Chapter 5
Lee POV
"Hey, Lee. You already took Mori-chan home?" I heard from my right. I was incredibly relieved and smiled toward Tenten-san and Gai-sensei walking down a side road. I met them to the side of the pathway grinning wide. Tenten-san shifted the large wooden box to one side and Gai-sensei gave me a dazzling smile with a thumbs up.
"You look youthful as ever, Lee! Lunch must have done you well!" Sensei said in his loud voice. Tenten-san looked more skeptical and narrowed her eyes.
"Lee... Why are you so excited?" She asked me, I finally found my voice and opened my mouth to blurt out, but suddenly I looked around and realized Moriko-san might not appreciate it if someone passing by over heard me.
"It is about Moriko-san... When can we meet at our usual training spot?" I asked trying to keep myself together instead of exploding with my enthusiasm. It took a good portion of my self control to wait for them, so I could tell them what was going on instead of springing into action immediately and doing everything myself. That would be wrong of me, though. Tenten-san was Moriko-san's best friend, I could not work on my own in regards to my team mate's close friend. She glanced up at Gai-sensei with curious eyes, as if wondering if Sensei knew what was running through my head, but even he was smiling down at me, clueless.
"Uh... I guess fifteen minutes, just let me drop off these weapons and tools at home and I'll be there... Is that okay, Sesnei?" Tenten-san asked. When Gai-sensei nodded, I took off as fast as I dared on my still recovering leg, toward the training grounds.
Moriko's POV
I was absolutely horrified. I had bawled my eyes out right in front of Lee-kun. UGH! Simple question, 'Did you run away from home because your father was abusive?' Simple answer, 'Why yes, Lee-kun, I did.' But, no, I lost it and cried like a baby. He seemed so confused, I didn't blame him. And how dumb was it to tell him 'Oh, it's okay, don't worry about it.' The 'I'm okay' thing doesn't work so well when you're crying. I might have allowed my head to slam sideways into the wall if I hadn't been holding my new rat.
I had finally stopped crying and wanted someone near me that I could cry in front of, so I had grabbed Sachi. Not wanting anyone else to see my face, but unwilling to get up from the comfy love seat, I sat with my back to the living room window, curled up and leaning against the back of the couch, hugging one of the red cushions and facing the opposite arm. My little white rat scampered over the back of the seat, against the wall, occasionally darting back to me to escape through the neck of my shirt and run across my chest to my stick her nose out of one of my sleeves.
My face was still clearing up, but by this time, I felt more stable and allowed myself to reflect on the tremendously embarrassing situation that had happened nearly an hour before. I was uncomfortable blubbering on like a baby and yet... oddly comforted by the way he pat and rubbed my back, an unknown feeling to me, since I normally hated being touched by anyone who was not very close to me. Though, I knew it was because the pure intentions and kindness was so clear and visable in Lee-kun's face. In that sense he reminded me of a young boy untainted by the evil of the world, yet.
I shook my head to clear these thoughts. I was thinking in an odd way again, undoubtedly because of my unstable emotions. As the pure white rodent scurried up my arm for the umpteenth time, I wondered where Lee-kun had run off too when I stopped crying and he left with a look of concern, uncertain goodbye and an absentminded bow. He didn't leave quickly, he definitely seemed like he wanted to make sure I was okay, but there was SOMETHING about him that made me think he wanted to do something, quickly. With a calming sigh, I dismissed it. I was probably over thinking again.
Lee's POV
"Alright, what is it, Lee?" Tenten-san asked me half impatient, half concerned. I took a deep breathe and prepared myself to explain. Gai-sensei, too was looking down at me expectantly. Neji-kun, however ignored the three of us and continued his training as if we had not been there.
"Moriko-san told me something and we have to do something about it, we HAVE to!" I began, speaking quickly and unable to contain myself.
"What do you mean Mori-chan TOLD you something?" Tenten-san asked, fidgeting with the hem of her pink Chinese styled shirt. "And what was it?"
"She had to write it on paper, but she is concerned about a younger sister!" I exclaimed, surprising both my team mate and Sensei. "I propose we go to her old house and rescue Moriko-san's sister from their father!" I had not noticed before the words left my mouth, but I realized I had not been shocked at all to learn that Moriko-san had been abused at her home. Now that I had stopped, though, I felt disgusted, suddenly by the notion and it had been her own father? How... despicable. What had he done to her to break her the way he had?... On second thought, no. I did not want to know.
"Lee... I'd love to but, I'm not so sure. Have you asked Mori-"
"That's an excellent idea, Lee!" Gai-sensei yelled, accidentally cutting Tenten-san off. I did not mean to, but I ignored my friend's hesitancy and acknowledged Gai-sensei's enthusiasm. I supposed the reason was because it appealed to me more. Tenten-san whirled around and gave Gai-sensei an incredulous stare, but Sensei had not seen a thing, he had struck a Nice Guy pose and then slapped his hand down on my shoulder. "You're such a good kid." He said in calmer and serious tone, but Tenten-san had regained her will to speak.
"Lee, I've known about Mori-chan's situation for a while... But she would never let me do anything about it. Have you ASKED her about going to her old house? I guarantee she'll say no." All this time, Neji-kun had been striking the training stump, but he now had decided to take a break and he sat silently against the trunk of a tree away from, but facing, our group. My face fell slightly. Tenten-san was not as for my idea as I thought she would be.
"But... Tenten-san... I understand more, now. Moriko-san refuses help because she thinks she is a burden, I know she would not agree to us going and saving her sister. Who would not be happy, though, if we saved her sister, convinced Moriko-san she does not hate her, and knocked any thought of coming after them, when we deal with their abuser?" I asked regaining more of my vigor as I spoke on. Tenten-san gave a very tiny smile. Gai-sensei listened between the two of us.
"Oh, Lee... You have no idea how I would love that." Tenten-san said quietly with a dark look on her face. "But Mori-chan would not allow us to harm her father. Abuser or no, he is her only living parent, one of the only family she's ever known and- I have no idea why- she loves him." She sighed and shook her head. Gai-sensei opened his mouth to speak at this point, but she had not noticed and continued on. "It's not like I have to worry about her yelling at me, though." She said with a weak laugh and she looked at her feet before taking a deep breath. "I'm ready, let's go get Amaya-chan." She finished. Gai-sensei and I beamed at her. He seemed about as excited as I was.
"Of course, Tenten-kun, we shall go to get ready right away and meet back here, soon. You can lead us from there!" Sensei said and the both of us hurried away to gather anything we might need.
Tenten's POV
I sighed once they had gone and turned around, planning to seat myself on top of the training stump behind me, but I froze mid-step when I saw Neji-kun sitting against a tree watching me. I laughed a tiny laugh and continued in my direction.
"Neji-kun, you scared me!" I scolded and I watched as my team mate got to his feet and stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He was still watching me with his Hyuuga eyes. It was a bit unnerving.
"You're a bad liar, you know." He said in a soft voice. Uh oh. I ignored this and set myself on the stump as I had intended to. "I know what you're hiding." He said. I knew I'd have to respond, even if I did not want to.
"I don't know what you're talking about?" I lied. Neji-kun smirked. Damn those eyes.
"Of course, such a typical response. I know this friend of yours 'Mori-chan' can- or at least has the ability to- speak." He claimed, leaning against the tree he was standing in front of. Arms still crossed over his chest. I was feeling very warm, I might have started to sweat slightly. All I could do was shake my head.
"You really should try harder, or they might catch on... When you asked how your friend 'told' Lee-kun something, even training I noticed, you began fidgeting with your shirt. When you joked about her 'yelling' at you, your laugh was clearly forced and your eyes darted toward your feet." The Hyuuga explained. "And, ever since I confronted you, your body language has been riddled with indications that I'm right." He finished I sighed in resignation. What a mess.
"Fine, Mori-chan does have the ability to speak, but you don't know the whole story. It's really best for her to be silent, I mean sh-" But I was cut off in my flustered flurry of words.
"No, I don't know the whole story, nor do I want to... It was just a tip." He said with an annoyingly smug look on his face and walked off, calmly.
AN: Whoo sorry that took so long, I went through a rough patch and didn't want to write ANYTHING for a while... Then I randomly started a Beauty and the Beast story... Now I'm back here. And I must say this turned out MUCH better than I had hoped. Don't you love that ending, folks. Next is the rescue. But what does Moriko having a voice mean? Dun Dun DUN!
