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Stronger

iJutsu

Chapter 3

Lee at this point sat to his knees and started punching the ground with both fists as hard as he could, making his fingers turn from faint pink to deep red. Blood then shown through the protection tape that was wrapped around his hand. As painful as it was, he didn't stop. It was far less painful than the feeling that he felt in his heart. It was as if millions of Tenten's katanas stabbed his heart. Neji sighed. He allowed Lee to let his despair out now. More tears streamed down his face with his eyes shut tight, not daring to open them up. Neji sighed again. He was hurting as much as Lee was.

"Why?" Lee stammered angrily, still hitting the ground furiously. His pace then began to slow down until his punches were merely just knocks on the floor. He stopped and looked at the ground pitifully. "W-why?!"

His voice was caught in tears, making his voice seem a bit like he was choking. Neji couldn't blame him. What just happened was far from what they believed would happen once they find her. Having their blooming flower of Suddenly, they both heard footsteps coming from behind them. Quick ones. Neji turned and saw Sakura running towards them. Lee seemed too caught up in his thoughts, he didn't notice. She waited until she approached him before she spoke.

"I'm sorry I'm a bit late," panted Sakura, "Did anything happen with the person?"

Neji just pointed his head slightly towards Lee, who was staring at the ground letting tears fall behind him. Sakura gasped and ran over to him. She placed her hand upon his shoulder as he shook, trying to get himself together. Sakura managed to help him stand up, yet not as straight as she hoped. His hand was covering his eyes frustratingly as the other hand was clenched into a fist. She stared at him in concern then back at Neji, who was looking down. Something obviously did happen.

"What happened?" she asked quietly towards Lee.

Lee didn't remove his hand from his eyes, but spoke. "It...It was her. It was Tenten."

Sakura's eyes grew a bit wide as she covered her mouth in shock. Her eyes shone disbelief.

"N-no," she said, shaking her head, moving her hand slowly from her mouth. "It couldn't have..."

"It was," Neji said, lifting up his head, "She came and attacked us, vowing to kill Lee and I both." He made it simple and down to the point. But knowing Sakura, she wanted a more specific response back. Lee remained silent, with his hand still on his eyes. His body was no longer shaking, fortunately enough.

"W-wait a minute," Sakura said, looking at Neji, knowing that Lee wouldn't speak, "How could that have been Tenten? She's missing and...and she wouldn't kill a soul...!" Her voice trailed off, remembering how Tenten killed the guards and almost Kakashi and Gai.

"She changed," Neji simply said.

"Then if that was Tenten," she started off seriously again, "Where is she now?"

Lee's head then jolted up slowly, turning his head towards Sakura, then back at Neji. Neji looked back over at him. His eyes were filled with wanting, with despair and anger mixing with it. He looked sharply at Neji. Before he spoke he roughly wiped his eyes and tightened the tape around both his hands. He then moved the hair off his face caused by the soft wind.

"Let's go," said Lee quietly, turning around. Neji stared at him oddly as he walked up to him.

"We can't," Neji said slowly.

Lee halted in his tracks and slowly turned around facing Neji with a confused expression upon his face. Neji frowned a bit. "He must've forgotten," Neji thought, also moving the strands of hair that was covering his face. Sakura looked down, for she also knew the reason why. Neji looked at him.

"W-what do you mean 'we can't'?" question Lee with his teeth slightly clenched together.

Neji tried to stay as calm as he could, to not make Lee lose it. "You said yourself that the genins are out missioning along with teachers. If one sees us, one can't help but follow, remember?"

"But we saw her! SAW her!" Lee shot back, both hands in tight fists, "She appeared in Konaha back to us in the flesh! We have to go find her! Every seconds that is passing, the more further away she is getting from us! P-please..." Lee began shaking in the shoulders again before he yelled. "I don't want to lose her again!"

It was painful. It was painful to see Lee in such state. Even if Neji didn't do so, he felt like doing the same thing. This wasn't overreacting. A teammate who they cherish betraying them for the sake of power. Sakura started to shake a bit too, with her eyes getting wet as she stared at Lee. Neji sighed. She must be feeling the pain. As Sakura placed a calm hand on Lee's shoulder, making Lee's shoulder's calm down a bit, Neji spoke.

"I want to find her as much as you," he said, "But where are we to look, Lee? Without a doubt, she's most likely where she hid for 4 years."

Lee stayed quiet and cursed a word under his breath angrily. With her hand still on Lee's shoulder, she looked over at Neji with a blink. She thought of an idea.

"Was there any evidence given when you fought her?" she asked, "D.N.A? Anything of that matter?"

Neji looked around the area where they fought. The area was pretty empty, so anything of Tenten's, besides from hair, would be easy to find. Instantaneously, Neji spotted a black piece of clothing, perhaps the size of the steel on the ninja head band, waving from the tip of the stick. He raised a brow, for that wasn't there when they begun fighting with Tenten. He walked towards it, and when finally up to it, he bent down and pulled it from the stick, tearing it slightly. Pulling it high enough to his eyes, he examined the thing. Then, he remembered. He sliced a piece of her clothing when he attacked her with her own five weapons. He turned around, only to see that Sakura and Lee were already behind him. Neji showed Sakura the item he found and she, too, examined it.

"I take it this is Tenten's clothing?"

Neji nodded. Lee's eyes finally showed a bit of life in them. "We could use that to help find where she is, right?" asked Lee a bit desperately. He sighed in relief when Sakura gave him a small nod and smile.

"I could ask Kakashi-sensei to summon Pakkun," she replied, Pakkun being the pug and smallest, yet reliable, summon of Kakashi's Ninken, "He could track down Tenten."

Lee again gave out a sigh of relief. "Let's get going then," he said, trying to catch a clear breath. Before Lee could look out forward to Kakashi and Gai, for Gai was with him, Sakura stood before him and wrapped her arms around him. Lee blinked in confusion as she did so and he looked down at her, which was just the top of his head, for her head was under his chin.

"It's okay," she whispered, arms still around him. It was then he knew why Sakura hugged him. Tears banging into his eyes, he hugged her back gently. This was to be Lee's best day of his life, to have Sakura finally embraced in his arms. But at this moment, it wasn't.

---

They finally made their way to the hospital in silence. They entered, only to see Gai and Kakashi leaning against the wall of the check-in room. No one was in the room but them. Rock Lee blinked in slight confusion. Gai just gave them a short smile as Kakashi nodded.

"What's up?" stated Kakashi simply.

"W-why aren't you in bed?" Sakura asked, with a hint of concern in her voice. Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"Don't worry," he said, "All we needed was to sit down a rest for a bit."

"But boy," Gai groaned, adding in, "That was one hell of a fight."

Sakura turned her head towards Neji and Lee and nodded, mentioning that they should tell both the teachers about the incident. Neji looked down, somehow finding it hard to say. Lee had the same problem. After a couple of seconds, Lee raised back his head and looked over at Gai, trying to keep himself together and not break down. Breaking down was no an option no longer.

"Gai-sensei," Lee whispered, finding it hard to speak clearly out loud, "The person was...was our...our youthful flower." Lee couldn't say her name. It pained him so. Gai didn't seem to understand, for he stared at Lee in confusion. Neji noticed and took part.

"Tenten," Neji finished.

Kakashi and Gai eyes shot up wide open. For a moment, they stared at them with disbelief, the same look Sakura has given them when they told her. Gai finally blinked, which seemed like he didn't and Kakashi sighed.

"Impossible," Gai muttered, softly, "Tenten's missing. And if that was her, how could she manage to get that strong? Strong enough to knock Kakashi and I down?"

Kakashi stayed quiet for a while, then raised a brow towards Gai. "Come to think of it," Kakashi started, "Gai, didn't you realize all she fought with were merely ninja weapons? Isn't that Tenten's specialty?"

Gai stared at him, caught in thought. Slowly Gai nodded, agreeing that all she used was ninja weapons, and scrolls that contained weapons. His eyes then flashed. He thought Tenten the way of weapon scrolls, how to activate and use them. He was her sensei, after all. But, he found it all hard to believe. He shook his head. "I don't believe..."

"You're going to have to," said Neji, interrupting. He then turned over to Kakashi, "We need your help."

Kakashi just stared, waiting to hear more. Neji turned his head towards Sakura and cocked his head slightly towards Kakashi, motioning her to give him the evidence. Sakura stared at him a bit, not understanding. She then received Neji's glare and she blushed a bit from embarrassment. Shaking her head, she nodded at him and handed over the clothing to Kakashi.

"T-this is a piece of Tenten's clothing," she said after Kakashi held it in his hands, "They were wondering if you summon Pakkun, so he could use that to track her down."

Kakashi paused for a moment before sighing. He then looked at the two former students of Gai. He smiled under his mask and nodded, "That could be arranged," he said, going to the center of the room. He removed a scroll and placed it on the floor, revealing the writing of the summon. He then closed his eyes and focused chakra into his hands before placing them sharply into the center of the scroll. Within seconds, a puff a small smoke surrounded their knees and then revealed their little pug friend, Pakkun. Pakkun stretched and blinked a couple of times before getting a clear version of his surroundings. He first obviously noticed Kakashi.

"We have a task for you, Pakkun," Kakashi said, bending down showing Pakkun the piece of clothing in his hands, "Please examine this and find her."

Pakkun stared, "Who's this 'her'?" he asked.

"Tenten," Lee said, seriously and a bit impatient.

Pakkun still stared, with his forehead rising a bit, "The mouse-hair girl that's been missing?"

"YES," Lee said sharply, trying not to raise his voice, "May you please start?"

Pakkun didn't bother to continue the conversation. The look in both Lee's and Neji's eyes frightened him. He was aware that Tenten was their teammate. He turned over to Kakashi again, who's hand was still out with the clothing. Pakkun took a sniff. Then another. Then another. After a couple, he stepped back and sniffed the air. After, he looked down and nodded at the ninjas before him.

"I'll see what I can do," Pakkun said, before leaping out the window, for the exit door wasn't open for him. Lee ran towards the window and watched him run quick out of Konoha. He closed his eyes, hoping for the best of Pakkun and for the safe and peaceful return of Tenten. Once he opened his eyes, he turned back to his friends and sat down on a chair with a deep sigh. Gai went over and sat next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder calmly, giving him a comforting smile. As hard as it was, Lee gave him back the smile. It didn't last long, for he turned away from his sensei and looked back down with his arms rested upon his knees. Neji sighed. Sakura noticed.

"Aren't you worried?" Sakura asked quietly. It was a foolish question to ask, she knew. But she asked it anyhow, seeing that he wasn't acting at all like how Lee was. Neji just gave enough sigh.

"More than you could imagine," he stated simply, still looking over at Lee and Gai, "I know that may be a shocker."

"Oh, no. That's no shocker at all," she said still quietly. Neji looked over at her strangely, confused of what she just said. Sakura seemed to have noticed his glance, for she turned her head towards him, seeing his confused expression. It was her turn to sigh, "May I speak to you outside for a minute?"

Neji looked at her for a second then gave a nod. They walked outside and stood under the shade of the building, so that they won't leave Lee or the other's sight. Sakura leaned against the wall once Neji crossed his arms, waiting for her to say what she wanted to say. He felt quite odd, for he never actually had a conversation with Sakura. Sakura took a deep breath before she spoke. She also felt odd.

"I bet your wondering why it's no shocker for you to miss somebody. Especially somebody like her."

Neji just nodded.

"I mean, I could see why. She was your teammate for a couple of years now. Being in a team was like having a new family to all of us ninjas. Of course, this is what Tenten told me the day before she left."

His eyes lit up a bit, showing her that he wanted her to continue. The silence from Neji made her feel like this was more harder to do.

"Y-you see, the day before she left, when you became a jonin, Tenten and I were at the training area. Naruto, you and Lee were still sparing then..."

Flashback

"You've gotten so strong now, Sakura," said a kind voice.

Sakura turned over to the voice who she was walking with along the village. She smiled shyly, "Thanks Tenten. But what makes you say that?"

Tenten shrugged, "I mean, c'mon. You're a medical nin now, and could use a large amount of chakra. I seemed to pass by yours and Naruto's training with Kakashi-sensei to claim the bell for the second time." Tenten winked at her playfully, "I saw that move where you focused your chakra into your fist than onto the floor, freaking out Naruto."

Sakura blushed slightly from the sudden compliment. Tenten again spoke as she looked up into the sky. "You know, all you guys gotten strong. You, Naruto, and who else."

"What about your team?" asked Sakura, looking at her. Tenten's eyes remained towards the sky.

"Of course!" she said in a giggle, "In fact, I admire how strong they've gotten! Lee and Neji's gotten so skilled, I could hardly catch up. Hell, how'd I get placed in their team. A prodigy, a taijutsu master, and me, the...weapon mistress. "

"You're making it sound like it's a bad thing," Sakura said, making Tenten look down towards her, "You got a powerful and precise aim. Better than Neji's and Lee's! I bet one day if you try harder, you'll be as good as them. Twice as good, even."

"Best believe that!" Tenten said, grinning, "I'm not stopping until I could defeat them in a battle. Both of them. I won't rest until I do. Someday, I'll be the one saving him. Not him no longer saving me."

"That's good," Sakura said with a happy sigh. She looked over at Tenten who was still smiling. A thought then came across Sakura's head and they both haven't talked about it in years. "I know this may be a sudden old question, but are you still in love with Neji?"

Tenten's smile faded a bit before she looked at Sakura, astonished by the question. Tenten paused before giving her a small smile.

"Yeah," she breathed out, moving her dark brown hair away from her eyes, "But to tell you the truth, I've been admiring him more than actually 'loving' him."

Sakura blinked, quite not understanding. Tenten continued, "I mean, the more I look at him train, the more I look at him fight, the more I admire him. I always told myself to be more like him. To be better than him, even. I looked up to him. He was like a role model for me, almost like Master Tsunade."

Tenten stayed quiet before saying her last statement. "I love him for that."

End of Flashback

"And that's what happened," said Sakura to Neji, who was in complete awe, "Then the next day, she was gone."

Neji's eyes shown disbelief, but surprise at the same time. Sakura thought it was best for her to continue speaking.

"You seemed shocked," Sakura said softly, "I thought you knew."

He glared and she flinched. Obviously he didn't.

"I-I mean, if you knew, then that'd be the perfect reason why you would be worrying about her so much."

"How long did she feel that way?" he managed to simply ask.

"I don't know," Sakura said, rubbing her neck, "Since you were genins, I suppose."

Neji stayed quiet and eyed towards the ground, with a slight glare upon his face. How had he been so blind to notice? It wasn't his fault, however. Tenten never showed hints of affection towards him before. Though, that's what he believed. When it came to love, he was no genius. Sakura was fidgeting a bit, wondering if she had said what she just said was the right thing to do. Perhaps not. But she didn't regret it. She was far from over talking with him. She stood up straight from the wall, making Neji look up a bit to face her.

"May I ask you one more question, Neji?"

Neji merely nodded, pacing himself. Sakura's story entered him deep. She paused for a moment before speaking, thinking of the right way to put it.

"Do you...or did you ever feel the same way? In any way possible?"

Neji stared at her in a jolt, feeling a little warm in the face. Faint pink shown through his pale skin. This being the first conversation with Sakura, and here he was, ready to spill out everything he kept personal. He cleared his throat.

"I never did look up to her, as your story states like she did towards me, I'll tell you that," he said. Neji then sighed a big sigh as he a bit frustratingly moved his hair from his face and back on his head, leaving his hand there. He looked at Sakura straight in the eye and after about 5 seconds, he removed his hand from his head and let it fall down to his side.

It was then he thought of Tenten. She was always there for him. She was always there when he wanted to train. Always there to provide him with support. Always there to take care of his injuries. And she never had to ask. It was if both honored each other's presence. Never has he told her to leave, but merely just stay 'Neji' and let her do as she wishes, unless she bothers him. He remembered her laughs, her smiles, her cries, her love towards both him and Lee. Neji closed his eyes for a long time, making Sakura feel more worried and uncomfortable. He then opened his eyes slowly, finished from his thoughts.

"I do feel that way," he said in a faint whisper. An unexpected caring smile came across Sakura's face.

"Then," she started, "No wonder you're as worried as Lee."

Silence grew around them, making things more awkward than it was. Sakura had nothing else to say. With a slight blush and a silly smile, she offered Neji and her to go back in a wait for Pakkun. Lee must've been wondering what they were doing, so Neji nodded and opened the door for her. He walked in after she did and watched her sit next to Lee. Lee's head rose up and looked at her, who gave him a smile. Lee smiled back and decided to keep his head up to look at her. She blinked.

"Thank you, for caring about how I felt," Lee started, meaning the hug that they gave each other, "I really do appreciate it."

Sakura couldn't help but smile as her 'your welcome'. Lee gave a small smirk as he leaned back on his chair, stretching a bit.

"Maybe that's a sign that perhaps the beautiful Sakura has feelings for me?" Lee said teasingly. Sakura stared at him funny, then understood his little game. She giggled as he gave her the wink he did many years ago before the Chunin exams.

"Ew!" Sakura laughed, leaning to her side, dodging his 'wink', "You're eyebrows! Are they alive?"

Before Lee knew it, he was laughing. Laughing along with Sakura, and a bit of Gai, who was sitting beside them. Neji couldn't help but smile a bit, finally seeing Lee cheer up. After taking a deep breath after the laughs, he smiled once more at Sakura.

"Thanks," he said again. Before Sakura could respond, they heard small footsteps, yet rapid. It was coming this direction and each ninja stood up straight, looking at the door, which was half way open. Suddenly, a small brown pug squeezed through the doors panting a bit. It was Pakkun. Pakkun sat down on the floor and looked up to the ninjas. He nodded.

"I know where she is."

TBC

Not one of my best, but oh well. I'll keep trying. It's just that I've been a bit writers blocked lately. Well, please R&R, so I have reasons to continue :)