Disclaimer: Naruto and all other associated characters/justus/themes are the property of Kishimoto-sensei. There I said it.

"It's going to rain tomorrow," Tenten murmured, staring at the sky through her bedroom window. It was a starless night; completely dark except for a small patch of lighter, paler grey where the moon was hiding behind the clouds.

Rin looked up, her sea-foam green eyes immediately shifting from the window to her companion.

"Really?"

Tenten smiled at the childish curiosity in the other girl's voice. "We were taught to read weather patterns from cloud formations back when we were in the Academy," she explained, her usage of the now familiar terms to them both delighted Rin.

"That's amazing," Rin sighed softly, her small white hands that were splayed out over the lemony yellow silk of her kimono. Tenten watched her with amusement as her fingers slowly began to move, mimicking the way they had plucked the strings on the shamisen she had been playing earlier.

Rin had offered to teach her how to play, but Tenten had been too afraid to even touch the elaborate rosewood and gold shamisen lest she broke it. She had only agreed after Rin's pleas for her to try, but despite their similarity to the chakra strings she was so fond of using, she had failed quite miserably as she had known she would.

Tenten looked down wistfully at her own hands, rough from the years of holding her weapons and marked with tiny, almost invisible scars that she couldn't recall where she had gotten. The only instruments she could play were those of death. There was no way those same hands could produce such delicate, beautiful music-

Then she sensed it. The same strange chakra presence she'd felt that night along with Neji's and Kazuya's.

Rin stopped what she was doing when she noticed her friend's odd, sudden silence and the dazed look in her eyes.

"Tenten-san? What's wrong?"

"They're fighting." The distinct sound of metal against metal that followed right on cue was an affirmation to her statement. Tenten's face was drawn and pale when she turned to look at Rin. The worry etched into every one of her features was soon mirrored on the latter's face.

"I have to help them."

The weapon mistress stumbled to her feet too quickly and vertigo overtook her immediately. Rin stood up abruptly and hurriedly over to her bedside.

"Tenten-san, your shoulder-"

"I'm going," she said. The determination shining through her chocolate eyes stopped Rin from trying to convince her to do otherwise. It wasn't that she didn't have faith in Neji and Kazuya's abilities as shinobi, but their less than friendly relationship could result in a lack of the teamwork that was necessary, if not vital for any mission.

Tenten looked at Rin with unspoken gratitude as the other girl wordlessly helped her up before both left the room as quickly as the former's injury and the latter's elaborate clothing would allow.

Even if she wouldn't be much of a help, she had to at least see if her assistance was needed. And judging from the strength of their opponent, those two were going to need all the help they could get.

True to his expectations, a crowd of servants had gathered in the surrounding buildings to peer out of any available opening to observe the fight. Most of them had given the battling shinobi a relatively wide berth, but a few of the bolder ones had actually come out to stand in the garden to watch.

Whether they were just stupid or didn't have what was usually referred to as 'self preservation skills', Neji didn't really know or care. Fighting an enemy who's unusual techniques seemed to be almost perfect for combating his family's Jyuken style was hard enough, not to mention the addition of a blond show-off for a partner and the odd terrain. Having morons in his way was not helping the already deteriorating situation, especially since Nakajima had proven quite early in their fight that he was not above attacking innocent bystanders to distract his opponents.

"Move!" Neji shouted, releasing a blast of chakra from his palm that reduced the boulder to dust and rubble. The offending servants quickly scurried away into the safety of the terraces, but Nakajima had managed to once again dodge his attack.

"Tch," he grunted in irritation as he continued his assault.

Nakajima was more skilful that he'd previously thought. He had been keeping him and Fuuma busy with his chakra strings and had forced them to momentarily halt their assault at least twice to save several maids, all while dodging both their attacks for the last few minutes. An eternity, considering the usual length of shinobi battles. However, his once decisive movements were beginning to slow and he was still outnumbered. It was only a matter of time before-

Out of the corner of his eye, Neji caught sight of two people who were, for a lack of a better word, idiotic enough to disobey his instructions. He hesitated for the barest second when he realized who it was.

"Neji! Kazuya!" came a familiar female voice as his palm finally connected with Nakajima's torso, only for said person to immediately transform into a log with a puff of white smoke.

Nakajima used the short reprieve his substitution jutsu had provided him to consider his options. He had grown accustomed to dealing with surprises. Just not this many in the same night.

If he had been aware of his opponent's thoughts, he would have whole heartedly agreed. The situation was clearly not progressing in his favour and Hyuuga and Fuuma currently possessed the upper hand, but that was going to change.

"You seem to be very good at running away," the Hyuuga commented lightly. Piercing white eyes narrowed almost immediately in incomprehension when they saw hazel eyes glance at the two newcomers to the scene. "Only a coward would keep trying to escape."

"And only a fool would risk his life so easily," Nakajima returned, his refined accent doing little to mask the breathless anticipation in his voice.

He had attempted his jutsu earlier with both his opponents, but their minds were simply too strong for him to overcome. The kunoichi's mind on the other hand was so easily infiltrated that it was almost too easy. Perhaps her mind had been attacked before... not that he cared.

Nakajima briefly looked down at the kunoichi's eyes that were so much like his in terms of colouration, yet hers were wide and filled with fear and worry for her teammates, while his held only a strange look of satisfaction.

That little girl had ruined his plans once before.

Now she was going to make it up to him whether she liked it or not.

Tenten winced visibly when a strange, prickling pain started in her temple, only for it to vanish as suddenly and quickly as it had come.

"Tenten-san, is something wrong?" Rin asked concernedly.

"No it's nothing- Ah!"

As if in retaliation to her earlier statement, the pain returned, this time with a burning intensity that brought her to her knees, her hands flying to her head. It felt like someone was stabbing her head with a blunt kunai, only ten times worse.

Tenten could vaguely hear someone calling her name, but she couldn't say anything through her gritted teeth. It was only through sheer determination and effort that she was able to choke back the scream that threatened to tear itself from her throat.

She was all too grateful to succumb to the darkness when unconsciousness finally arrived to claim her.

Damn it, Kazuya cursed inwardly as his fuuma shuriken sliced through another log.

Although he tried to keep his focus on the fight, his dark grey eyes kept instinctively darting over to Rin and Tenten to assure himself of their safety. But when he detected a sudden surge of chakra that wasn't headed for him or Neji and heard Rin's scream, not only he, but Neji and even Nakajima himself turned their attention to the only two occupants of the otherwise deserted garden.

Tenten had fallen to her knees, clutching her head while Rin was kneeling beside her, calling her name repeatedly.

Nakajima began to engage Neji once more and Kazuya found himself flooded with indecision. He wanted to see if Tenten was alright, but he couldn't simply abandon Hyuuga to do so. By now, Tenten had stopped shaking and Rin was patting her back soothingly so it didn't take him much longer to decide.

Before he left to do what he was supposed to, Kazuya took one last glance at the two young women kneeling in the middle of the grounds spread out below him. It was then that he saw that Tenten's hand holding something that glinted dangerously in the pale moonlight that sifted through the departing clouds, ready to plunge it into his childhood friend's side.

"Rin, move!"

The stunned girl merely raised her head to find the source of the harsh command, her beautiful turquoise eyes filled with confusion. The next thing she knew, she was roughly pushed out of the way by someone and there were dark red droplets staining her kimono.

Her eyes widened in horror as she recognized the crimson liquid. But when she saw where it had come from, she immediately clasped her hands over her mouth. It was all she could do to keep herself from screaming.

Despite the stinging pain in his hand, Kazuya maintained his protective stance in front of Rin, gripping the blade of the Tenten's kunai tightly. Neither of them even seemed to notice the steady dripping of blood onto the grass at their feet.

"Are you okay?" Kazuya asked, briefly inclining his head to the girl behind him. When she nodded, the relief in his tone was almost tangible. "You should go."

This time she didn't hesitate to obey.

Once he was sure that Rin was safely out of harm's way, he turned to Tenten with an anger that blazed in his stormy grey eyes until he realized the complete lack of expression in hers.

They remained there for several more seconds, neither moving nor speaking. Then they simultaneously released the kunai trapped between them and the soft rustling as the kunai hit the grass was accompanied by the metallic clang of kunai against Fuuma shuriken.

Author's Note:

Yay, I got this up before New Year's. :D

My friend who checked through this mentioned that it was odd for Neji and Kazuya to be hindered by Nakajima's chakra strings for so long since they're supposed to have experience and stuff. Actually, although it feels much longer in writing, in real time the events of this chapter would have probably taken at the very most fifteen minutes or so.

Also, both Neji and Kazuya have been quite limited in this fight because of Nakajima's unusual choice of weapon and his less than honourable tactics, which will explain why they've been for fighting longer than the length of usual shinobi battles.

Then again, although fights between ninja are supposed to last for a few minutes (according to Kakashi), every big battle scene in the actual series last on average three episodes, aka an hour. Unless of course if victory is completely assured to one side due to the sheer difference in strength. If so, the loser(s) drop dead pretty quickly. :P

So since everyone is still fighting, it can be safely assumed that the Neji-Kazuya tag team and Nakajima are about on par.

For now. :)

Update - 20/1/09:

My beta reader beta read this XP Her exams aren't over yet but she still took the time to look through it for me. Cookies and a big hug are in order for my senpai/sensei, Midnight Memories.