The Ninja Way: Chapter 2 Neji's Revelation
Full Summary: What would you do if the world suddenly turned upside-down? Would you change yourself to adjust, and risk breaking apart, or would you keep on going the same way you always have? The ninja way you uphold must be flexible, but can it ever be?
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
"Ano sa, ano sa! Sakura-chan! Over here!" Sakura turned towards her blonde friend, flashing him a small smile as she moved to sit next to him. Over three years, Ichiraku's had expanded. It could finally be called a restaurant, rather than a ramen stand.
"Naruto," she greeted as she slid into the seat he'd been patting. "How was your last mission in Taki?"
"It was easy, Sakura-chan!" Naruto replied enthusiastically. "I totally kicked their butts! You shoulda seen me! They were all, "Ooh, we got big-ass swords, ooh", and I was all "Shut the hell up, retards!", and then I used my Kage Bunshin no jutsu and used 1,000 Years of Pain Kunai Style on all of em! Their faces were priceless!" Sakura chuckled lightly at her friend and former teammate, then turned her head as the door opened, revealing Lee and Tenten, Neji following a ways behind them. Naruto waved them over, and Tenten and Lee sat side by side across from Naruto and herself, Neji sliding in next to Sakura, acknowledging her with a curt nod.
"I see you've been overworking yourself again, Neji," Sakura chided. "I told you before; no training or extrenuous activities until I give confirmation that you're fully healed." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Speaking of which..." Sakura muttered, grabbing his left arm gently, pushing back the sleeve of his Hyuga robes and running her fingers over it lightly, sending a small pulse of chakra through his systems to assess the remaining damage. "Well, Neji, it looks like this will be healed in about a week or less, provided that you follow the doctor's orders, of course."
"Very well, Sakura-san," Neji replied monotonously, "I will keep that in mind."
"Glad to hear it, Neji," she said with a grin, "but I've told you time and time again to drop the "-san"!"
"I apologize. It's a habit I've been trying to correct."
Sakura nodded at him happily. Out of all of the people she had come to admire, he was one of the people she admired most. He was strong, intelligent, able to mask his emotions perfectly, naturally talented, and over-all, the perfect ninja. He was everything she wished she could become, and he was good-looking. He was an ANBU captain, and she had sparred against him in the final matches of the Jounin exam. She'd lost, of course. but not without leaving him a few nasty bruises and fractures to remember her by. Her performance was outstanding, and she was promoted the rank. After that, Neji had even offered to help her train from time to time. Neji had helped her to further develop her healing techniques, sometimes watching with his Byakugan as she healed patients, offering advice, and informing her of areas she tended to neglect naturally. Of course, god forbid he ever be the one in need of treatment. Not that he came back from missions with more than a scratch most of the time.
She trained with Lee whenever he was available, trying to improve her Taijutsu skills. She was also starting to develop techniques entirely of her own design. Naruto had at some point, attempted to explain to her the concept of his Rasengan. She was able to reproduce it, somewhat, and was able to incorporate, or convert the raw chakra into elements such as fire, electricity, and water, causing extra damage, were the initial impact not enough. After the incident with Sabaku no Gaara and the Akatsuki, she had been striving even harder. If Akatsuki ever got their hands on Naruto... She didn't know what she would do. Sakura was drawn back from within her memories by Neji's voice in her ear.
"Sakura-san..." Neji muttered quietly, his white eyes piercing into her jade ones, "There is something I think you should know." She gave him her full attention. "I spotted Sasuke near Takigakure. On the way back here. I have reason to believe that the problems in Taki and Ame have to do with him and Sound village. Godaime-sama said not to tell you, but I thought it would be important that you and Naruto, if anyone, would know. He was your teammate after all." Sakura stared at him for a moment. NEJI HYUGA had disobeyed a DIRECT ORDER from the GODAIME HERSELF because he thought that she had the right to know? "If you will excuse me, now, Sakura-san, I still have an extensive mission report to write." He inclined his head to her as he got up.
"Neji, hang on..." Sakura said, effectively halting him. He turned his head to look back at her. Her head was bowed slightly, a deep shadow over her eyes. Suddenly, she looked up at him, positively beaming at him. "Thank you. It means a lot." Neji nodded slightly, flashing a small smirk, and then disappeared out the door, leaving Sakura to mull over the information he had passed along.