When Fate and Destiny Collide
By: maliciousfate

Chapter: Six
"Painfully Cursed"

It seemed like an eternity that Neji and myself were facing each other, both silently waiting to begin. I was taking in his every movement, not to mention every detail. From his slow calm breaths too his dark hair blowing slightly in the small wind. I had a feeling that this wasn't going to be just another fight, something deeper was going to happen when the fight was over; something I couldn't quite understand yet.

"Begin!"

I almost didn't even hear the command, I was too lost in my thoughts; but Neji quickly tore me from them when he came charging at me; hands extended, Byakugan activated. I scrambled to get my stance, ready for an intense impact but sadly, I was about two seconds too late. Neji pounded his palms into my shoulders, making my feet leave the ground and my body to fly about a foot into the air just to come crashing down into the damp soil; sliding on my back. I could already feel the bruises forming.

I stayed on the muddy earth facing the cloudy skies, breathing heavily, waiting for a precise moment. I could hear Neji slowly making his way over to me, no doubt to see if he had won. But little did he know, I had already slipped my hand into my scarf grabbing onto a kunai holding in tightly in my grasp. I made it seem like I was grabbing my chest in pain.

I smirked.

Springing up with immense speed, I flipped upward and ran to Neji, who was obviously not ready for my attack. He quickly recovered and jumped out of the way of the attack, but not before I drove my kunai into his right bicep leaving a large gash.

I could hear surprised whispering from the crowd; they obviously didn't expect that from me. Did they expect me to be a bride who would cook and clean, stay home with a child and be as useless at one? Psh, no way.

"Cute trick Tsuki." Neji said smirking, as he held his now bleeding wound. I smirked back.

"I have many Neji." I replied, wiping the blood off my kunai, still making sure not to look at Neji's arm nor the blood now on my shirt.

Neji went back to his fighting stance, in turn allowing me to get into mine. This time I was the first to attack. I ran at him with the same kunai pointed forward, my grip tight. Neji stayed were he was, arms out ready to defend. I jumped up into the air when I had finally gotten to him, throwing the kunai straight at his chest

What happened next made my mouth drop.

Neji hadn't even moved his head to look at me; he simply stared forward as if nothing was happening. When I threw the kunai he snapped his arm up at grabbed it mid-air, still not even looking up. But when he did look up his eyes were deadly, using his other arm he grabbed my leg while I was still airborne and swung my whole body into the ground. Hard.

I hit the earth spitting blood; eyes wide and with Neji lying on top of me. He had my kunai at my throat and he had done all that in less then two seconds. I didn't even have the time to breath. But this position didn't really allow me much of that either.

He smirked looking down at me, covered in dirt, mud, and blood.

Simply adorable.

"I win." He stated simply, all the people in the crowd had their mouths hanging wide but slowly recovered and began to aploud. I couldn't reply, I was still in shock, and not to mention I was failing terribly at holding back a dark blush from the position we were in.

"Well done Neji, and you as well Miss Desutinii" Hiashi said coming over to the two of us smiling. Neji got off and held his hand out to help me up. I swatted it away and stood up on my own. My father came to my side and I instantly winced. He had my arm in his death grip, and his eyes were deadly. I already knew what was coming, but I tried my best to hold my face blank.

"Yes, well done Neji you are indeed an exceptionally great fighter." My father agreed tightening his grip on my already throbbing arm. "But if you will, please excuse Tsuki and myself, she needs to get cleaned up." He added, Hiashi nodded.

"Yes, go ahead. Dinner is going to be at six so please take your time." Hiashi said putting a hand on Neji's shoulder leading him back to his seat. I'd do anything at this point to call them both back.

My father led me away from the two and away from the crowd. I kept my head low, knowing full well he did not intend to get me cleaned up. When we both were at the Compound doors he turned me around roughly forcing me to face him.

"You lost!" He yelled making me swallow hard. I could only nod. "That is unacceptable!" I nodded again, my words lost in my throat.

He pushed me to my knees still yelling. "You made our clan seem weak! You didn't even use your Kekkai Genkai!"

I felt tears welling up in my eyes, but I fought hard to keep them back. I would not cry in front of my father, it would only make things worse.

"Bow your head Tsuki! You know your punishment." I didn't oblige, I wished for anything but this. Anything

"Tsuki! Bow your head!" He yelled making my whole body quiver. I slowly and hesitantly bowed my head; biting down on my lip I closed my eyes awaiting the unavoidable.

My father yanked my hair away exposing my pale neck. I tightened my fists. He put two fingers on the six identically shaped circles that were cursed into my flesh and muttered the one word that would destroy everything I have ever tried to keep strong.

"Itai!"

And I felt it again. Over and over and over again. The pain, the pain that would never ever get less horrendous. The feeling of the knives slicing through every inch on my body. The pain in my chest as though I was being drowned alive. And the tarring, oh god the ripping, it was the worst. I can't even explain it. The pain of my skin being slowly ripped to shreds while I could do nothing to stop it. That was the most unbearable...

I opened my mouth and let out a blood-curdling scream, but like many times before, my father knew better; he quickly used his unoccupied hand to ball around my mouth. Silencing the cries.

Nothing matched the excruciating feeling I was getting as every second went by. Tears streamed down my face from my tightly closed eyes. Blood began pouring from my fist as my knuckles turned white. Every muscle in my body was clenched and shaking.

And 20 seconds hadn't even passed.

The pain was overpowering and my body simply could not take anymore of it. Not even in any of the brutal battles it had been in, none of them could compare with this pain. So in a last and final resort, I blacked out completely...

Zeal Desutinii removed his hand from his only daughter's mouth and took her limp body into his arms roughly. He began walking back into the Coupound where he would simply toss her onto her bed, feeling no remorse at what he had done so many times before.

But as his back turned to retreat, a pair of lavender eyes spit daggers into his chest. The one that had seen everything he had done to his bride-to-be.

Revenge is such a sweet word.