Shikamaru in detail, and they had discussed how to counter them. And Neji had a few moves of his own. If the tensai's style was illusion, the Hyuuga style was power and force, hidden inside precise, swift motions. He did a modified kaiten, pivoting to block his opponent's swooping sword, then following through with a strike on the top of the tensai's head. The blue eyes opened wide in shock. Point One for Neji.

His opponent looked even more stunned when Neji unleashed the full kaiten a moment later, scoring another decisive point. When Neji countered another of the tensai's special moves, scoring a third point, the crowd began to buzz. Neji reminded himself to pay no attention to them and just focus single-mindedly on what he had come to do. He went on the attack, moving in with a flurry of short, quick thrusts and parries. When the tensai tried to execute one of his signature moves, it gave Neji the opening he was looking for, to land a touch on his opponent's wrist. Point Four.

The tensai was breathing hard now, his honey-colored hair darkened with perspiration. His eyes were fierce, staring at Neji like a hunted animal. Twice Neji drove him back, to the very edge of the mat, and twice he fought his way back to the center. Neji struck out, aiming for his throat, and the tensai retreated, raising his sword high horizontally.

Neji lunged forward, exultant. Five points would take it – this was it! But the little Pet dodged, ducking the blade and going down to the mat. He lay on his back there, one arm thrown over his eyes. The referee blew the whistle. As Neji stood, drawing deep breaths of air, the tensai's young Master came walking out to where he lay.

"Fujiko," he said. The Pet pulled his arm from his face in surprise, staring up at him. "Fight seriously, Fujiko," he said.

"Hey, you!" the referee barked. "Get off the mat!" He blew the whistle and Neji and the little Pet faced each other. The tensai was baring his teeth, gazing at Neji in steely determination. As the whistle blew he came at Neji, but instead of his previous disappearing moves, he raised his sword high, pivoting to land a blow on Neji's chest in a move Neji had not seen before. One point to him. A few seconds later he did it again. Neji tried to block but came up short. Another tap on his chest. Excited gasps and chattering went up from the crowd.

Neji went into his kaiten again, ready to deliver the killing blow. But this time, to his shock, it was Fujiko who anticipated Neji's move, darting behind him to land a sudden strike from his blind spot. It was now four points to three.

Fujiko was on fire, fueled by the cheering of the crowd and his own momentum. He growled and yelled, animal-like; his blade moved almost too fast for the naked eye to follow. Again he went into his new move, and again Neji tried unsuccessfully to block it. Four points all. The tensai's eyes glittered balefully as they waited for the referee to blow the whistle. In the stands Neji saw Asuma-sensei, shaking his head in wonder.

Neji could not believe it. He had been so close, and now it was slipping away. Shikamaru's words came back to him.

Everyone has a weakness, Neji. Yours is underestimating your opponent.

He had made that mistake coming in, he saw now – assuming that the Pets he would battle were weaker, stupider, less skilled than he. He despised the Pet system, but he had looked down upon them because they were Pets. And the result had been that he had almost lost to Juugo, and now was about to lose to this Pet.

Fujiko.

Neji studied him. He was strong, yes, but he was not invincible. If he could pull a new move out of his sleeve on the fly, Neji could try to find a way to counter it. This time when the tensai came at him, he was able to deflect it and keep him from scoring the point. Unfortunately, though, he was not able to score a point of his own in return.

Two more times the tensai tried his special move, and two more times Neji parried. They were both attacking with everything they had, dueling furiously. Neither one of them would give an inch. Neji could hear his opponent's harsh, panting breaths – or maybe it was his own. The crowd was on their feet now; this was what they had come to see!

Frustration rose in Neji. He could not seem to gain an advantage; he could only keep his opponent from scoring. He realized he would have to do more, be more, than he was. He was a tensai, too; if Fujiko could pull out something new, so could Neji.

He went into the kaiten again, but this time as he came out of it he pivoted and leaped into the air, bringing his blade down across Fujiko's horizontally so that it appeared he had overshot the target, and would be off-balance. Fujiko reacted instinctively, parrying Neji's blade aside – but Neji had not miscalculated. He had put enough length on the blade – he saw the realization dawn in Fujiko's eyes, in that split-second – so that the tensai would push the tip of it against his own neck.

"Point and match…Nara Pet Hanshou!"

Fujiko sank to his knees. Neji leaned on his sword, gasping for air. He reached out his hand to Fujiko to help him up. They bowed to each other.

"You are…a formidable opponent…Fujiko-san," Neji told him.

The sharp, sea-blue eyes studied his face. "You too," the tensai said softly.

While the Masters received their winnings, Neji and his opponent were taken back to the Medic tent to be checked over and recuperate from the fight. Neji sat on a cot, completely spent. The evening breeze, cooler than the hot wind of midday, felt good against his skin. Across from him, the other tensai was also resting with a towel over his face.

"Here." Shikamaru appeared at his side, holding a cup of hot green tea. Neji gulped it gratefully. "And here, this is for you."

Neji looked down. Shikamaru was holding out a wad of bills. "What is this?" he asked, confused.

"You just won a lot of money," Shikamaru said, "take some."

Neji shook his head. "No, the money goes to you and your family, for the Pet price."

"Still, you should keep some…for pocket money. There'll be other tournaments. You've earned this," Shikamaru said, pressing it into Neji's hand. "Take it." Across from them Neji could see the little tensai watching them with interest.

"Masters." An official stuck his head into the tent. "You are needed to pose for pictures and sign some papers." Neither Master looked at all enthused about this, but they dutifully left.

Neji leaned back against the wall with his eyes closed, sipping the green tea. It had been a long day.

"Excuse me, Hanshou-kun."

Neji opened his eyes. The little Pet he had just battled – Fujiko – was standing a few feet away. Unlike his growls and yells during the match, his speaking voice was soft.

"May I ask you a question?" When Neji nodded, he said, "Are you trying to buy your own freedom or someone else's?"

"Someone else's…?"

"I am buying my brother's freedom," Fujiko said. "He's a slave right now, and I don't care for the man who owns him. Do you also have a relative in slavery?"

In a way, Neji thought, yes. He had been too fixated on his own sense of injustice to see that Hinata was just as much a victim of the Main House as he was. She had looked terrified, not triumphant, at hearing that she was expected to take over the leadership of the Hyuuga fighting forces. But all that, and his own situation, was too complicated to explain. "No," he said simply, "I'm buying my own freedom."

The little tensai looked surprised. "Really?"

"Why is that hard to believe?"

"It's just that…looking at you and your Master, I would have definitely thought you were a love match."

Neji did not know how to reply to that. He could have given the same answer he had given Shikamaru's teammates, or repeated what Shikamaru had said about love being impossible in such a situation. But something about Fujiko's direct gaze stopped him.

I am like you, he thought. I didn't want to be, but I am.

"We are friends," he said simply. "What about you and your Master?"

"I am…not averse to him," Fujiko said with a little smile. "Of course, I like to keep him guessing." He winked at Neji and leaned closer. "By the way, Hanshou-kun, you have beautiful eyes. It's too bad we met in these circumstances."

Neji's mouth fell open, and he felt his face get hot. He was saved from having to respond by Shikamaru coming back in. Fujiko gave him another sweet smile and slipped out to join his Master.

Neji found he couldn't look at Shikamaru. He wasn't sure what had just happened.

###

Shikamaru wasn't sure what had just happened. He had seen Neji's opponent standing next to him; then he had leaned in close and said something that seemed to cause a strong reaction in Neji.

"What did he say to you?" He hoped there hadn't been some North vs. South dust-up while he was gone. But Neji seemed more embarrassed than angry.

"Nothing," Neji mumbled, turning even redder.

"Nothing?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"He said…I had beautiful eyes," Neji said very quietly, not looking at Shikamaru.

"Uhh…" This was not at all what Shikamaru had expected to hear, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

"That's right," Neji said sharply, as Shikamaru fumbled for words. "I know you think my eyes look freakish, but –"

"Neji." Shocked, he grabbed Neji's arm. "That's not at all what I think! I think your eyes are…" Beautiful, yes, that was the word, but he couldn't use it now. "…amazing," he finished.

Neji's eyes widened, and his lips parted. Shikamaru could not look away. His mouth felt dry.

"When I first saw you," he whispered, "I thought you had eyes the color of moonlight."

Neji stared at him. He, too, seemed caught. He took hold of Shikamaru's other hand and placed it against his chest.

"My heart is beating so hard right now…from all the battles, I guess."

Shikamaru could feel Neji's blood pounding beneath his fingertips. His own heart thundered in his chest. He thought, Yours are the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. As in a dream, he stepped closer…

Voices sounded, and two Chikaku medics came into the tent. Shikamaru hastily stepped away from Neji, abashed.

"Sorry to interrupt you," one said to Shikamaru with a leer and a wink. "We'll be gone in a minute." They gathered their supplies and left. "Looks like the Medic tent is now a Pet Enjoyment tent," Shikamaru heard him say to laughter as they exited.

Shikamaru could not look at Neji. Neji, the proud, graceful warrior, reduced to someone's plaything in their eyes. Instead he busied himself digging through his bag. "Ahh…my mom gave me this ointment for sore muscles…"

"Okay," Neji said. Shikamaru could not see his expression.

"Lay down and take off your shirt." The words seemed to hold an extra meaning, one he did not intend and did not entirely want. "Uh…so I can rub your back, I mean…"

Neji nodded and pulled his shirt over his head. He stretched out on his stomach on the cot and closed his eyes. Gingerly, Shikamaru scooped the dark silken weight of Neji's hair to the side so he would not get any ointment on it. He rubbed some ointment between his hands to warm it and laid his hands on Neji's upper arm. "Congratulations," he told Neji. "You won."

He had expected to feel strange, touching Neji like this, but it felt wholly natural. Neji's skin was warm; the sleek, taut muscles that had powered him to his amazing victories eased under Shikamaru's touch. Shikamaru went gently where he found bruises, harder where there were knots of tension. Neji sighed and groaned, he almost seemed to be purring. Shikamaru did not ever want to stop.

Gradually Neji's breathing evened out and Shikamaru realized he was asleep. Shikamaru pulled up a chair and sat down next to him. It looked like was smiling in his sleep.

###

He was in Shikamaru's arms, and Shikamaru was rubbing his back. "You won," Shikamaru said. Shikamaru smelled good, and his touch was just right. Neji could not help smiling. He wanted to stay like that forever.

He drifted pleasurably into deeper sleep.

Voices sounded outside…he heard Orochimaru's daughter cursing loudly. Then someone said, "This is the Pet Enjoyment tent." Neji froze. He knew that voice all too well. Then the flap lifted and Kidoumaru walked in.

With a snarl of rage, Neji leaped up from the cot. He would kill him, even though he was exhausted. But he could not seem to hit Kidoumaru.

"Don't you understand?" Kidoumaru said. "I'm a ghost now. You can't harm me."

Neji did not listen. He would not stop until every fragment of Kidoumaru was obliterated from every dimension of time and space.

Kidoumaru reached out, shaking his shoulder. "Neji…Neji." Neji jerked away, panicked.

"Neji…Neji..."

Neji opened his eyes. Shikamaru was standing by the cot, staring at him. Neji realized he was pressed back against the wall of the tent. It was dark outside, and quieter; the hubbub of the day had died down. He reached for his shirt and pulled it on, not looking at Shikamaru.

"How long was I asleep?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "A couple of hours, I guess."

"Did you go and find the others?"

"No…I stayed here with you."

Neji felt relief flood him, although he never would have admitted he liked having Shikamaru watch over him like that.

"So," Shikamaru said, "how about we get a bath and then some dinner?"

"Is anything still open?"

"Well, if nothing else, we can always get one of those lizards-on-a-stick."

Neji realized that not only was he hungry, he actually had some money in his pocket. "I'm buying," he said impulsively. It was something he had never given a thought to, when he was a wealthy Hyuuga in Konoha – the simple pleasure of buying a meal for a friend.

"Well, in that case," Shikamaru said, "I want one of those big dragon-size ones."

They found a secluded corner of the baths to soak without anyone staring at Neji, and then a noodle shop that was still open, which specialized in fiery-hot noodles in generous quantities of chili oil. Neji gamely ate all of his, even though he added copious quantities of the relatively mild vegetables served with it to his dish.

The waiter appeared at their table. "Sake?"

"Sure, why not?" Shikamaru said, winking at Neji. "We're celebrating, after all."

"You can't drink," Neji said, raising an eyebrow. "You're not of age yet."

Shikamaru waved this off. "They don't care about that in the South."

Neji took a long sip as it arrived, feeling the warm liquid flow down his throat. It had been a grueling day, and he felt more relieved than jubilant at his victories. He had been battered by Juugo, and almost outwitted by Fujiko. But he had hung in there, and now he had shaved almost 10,000 ryo off his debt to the Naras. All in all, he was satisfied. He gave Shikamaru a tired smile across the table.

###

Shikamaru looked across the table at Neji. Neji's hair was fluffed from the bath, he had some new bruises and scrapes on his hands and face, and his eyes were half-closed. He must have been feeling flush after winning both titles, but Shikamaru knew he would not brag or crow about it. Only that little smile that said he knew how good he was.

Shikamaru felt a rush of affection. Neji had battled his heart out today, to be able to give something back to Shikamaru's family. And he had eaten the spicy noodles without complaining. Shikamaru vowed that he would get Neji some non-spicy treat when they got back; some fresh fish or vegetables.

"Now it's your turn," Neji said. "Remember –"

Shikamaru waved him off. "We have plenty of time to go over that tomorrow morning, while the hand-to-hand bouts are going on."

Back at the room in the dojo where they were spending the night, Chouji and Asuma had already unrolled their futons and were sleeping. Ino was staying on the other side, bunking in with some female competitors. Neji fell asleep quickly, but Shikamaru lay awake, thinking. Despite what he had said to Neji, the tournament tomorrow was weighing on his mind. He didn't care about the money – he was pretty sure he had no chance of winning a cash prize. He just hoped he wouldn't disgrace himself too much in the eyes of Neji and Asuma.

He slid his fingers across the polished silky floorboards of the dojo, until they touched Neji's sleeping hand. He imagined some of Neji's speed and skill flowing into him, as if by osmosis. He shut his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Neji's hand against his.

###

A.N. Thanks for reading, everyone! And please don't forget to leave a review! Lizards-on-a-stick for everyone who…doesn't, heh heh!

By the way, I borrowed Neji's last opponent from another manga – anyone recognize him?

And in one of those synchronic things that happen when you're writing – some of you have probably had this experience – just after I finished writing the scene where Shika talks about Neji's eyes being amazing, this song came on the radio called…"Amazing Eyes"…"You have amazing eyes. The right one is suspicious and the left one wants my love…" Woo woo!