Destined To Live
Chapter 6: Drive To Win!
Kagome stretched her arms out, mewling as the kinks her in her snapped back into place. She leaned her head against the wooden log, peering up at the sky. It was a cloudless day, but it was comfortably cool via wind. She absently fiddled with long blades of grass, stroking their coarse surface.
Four auras started to approach her, catching her attention. Instantly she bolted up to her feet, ready to greet them when they arrived. However she stood up too hasty and her legs wobbled, wavering. Quickly, as to recuperate her balance, her hands shot out to grip the rough bark of the trunk.
Steadying herself, Kagome moved into a relaxed standing position, trying not to look to strange with her gripping the trunks. Tenten came out first, flashing a smile at Kagome, her brown eyes apologetic.
I wonder why… Kagome thought to herself, raising an eyebrow at Tenten.
"You'll see." Tenten mouthed to her, glancing over her shoulder swiftly.
Then Neji arrived on the scene, folding his arms over his chest, smirking at Kagome. His oh-so arrogant smirks that made Kagome's insides melt to mush and made her heart run a mile a minute.
And now the shocker for our poor miko; last, but certainly not least, came Gai and Lee, bursting through the foliage, grinning to show off their white teeth. Kagome eyes bulged at the sheer thickness of their eyebrows and the – to put it nicely, outrageous – green spandex jumpsuits. Kagome was further surprised by the similarities between the two.
"Hello young lady! How are you on this youthful day?" The shorter of the two men asked her piercingly, winking at her and giving her a thumb up.
Kagome sweat dropped. He's… forward and out-going, to the say the least, Kagome thought.
"Hi…" Her voice cracked nervously, sending him a crooked smile. What else was she supposed to do? She was baffled.
Tenten ran to her aid, smiling at Kagome. "Don't worry, they grow on you. You get used to them." She whispered to Kagome, smiling once more.
"So Gai-sensei, this is Higurashi Kagome, the one who- "
"Ah! So you must be the lovely Higurashi Kagome who saved our Neji's life!" The taller one – Gai-sensei, Kagome noted – exclaimed, running up to envelope her in a tight, bone-crushing hug.
Ow… Moaned Kagome in her mind excruciatingly, actually believing that she heard a few bones crack or pop out of place. Wonderful.
"Uh, sensei, I think you're hurting her." Tenten reprimanded her teacher, quirking him a discomfited smile, laying a hand on his shoulder.
"Am I?" Gai questioned himself, his arms loosening. Kagome sighed in relief and let the oxygen that Gai had deprived her of flow back into her starved lungs.
"Yes, you were." Kagome answered him quietly, not wanting to sound offensive. "It's okay, though. Nothing broken." She threw in as an after-thought.
"Just as well!" Gai grinned down at her, beaming. "Introduce yourself, Lee!" He turned to point at his 'mini-me' as Kagome had dubbed him, recalling an American movie she had once seen.
"Hai, Gai-sensei!" Lee responded, jumping up to Kagome, a wide grin spread across his face. An eager look was in his rounded black eyes that reminded her of Shippo whenever she returned to the Feudal Era, her bag bulging with treats for the fox kit. At that fond memory Kagome smiled a little.
"I am Rock Lee, Higurashi-san! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" Lee greeted her formally; his voice kind and pleasant, and he swooped to bow to her.
"I am Higurashi Kagome, Lee-san. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance as well." Kagome echoed him; her voice warm and soft and she also swooped to bow to him.
Once the introductions ended Gai announced that Kagome demonstrate her vast powers to them. Of course, at the compliment to her powers, she glowed positively scarlet, unused to being praised.
"Are you sure about this Gai-sensei?" Tenten regarded her sensei with an uneasy stare. "She may be only a medic-nin…." Even though Kagome was sure Tenten didn't imply that she was weak, her temper reacted on its own and flared furiously.
Everyone seemed to note the anger rolling off Kagome in waves and turned to her, inquiry in their eyes as well as curiosity. Kagome's lips curved up in a devious smile as she cracked her knuckles one by one, looking them directly in the eyes boldly, challenge sparkling in those chocolate pools.
"I'm no weakling." She stated slickly, fortitude lacing its way into her voice. "I've had proper training before. I think I can hold myself against a few ninjas." She was confident in her ability to fight after being educated by Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Kouga, Kaede, and Sesshomaru once the inu brothers agreed to form an alliance.
"Is that so?" Neji spoke for the first time, his eyebrows shooting up. "I'd love to witness your great fighting skills."
It was a challenge. It was a dare. It was a threat to her self-pride in her capability to protect herself. Kagome was more than enthusiastic to accept the challenge.
"Alright then." Kagome retaliated smoothly, narrowing her eyes at Neji. "Let's go."
Neji smirked arrogantly, kindling Kagome's already flaming defiant fire. The miko narrowed her eyes at Neji, daring him to say a word and press her patience. Apparently Neji saw her blatantly obvious detest for his haughtiness and decided to push it a little further.
"Well then little Kagome-chan…" Neji spoke airily, sliding into a stance, preparing himself to go on the defensive. "…Show me the full extension of your training."
The overconfidence in his voice, the impudent smirk on his face, and the pompous look in his eyes was rapidly sending her to the edge of her tolerance. Her hands balled into fists, power flared through out her body, waves of power radiating from her body angrily.
"Whoa… Do you feel that Gai-sensei?" Lee whistled in awe under his breath, staring with eager eyes, ready to drink in the oncoming battle.
Gai nodded solemnly. "Yes, I did, Lee. This Kagome seems to be a force to be reckoned with."
Tenten shook her head, folding her arms over her chest. "Neji's not one to be beat easily, sensei, you know that." Tenten protested.
"Yes, I know that Tenten." Gai agreed, but his voice held double meaning. "But this Kagome is different, we don't know where she came from. She's literally a walking enigma."
"I wonder how Neji will hold up." Lee muttered to himself, his hand cupping his chin thoughtfully. His eyes seemed to be analyzing the situation, trying to decipher the out come of the battle.
"Don't worry too much Lee, I think he'll do just fine." Tenten tried to console his uncertainness, turning to her green clad teammate.
Lee remained silent, still observing the two. Kagome had now spread her feet apart, her right arm extended, holding a large kunai in her hand. Her left arm was curled into a tight fist, ready to be put to use soon.
Neji, my rival, how will you attack and defended an enemy you know nothing about? Rock Lee questioned himself, his pores tingling with the anxiety of the fight.
Kagome stared deep into Neji's eyes, trying to catch something, trying to predict his next move. His eyes betrayed nothing he was thinking. Kagome was disappointed; usually it was simple to see what an opponent was planning to do subsequently if she stared into their eyes long enough.
Then again, she thought with dismay. Demons after the jewel are pretty straightforward. Demands the jewel, refusal or not, attack head on. Not that hard to know what a demon's strategy is. Kagome almost giggled when she remembered how each demon she or her companions killed, but pushed down the urge.
Watching Neji closely she noted that his muscles were tense and his aura sent out apprehensive waves. He was waiting for her to make the first move, Kagome concluded quickly.
Somehow he must have some sort of defensive system and is highly self-confident in his ability to protect himself. Kagome thought smartly, trying to evaluate how she would attack.
Neither of them was moving. Both were waiting for the other to do something, too wracked with nerves and excitement to make a move of their own. A bead of sweat ran down Neji's temple and the hot sun's rays were making Kagome's shirt stick to her back.
Without warning Kagome shot forward, kunai held in front of her, the metal glinting as she moved. Neji's eyes widened as if he was expecting this and his body tensed further. As Kagome speedily approached, Neji readied himself for his ultimate defense.
"Hakkeshō Kaiten!" Neji shouted right as he pivoted his ankle and started spinning, what looked like a bright blue ball of spinning chakra forming.
Kagome saw this and knew that this must've been his defense. Veering to the left, she hastily fumbled in her pocket for some string and tied it on the hole tightly. Trying to get her precision right, Kagome threw it, the weapon slicing through the air, narrowly avoiding Neji's defensive "bubble", and embedded in a tree across from herself.
"What is she doing?" Tenten whispered to herself, plainly seeing that Kagome hadn't aimed the kunai at Neji, but at the tree instead. She was definitely planning something.
Neji slowed, the spinning chakra dieing down until it was no longer visible, and he stood before her, smirking approvingly. His right arm was stretched out before him, his palm flat, his fingers straight. His lef arm was extended behind him, his palm also flat and his fingers straight as well.
Kagome was bewildered by the strange stance, but went rigid. Something big was going to happen. She waited, putting Neji under her scrunity, waiting him to move or say something and explain.
"Be prepared, Kagome. For now you shall witness the true powers of the Hyuga clan!" Neji warned her sternly, his eyes narrowing slightly, brows drawing together.
"I'm ready for whatever you've got to throw at me, Neji!" Kagome called back and readied herself for his attack. She knew by personal experience that this was no defensive stance, this was an offensive stance.
Slowly, Neji nodded, as if trying to give her a second chance. She did not back down or flinch away. Without another thought, or giving her another chance, Neji closed his eyes and concentrated, his eyebrows knit together.
His eyes popped open, veins appearing around his eyes, a wave of energy radiating away from his eyes. Kagome almost took a step back at the power she felt and her body stiffened considerably.
"Bykugan!"