[open]

[boundgenius]

If this, then, was home, then for some, it was the only thing they knew.

For one teen girl, the life of a shinobi was all she truly knew. Her mother had died not long after giving birth to her, and her uncle and rest of family did not exactly approve of her suddenly being thrust upon them. Neji was somehow less than their own flesh and blood, and chafed under her reduced station.

If there were a way out, she would take it. As long as she did not dishonor her mother's name, she would take it.

Today was an uncharacteristically peaceful day as she sat atop one of the many tree branches around Michi no Sato. Border guarding was vital, if uninteresting. At the sound of approaching footsteps, she tilted her head; the direction was from the village itself. Likely no threat.

If they wanted her attention, they would request it; if they continued walking, she would have them halt to learn their purpose.

Comments

[boundgenius]

"As it stands right now, your path is crossing my own," she pointed out evenly, though her hands flexed open at her sides. Testing herself against the Uchiha, now that would certainly be something. "And I will not deviate from the path I have been fated to be set upon."

[konohasuperstar]

It appeared, then, that this was a battle of destiny. If he had to be stopped, it would be because he couldn't move by his own will.

The time for talking was over and she wouldn't let him slip by.

Just as the sharingan flashed to life, out of nowhere, his blade was summoned in his hand, the large sleeves of the robe he wore fluttering with the movement before he launched himself at her.
He knew of the Hyuuga and their style, so as first attack tried to extend an electric current from his blade.

[boundgenius]

It seemed the time for talking was indeed over. Her gaze narrowed and sharpened, then she darted forward into a diving roll to avoid his attack. This was not training, this was actual combat. Whatever reason the Uchiha had for wanting to leave the village, it was not a peaceful one if he was willing to attack border guards such as herself.

She intended to capture him alive, to interrogate him. Was he perhaps a spy? She didn't know enough about him to say, but she lunged, staying in low in an attempt to throw a lowing, sweeping kick to bring him to the ground. Pressure points were one of her specialties, after all, and if she could get in close enough...

Well, therein laid the challenge.

[konohasuperstar]

He almost scoffed at her as she retaliated. How pitiful. To think she could measure their respective tasks. Hers was a measly life as currently border guard, and his... his was much more grand in the scheme of things, even if for now he dwelled in utmost secrecy. Not much was known about him and even less was asked, people rather content to distance themselves from the cold prodigy.

His family lived happily, and he had a promising future as shinobi, but then a fire ravaged mercilessly at everything, an entire section of town having their lives taken in the gigantic brazier.

Sharp eyes caught her every movement, and he was able to dodge or evade every strike. Their trading of not-quite connecting blows lasted for quite a while, and any watching would have been equally awed at both of their skillsets.
There was, however, one thing that may seem off in Neji's assessment...

Were he so bent upon harming her or the village, he could certainly have launched larger, more impressive and destructive fire jutsu. As it was, he only used smaller versions, and from how he was constantly attentive, it was not because he underestimated her.

[boundgenius]

Her life may be uninteresting now, but she knew she was meant for greater things. That's what kept her driving on, developing past her natural genius as a shinobi to try and become something truly great.

If only she could get in one hit. Growing increasingly frustrated, she scowled at the other prodigy as she dove in again, only for him to evade her blows once again. "What is your purpose here?" she snarled, breaking away and meeting his eyes, heedless of his bloodline.

[konohasuperstar]

"HA!" he held her gaze, amused. "You'll never stop me, so give up and let me through." Since they were at a standstill, trading blows was apparently not going to give any results, so for now he held his ground.

[boundgenius]

"I will not."

A breath as she shifted her feet, dropping into a lower stance. She'd been working on perfecting this technique, one she'd seen her uncle attempting to teach her cousin, but wasn't certain yet if it would work. "You're within range of my divination."

And then she sprung in one quick motion, Chakra propelling her forward quicker than before as keen eyes sought out those pressure points, seeking to disable his Chakra in a quick flurry of blows.

[konohasuperstar]

He saw the movement, scowled.. and then? Then she was RIGHT in front of him. He somehow evaded the first blow, feeling the second's graze.. and then it was over. He had kept a portion of his tenketsu unaffected thanks to slight movements, but there was no way for him to be able to rival... .. whatever she had done? He wasn't sure, because even the sharingan couldn't properly see that speed.

He felt his back hit the ground, but his brain did not catch up a full minute later. Even with him desperately wishing to rise, he was still unmoving... What he could do, however, he did magnificently: glare at her, the sharingan having disappeared thanks to her attack..

[boundgenius]

Her lips curved into an arrogant smirk as he hit the ground. He couldn't move from here, and though she might not have hit all the tenketsu she was aiming for, it was enough. So the technique did work, didn't it?

"As I said." Her breath came in slightly harsher pants as she fell into her stance again, feeling legs protest the movement. "Your purpose. Uchiha Sasuke."

[konohasuperstar]

"Since you've managed to stop me, it looks like it's nothing I can achieve yet." as if he would tell her. As if he would tell anyone! "Besides.... I was still within the gates. You can't press a single charge against me." Indeed, he was right. Aside from being short of breath, she was completely unharmed.

[boundgenius]

"This is true," she admitted readily without shifting. "And in a case of your word against mine, your name will do you great justice." Hers was great, but only in measure to the other half of her family. Her own personal standing meant little.

"Though in that case, it appears your thanks are in order, as I have stopped you." She finally relaxed from her stance, moving in closer to stare down at him, those unique white eyes of her family meeting his own black. "But know this, Uchiha Sasuke. I will be watching you, and should you attempt to leave without authorization again, I will be the one to hunt you down." Then a half-lie as a bluff, "I have not even begun to show you my true capabilities."

[konohasuperstar]

"If this is about what one hasn't seen from the other, you'd be ill-advised to pursue me." his eyes narrowed "If you -do- wish so much to pursue me whenever I might try and leave, it implies you're prepared to watch me for whole days and nights... after all, who knows when I would slip away?"

[boundgenius]

"With these eyes, I can see more than you'll ever know." She focused her gaze on his, again reading what emotion she could. That spark of loneliness earlier had struck her, more than any of his blows during their battle. "I can see that you wish to speak."

[konohasuperstar]

"...."there was an ounce of disbelief, and he worked his body to its limits considering what she had done to it so he could stand, dark eyes filled with savageness. "That's something anyone can say." the loneliness was nothing he could ever cover, even with all the anger in the world. "If you think speaking can solve this nation's problems, you're mistaken."

[boundgenius]

"So you admit that your actions have something to do with our nation?" She met his eyes unflinchingly, again looking past that anger in pursuit of that loneliness. "Tell me, when is the last time you have spoken and someone has listened, Uchiha Sasuke?"

[konohasuperstar]

"Oh, did I admit that. Whoopsie." his tone was deadpan. He hardly cared what people believed.
There was, for a brief milisecond, hope... but then it was extinguished, crushed, eclipsed by that overbearing loneliness, the anger, the hatred. "There's things far more important to remember than that." it took all his willpower to stay upright, but here he was just.. wanting to go -away- and couldn't make his body move.

[boundgenius]

"Things such as?" she pressed, eyes never leaving his. "I advise caution. You will damage your body further if you continue this attempt at recovery."

[konohasuperstar]

Yes, because he was the type to lie on the ground and wait for everything to come back. No, not really, he'd rather be on his feet looking -over- at someone, not having to be looked -down- upon.
"If you have to ask me, clearly, you're caught in their happy genjutsu." his eyes narrowed further, and he still stubbornly remained standing.

[boundgenius]

She had warned him once. That was all she had need to do. If the fool continued to push himself, she wouldn't be held more accountable than for doing the damage to him in the first place.

Her expression softened for a moment at what seemed like a breakthrough, hostile edge falling away as she looked at him. "Of what do you speak?"

[konohasuperstar]

"You think I'm enough a fool to speak this out where anyone can hear?" his voice dropped to a murmur, eyes glowing with something fairly dangerous... until finally his body's protests went ignored for so long that it rebelled against him and he tumbled to the ground, grass welcoming him back like a long-lost friend, to his great displeasure.

[boundgenius]

"I assure you, there is no one here but the two of us." Had there been someone else, they would have come to her aid at the sound of combat.

In an instant she was at his side as he fell, flipping her hair back out of the way as she expertly reached to press one pressure point, then another, first to relieve potential nausea and dizziness, then to ease some of the ache. His Chakra, however, she left untouched, seeing no need to return that particular ability to him just yet.

[konohasuperstar]

He groaned lightly. "You think I'm going to do all the work for you?" he scowled again. "Think harder about what's around you at large, if you're than much of a genius." if she wanted answers, she was going to have to do her part. "If you don't want to step into a world of darkness, stay away from me." there was a pause.

"...but darkness is where the truth is laid out."

[boundgenius]

"Truth...?" she echoed quietly, hands stilling against his arm, where her fingers had been about to press another point. Her gaze sharpened as she looked to him, feeling suspiciously traitorous just from entertaining his words. And yet...

"Am I to fear you, Uchiha Sasuke? I do not." She pressed that point finally, perhaps a hair harder than she had to to reinforce her point. "I can see that what you want more than anything is someone who will not stay away. Am I wrong?"

[konohasuperstar]

"Fear me? You might have to, but beyond me is the knowledge I came to possess after thinking long and hard on the state of things, which is the one clue you'll get." he shook in reaction to that point being a mite attacked. She knew the body well.

"Before you start wondering just what is wrong and how we're all stuck in a happy genjutsu, realize that you might lose everything if anyone comes to know and spread your findings to wrong ears.." which was obviously what he was trying to avoid since he had not stated anything incriminating yet.

...nor had he provided an answer to her last query. He had been quick to stiffle hope, a different sort of fear having sprang up then.

[boundgenius]

"I have very little to lose." She drew her hands back, resting easily on her knees as she watched him. The curiosity was nagging at her, the idea that there was someone else who saw something wrong with their village...