Playing Catch The Soul (NejiTen Story)

Memory 12: Near-Death Obstacle Course Age: 15

Present TenTen's POV

I cringed at the memory of the obstacle course. The girls were going first. Though the obstacle course would really test them. We weren't allowed to really bring anything. So TenTen was left empty-handed. She got into a running stance like I was back in the Chūnin exams.

Gai's whistle blew as I raced at the start. The first thing as jumping on something as light as lily pads and our feet can't touch the water. Everyone succeeded on that one. Next was rings of fire. They couldn't have their feet or any part of their body touch the rings.

Without hesitation, TenTen had gone first. But because the flames were too close to her body, there were a few burned scars on her cheek and calf. She quickly ignored it and jumped through what seemed like 10 rings of fire with one yard separating each.

Sakura and Ino had succeeded. The only problem with Hinata was that her jacket lit on fire. She helped and quickly unzipped it and set the fire off. She kept her jacket. All of the girls had hated this obstacle course. TenTen the most.

Her burn scars were bothering her as she ran through a mini-maze made of wood with poisonous thorns sticking out every one inch apart. TenTen had been careful for any part of her body not touching the thorns.

Though through the thick strings of wood, she could see Neji's eyes filled with concern. Though bed cause TenTen had minor injuries, she was third. Sakura and Ino competing for first and Hinata behind her.

TenTen watched as Hinata was struggling in the maze. She had a few scars on her arms besides her chakra holes. There were some oozing scars on her arms and a bruise on her right cheek. "Ow," she said weakly and quietly.

She hit a poisonous thorn...

"Somethings seems off," Neji said outside the obstacle course as Shino waited for TenTen to finish so it could be his turn to go in the course. Shino nodded in agreement with Neji.

TenTen saw as the shy Hyūga was struggling to keep up. Hinata was yards away from where TenTen was at. If TenTen tried enough, then she'd would have been first. She forgot completely about the thought of being first and ran to Hinata before she could fall to her knees. Hinata was paralyzed.

"Jeez Gai-Sensei trying to kill us much?" TenTen muttered. She helped Hinata up. "What are you doing, TenTen-Chan? What about Shino-Kun and Neji-Niisan?" Hinata asked. "They care enough," I said and started to pick up the pace and sprinted in the maze. Because of Hinata's support weight on me, I couldn't pick up the pace without Sakura and Ino. I was always at least a yard away from them or more.

TenTen shook her head and pushed herself to go forward. Even with Hinata wot he need. At the same time she was cautious of her surroundings and the thorns. They were out of the maze and that was it.

I grabbed the blue-colored flag and the green-colored flag for Hinata's team. Sakura got the red flag and Ino got the yellow flag. Pulling out the flag from it's place signified that the next teammate had to go. Sakura had ran back to where the rest of the team was because she had to go through twice.

TenTen laid Hinata down on the green grass as Medical-Nin came and treated her. I was worried about Hinata. I could tell that Neji could be worried, too. TenTen sat on the bleachers and got her wounds treated. Ino had hers, too. She had a few burns on her stomach and knees. Besides that she was fine.

Sakura didn't have much injuries so far. Just a couple of bruises. I think that Hinata had the worst out of all of us. TenTen felt bad for her.

I sat next to TenTen on the bleachers as she sipped on her thermos of water. We watched as the boys returned from their obstacle course. Rock Lee got the red flag and Shino got the blue flag. Next Naruto got the green flag and lastly, Shikamaru got the yellow flag. TenTen stayed silent because of she cheered for Neji, Rock Lee would be upset.

"I saw what happened to Hinata-Chan," Neji said and suddenly sat next to TenTen in the bleachers. TenTen was surprised at first, that Neji would sit directly next to her. TenTen took a sip from her thermos. "Yeah," TenTen replied calmly.

"Arigato TenTen-Chan," Neji said. TenTen raised one eyebrow looking a bit confused. "Why are you saying Arigato Neji-Kun?" TenTen asked. Neji just laughed smiled, since he rarely showed any facial emotions anyways.

"I saw you. If it weren't for you, Hinata-Chan would have been stuck there," Nejo said. TenTen shrugged. "It was nothing, really. I just did what I thought should be right," TenTen replied, lightly blushing in embarrassment. "Even if it was nothing, TenTen-Chan, you technically saved her life," Neji said. TenTen nodded. "Then your welcome, Neji-Kun," TenTen replied.

After that, there was an awkward silence between the two. They both scooted away from each other and looked on the opposite directions of each other. TenTen looking boredly at the thermos sitting on her left side and Neji looking at the obstacle course on his left side.

"Hey, TenTen-Chan," I saw the familiar blue aura sitting next to Neji. It was the spirit of Neji. I just wanted to talk to him, even though I know that he'll disappear. "Can you just tell me how to save you? We all miss you, Neji-Kun!" I exclaimed. Neji nodded. "I can"5 tell you," Neji replied. "Why?" I asked.

"You just need to find out yourself, TenTen-Chan," Neji said. The blue aura of his soon disappeared as well as the spirit itself. I didn't cry. I knew that I had to do this the hard way but I had to do everything to save him.

"Hey guys!" Rock Lee exclaimed sitting in between TenTen's and Neji's space they created from avoiding each other with awkward silence. Rock Lee put his arm around both of them. "You guys are always down when I see you," Rock Lee said.

TenTen sighed. "It's called growing up, Lee-Kun," TenTen said, glumly. Neji nodded in agreement. "She's right," he said. TenTen was surprised that Neji had agreed with her. Then again, they had the same thoughts as Neji when it comes to those two growing up. Once that everyone had finished, Shino had got the last flag first. So TenTen's team had one.

Of course, it was just a warm-up but we didn't have time for anymore activities. That and Hinata's condition was bad. The gong soon rang as TenTen grabbed her gym bag and walked in the hallways with Neji. The awkward silence was back. That and Rock Lee talking loudly between them.

If anything, I just want Neji back...