Okay, the long-awaited 4th chapter is here! Thanks to .Sailor.L, Noc007, and .Planned for reviews! I'm happy that people found my story among the literally tens of thousands of Naruto fanfics and found it worthwhile enough to review.
I wrote this chapter, and it ended up being ridiculously long because I couldn't find a very good stopping point, so I cut it in the best place I could and made the rest into the next chapter. So you get two chapters in one update! 0_0 gasp amazing
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but Shino is mine. He, Suigetsu and Kakashi are the only cool characters left, in my judgemental opinion, and knowing Kishimoto-sensei's penchant for killing off the cool characters (you saw how he teased us in chapter 423!), I have decided to take Shino into my protection. I'll get Suigetsu next. (Bring on your arguements about character coolness; I'll take you on with the power of youth!)
Round 4
-.-Neji's POV-.-
I sigh. P.E. time. I will be so glad next year when I'm a junior and I no longer have to take that irritating class. Not that I'm bad at it, of course; in P.E. as in everything else, I'm at the top of the class. But I get plenty of exercise already from my...extracurricular activities. Anyone would get enough exercise just by living in this town, with all the walkways and levels. P.E. is full of immature, undisciplined teenagers running around screaming and throwing balls at each other.
Having class with Lee doesn't help.
He managed to find me after sixth period. Now he's just walking beside me rambling on about our upcoming youthful experience. I want to shake him and say, 'Lee, it's Just. Dodgeball,' but I know well enough by now that it would be pointless.
He does have moments in which he makes sense, as hard as that may be to believe from spending five minutes with him. During lunch he was saying something mildly coherent about Naruto and some new kids who looked like trouble. I saw one of them in my math class, a boy with bandages covering half his face. He was wearing a cap, too, and seemed to be bald. The teacher didn't say anything, so I assume it was allowed, but already he's gotten weird looks from people. Everyone avoided him, but I don't think he looked that tough. If he or his gang feel like causing trouble, any one of our gang could quickly put them in their place.
Oh look, the locker room. Wonderful.
-.-Lee's POV-.-
Yes! P.E.! An excellent opportunity to revel in the springtime of youth!
Neji does not seem very excited. He never seems to display any youthful spirit. Yet I know it exists even in him!
Ah! The locker room! A place for male bonding and youthful displays of friendship! And there is Naruto!
"Hello Naruto!" I exclaim. The freshmen and sophomores have double P.E., and Naruto is in the same group with Neji and me! That Tanuki boy Kankurou is also in our class, which makes for some very energetic competition at times!
"Uh, Naruto?" I find I must repeat myself, because he is staring into the distance again. He says quietly, "It's him."
I look and see the pale boy from earlier. Oh no! I had forgotten about him!
"Uh, so, Naruto, are you looking forward to dodgeball today?" I quickly change the subject. It would be very bad if this boy, this Sasuke Uchiha according to Shikamaru, really is like Gaara. Gaara used to be in our P.E. class, but he and Naruto caused so much trouble that he was eventually switched out. I do not want a repeat of the same scenario!
At first I thought he was not listening, but then he says, "Yeah. I think I am."
I really do not like that grin on his face.
"Neji-" I turn to find Neji behind me, already changed and also watching Uchiha. "Is that the guy?" he asks. I nod and he contemplates him for a while, his eyes narrowed.
I realize suddenly that quite a few people are looking at the new boy and whispering things along the lines of "stuck-up pretty boy." I worry that the negative attention may bother him, but just as in the hallway, he ignores their looks. Still, it is rude to stare, so I quickly change and drag Naruto and Neji into the gym.
Hopefully a youthful experience will clear the air of bad feelings!
-.-Kankurou's POV-.-
Well, well, well. New kid's in my P.E. class. On dodgeball day, no less. Someone up there's got a nice sense of humor.
I pass by Uzumaki and Hyuuga in the gym, and I hear the blond whispering "I bet Uchiha won't look so smug with his face knocked in from a well-aimed dodgeball." I gotta snicker at that. So even the blond idiot can have some good ideas sometimes.
"What are you laughing at?" the Hyuuga asks snottily. Man, that guy gets on my nerves. I start to glare, but then an idea hits me.
So I smile at them (more of a smirk, really; they're still Fox Gang, after all) and say, "That was pretty funny, what you said about the Uchiha kid." They just glare, so I keep talking. "So, it looks like we're gonna be on the same dodgeball team this time."
"And why's that?" Uzumaki growls.
"Because I want a chance to give the newbie a proper welcome too."
They don't react for a second; then Uzumaki grins and snickers and even Hyuuga gives a small smirk.
A ridiculously loud whistle makes the lights rattle, and Psycho Gym Teacher is in the building! God, Might Gai is a nutcase. I don't know why Hyuuga lets Gai's little clone Lee be in his gang. Sure he's strong, but you gotta have standards.
He rambles about youth for a while (and he is how old?), then he finally lets us form into teams. Uzumaki, Hyuuga and I stand near one end of the gym, making sure Uchiha is at the other so he'll end up on the opposite team. Lee's at the other end too; for some reason, he always competes against his gangmates in P.E. I guess it's because not many normal people could compete with his insane energy.
Uchiha (Chouji told us all his name at lunch, by the way, along with the names of some others who seem to be in his gang) is standing around with one of those I'm-too-good-for-this bored looks. Man, I just cannot wait to smear him all over the gym floor.
Time for some target practice.
-.-Naruto's POV-.-
I don't like this new kid, this Sasuke Uchiha. I don't like him and that's all I have to say about it.
He's just got this look about him, alright? This attitude! He's clearly trouble! And I know trouble!
Shikamaru and Neji agree with me too. Plus, Shino tried to find out more about him at lunch with his handheld computer, and he couldn't find a thing. Nada. Zip. Not in this town or in any other. He said he'd try a wider search later, but the fact that he couldn't find anything right away is way beyond suspicious.
I figure this dodgeball game will be a good chance to see just how much trouble Uchiha really is.
Gai-sensei goes over the rules for all of us who've spent their whole lives under rocks, bricks or some other hard, rectangular object and never played dodgeball before. Stay on your side, if you're out you're out, blah blah blah. Meanwhile, everyone is tuning him out and choosing their victims. I know who mine is.
Finally, Gai-sensei throws the balls out on the court and blows that ear-destroying whistle of his. I waste no time in scrambling for a ball. Nearby, Neji and (I can't believe we're cooperating with) Kankurou do the same. I keep my eyes on Uchiha; that prick hasn't even moved. He looks all haughty and bored, and he isn't even looking at our side. Big mistake.
Head shots are technically forbidden, but hey, what can I do if my hand slips?
Other kids are getting into position for shots, and a few have started throwing balls randomly for the hell of it. I keep an eye out for strays, nod to Neji (and if Kankurou happens to see, whatever) to let them know I'll shoot first (it would be so lame if our balls knocked each other out of the way), and then wind up, put my considerable strength into it and let it fly!
The ball flies straight, true and fast, ordinary kids flinch out of the way lest it be aimed at them, it approaches the prick at face-disfiguring speed and -
He dodged it.
He dodged it! He fucking dodged it! And not a real dodge either! He just leaned to the side and let it fly past him! With his eyes closed! And didn't move his feet! And, and -
Okay, I think you get it. I'm speechless. Dodging it without any effort, just like...like Gaara.
And then he looks at me. And he smirks.
Okay. Oho-ho-hooo-kay. That did it.
While I stew in rage, Neji throw his dodgeball. The prick ducks, sweeping a ball off the ground, and throwing it back in one smooth motion. Neji, unprepared, just barely dodges.
Okay, the jerk's good. But he made one fatal mistake. He pissed me off. That prick is going down.
This is physical education. And he's about to get schooled.
-.-Kankurou's POV-.-
Damn, the brat is good. I knew he was trouble from the start. He's dodging all our attacks and firing back almost before our balls even get there. And he maintains his cool-guy attitude throughout.
Really. Fucking. Annoying.
Uzumaki's flinging balls left and right like there's no tomorrow. Normally I'd laugh at how easily he gets ticked off, but today I'm wishing him the best of luck. Life's really weird sometimes, huh?
It does no good anyway; the brat dodges every one effortlessly. He's almost like Gaara, but at least Gaara has the decency to look scary and badass, not smug. More than ever I want to pound this guy's face in.
Hyuuga is doing his best, and he's a fast guy, but his speed and Uzumaki's wildness and my precision all seem to be useless against this guy. And that idiot Lee isn't helping; he keeps attacking the three of us, and doesn't seem to get the fact that we kinda have other objectives here!
And then it happens.
Uchiha's looking the other way, nailing some poor freshie who got too close to the dividing line, and Hyuuga sends a fast one at him. For a second, a beautiful, victorious second, it looks like it's going to hit. And then Uchiha grabs a ball, holds it with both hands and uses it to deflect Hyuuga's ball, sending it flying right back to smack Hyuuga in the face.
Even in a gym full of noisy kids playing dodgeball, that sound seems to ring out above the others.
-.-Neji's POV-.-
Oh. No. He. Didn't.
-.-Lee's POV-.-
Ouch. Neji got hit directly in the face. I bet that hurt, although Neji is being stoic as usual and not showing pain. That must take a lot of spirit!
However, even though it was an illegal face shot, he is still out. He seems reluctant to leave the court, but Gai-sensei enforces the rules, as is only right! Neji leaves, but he is glaring fiercely at the Uchiha boy.
I must say that perhaps his anger is not unfounded. I am willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but Uchiha does not seem at all sorry for what he has done, and to deflect a ball like that must have taken much effort. It is entirely possible that he hit Neji in the face on purpose.
Neji, Naruto and Kankurou have seemed rather preoccupied during this game. All of them are concentrating their energy on attacking Uchiha. It is good to have goals and to pursue them with determination, but I feel they may not be remembering that it is only a game. Therefore it is my job to remind them!
I cleverly throw one ball as a decoy, and then throw the second in close succession. Kankurou manages to dodge the first, but the second hits him as he dodges, exactly as I planned!
Now Kankurou is out. I must say, that resentful glare is not very sportsmanlike.
I glance over to the side and freeze. Uh-oh. Naruto has come very close to the line dividing our two sides, and Uchiha is on the other side nearby. He seems to be saying something, and Naruto does not look happy. I look around for Gai-sensei, but he is busy on the sidelines scolding a freshman for improper conduct.
Just then a dodgeball hits me. It seems I have paid for my moment of inattention! I leave the court, but continue to glance back at Naruto. I do hope nothing especially bad is happening over there...
-.-Naruto's POV-.-
"Loser."
I stare at him. "What the hell'd you call me?!"
He smirks that smirk again. "I said you're a loser. You're so pathetic it's sad. Why would such a loser even keep trying? You should give up now before you embarrass yourself."
Loser. Loser. Loser.
Suddenly I see red.
And there you have it, the most awkward place to end a chapter. Just keep reading...