The Path A Ninja Walks...
Chapter Four
4
Team Building
-

So...it begins tomorrow, does it?

Saseme thought to herself as she walked alone down all of the familiar roads...
The instant she had returned from her training in the Desert she was immediately ordered to meet with her team that had to be with-held for 3 days so as to give her the time it took to return home.
So because of this, she didn't really get the chance to look around where she once lived...
I can't believe I was away from this place for about 4 years now...

"Heeeey~ Sasemeee~!" Sage called out to her from behind and she stopped to wait for him to catch up.
"Sage?" she acknowledged him before shifting her gaze elsewhere as she noticed Hana was following as well, "Something I can do for you two?"
"Well, you know." he chuckled with a shrug, "Since we're on the same team and all that, I thought maybe we could have lunch together, you know, get to know each other!"
"Get to know each other?" Saseme was stunned at first...

It wasn't often that anyone really wished to 'get to know' her.

She was Uchiha.
That's all anyone knew.
All they needed to know.
All she was.

"...Suit yourself." she stated curtly before turning away and continuing her walk.
"Wait...really? Well...that was easier than I expected..."
Best not to punch a Gift Horse in the mouth-
Sage blinked with a puzzled look on his face and smiled.
"Saseme-chaaaaan~!" a hurried voice called out to her, approaching her at unmatched speed causing Sage to jump back a few feet as Rock Lee met with the girl before him-
"Lee?"
"Sorry to have startled you..." Lee panted softly.
"It's fine but...I thought you were on a mission already?"
"We finished early." He grinned, "A good thing too! Because I was hoping to catch you!"
"Me?" Saseme stared curiously, "But...why?"
"Well...it has been a while since we hung out..." he said awkwardly, "You kind of left our class early so...I thought we could catch up on the past 4 years-I-If...that's okay?"
he smiled to which the girl blinked in surprise and gave a chuckle.
"Ooooh I get it!" said Sage, disrupting the conversation, "You have a boyfriend! That's cute~!" he beamed and shifted glances between the two, "Though...Saseme You could do so much better than this guy..." he mumbled glancing at Lee, "What a weirdo."
"Really? I think they suit each other~!" Hana giggled.
"And just what is that supposed to mean!?" Lee huffed, "I am not her boyfriend, anyway!"
"Then why the hell is spending time with my team mate so important to you?" Sage asked with his arms crossed and doubt in his eyes.
"Team mate?" Lee glanced between the three genin, "Ah I see- so I take it this must be your new team then, Saseme? You did mention that you were meeting with them today..."
"Sage..." Saseme sighed, "This is Rock Lee. From my class? We used to train together."
"Oh..." The boy shifted his gaze back, "But...wait...your class? He looks older than you though?"
"Saseme was an advanced student~" Lee saud proudly, "She studied in a class year above her age group-"
"Oh...that's right! Neat." Sage grinned and chuckled a bit, "I keep forgetting that you trained in the upper class before you left for the Desert or whatever."
Lee sighed and leaned in close to Saseme to whisper.
"This new friend of yours seems to be yolk short of an egg..."
Saseme snorted softly and chuckled whispering back.
"He is Sage Amesawa, a member of my team it would seem."
"Ah, so I see." Lee sighed, "It is too bad we could not be on the same team..."
"I don't mind it." Saseme chuckled, "We can really be like rivals this way."
"Neji is my rival." Lee laughed, "But I am sure I can make room for you too!" he grinned.
"Damn Saseme~ you are SUCH a bad bitch!" Sage beamed laughing.

It seemed no matter what she said or did...

Sage always seemed to find Saseme to be so amazing...for whatever reason that was lost to her...
It was a strange sensation...but she didn't mind it.
In fact...it actually felt kind of nice to be praised for her ability for a change, rather than berated and belittled of this, or that or some other bull shit...
"She is-a what!?" Lee choked on his own words unsure of how to even react to that.
"...Wow. That's quite an interesting team mate you have there, Saseme." Neji stated as he approached the small pow-wow and crossed his arms.
This new arrival seemed to catch Hana's attention.
Now HE'S hot~
She giggled giving the Hyuuga boy glances which he noticed and twitched awkwardly.

"I suppose...he is eccentric?" Saseme muttered.
"...Rude, is more like it." Neji huffed.
"Then you two will probably get along swimmingly, Neji." she smirked,
Neji twitched and shot glares at his old classmate.
"...Perhaps you two are well suited to each other after all...Saseme."
The glares between them became like sparks of lightning leaving Lee in the middle once again as he sighed.

And he hates her too!?
Maybe we're soulmates!
Hana giggled.

This however only seemed to creep Neji out more and he took a step back.
"P-Perhaps maybe Saseme's team mates are actually nice!" said Lee, trying to settle the rising tension, "And we are just misjudging them?"
"Hmph."
"A-Anyway Neji- where is Ten Ten? Perhaps we could all eat together and get to know them!"
Neji held his cloudy eyes on Lee, getting the sense that he was trying to change the subject, so he obliged.
"She said she wished to have her tools polished as a reward for a job well done on our last mission." He softly with a shrug.
"You were friends with some real big wigs in the upper class, huh?" Sage whispered to Saseme, "Rock Lee and Neji Hyuuga?"
"We're not friends." Neji scoffed turning away from them.
"Of course they're not friends~" Hana giggled leaning against the fence, "He's way too good for her~ Too far above." she smirked," She should have never been placed in a class that was too good for her that she had to be taken out of~"
"You know, Hana..." Sage mumbled, "There's being a cold bitch...and then there's just...being a bitch."
"What did you say!" She raged on him only to be interrupted by Neji.
"...I said we were not friends...not that she was beneath me." he huffed, "It would seem you have a long way to go as a ninja."
"Ah...wh-what!?" Hana was shook by this reaction.
But the way they were talking to each other...

Don't they dislike each other?
Hana wondered...

"Neji...can come off a bit colder than he actually is..." Lee muttered awkwardly, "It is not as though he hates Saseme...in fact if anything...I feel like maybe he understands her...better than anyone else." Lee stared at Neji's back for a while before letting out a mushroom huff of a sigh, "But then again...I could just be reading too much into it." He shook his head and grinned at Saseme,"So, shall we all go then?"
"Yes, I suppose I will tag along too." said Neji.
"Sounds good!" Sage beamed and called back to Hana, "Hey Hana if you're ready to pull your head out of your ass, we're all going to go have lunch together~!"
"...Well I suppose with Neji being there, it will make it some what worth it~" Hana muttered stubbornly.
Jerk or not...

He's still really hot~
She giggled.

"Gah-That is not- uhh..." Lee muttered awkwardly. He had no idea how to maintain this situation anymore and just heaved a heavy sigh.
Perhaps it will go better than I am thinking...
He thought to himself.
Saseme sighed patting Lee's shoulder as she lowered her head in utter defeat.
"I'm sorry, Lee..." she said to him, "I have no control."
"Ah...well..." Lee sighed and chuckled light heartedly, "Let us be off then~!" he beamed.
The day ahead of them was peaceful.
Filled with basic conversation and simple asked questions as they sat together.
It filled Saseme with an odd peace.
She almost felt content as she bit into her bean bun...

"If you betray me, Saseme...I will Kill you."

That raspy hiss of a declaration weighed into her mind...sending chills down her spine.
That's right...
We have to get this plan in motion...
I don't have time, for peace...

To Be Continued...