Things Change [Naruto AU]

16

Neji decided to go see TenTen first. She was on her way to the hot springs after a long day. She barely noticed the ninja until he was feet away from her and even then she didn't see his headband clearly.

"Oh hey, Neji. Are you going to the bath house too?" She asked lazily.

"No." Neji sighed. As she passed her teammate she took one step and then froze. After that she nearly exploded with reality. She whipped around and faced him and stared at him and his headband.

"Neji! What is that? Seriously man!" She asked him.

"It's my new protective headband, I'm a rouge ninja now." He stated.

"Huh? Then why are you here?" She asked him again with a bit more venom in her words than before.

"To ask if you'd come."

"What makes you think I'd do something as stupid as that?"

"So you could become strong enough to finally beat Lady Tsunade." Neji smirked. Since Tsunade had become Hokage TenTen always tried to become better than her and even wanted to be a student under her but was quickly turned down.

"Uh, well... Fine. But how do you suppose I get strong enough to do that?" She asked.

"The Akatsuki. Naruto formed it. The organization has had one of its members take down the Fourth Kazekage so you can definitely have a chance to get stronger." Neji spoke to her.

"Ok. I'll go. So all I need to do is cut my headband and leave."

"Yes."

"That wasn't so hard." She exclaimed as she cut the metal and then tied it around her forehead again. "Let's go!"

"Wait, I want to meet up with Lee and ask him." Neji said as he went off in the direction of a training ground that Rock Lee was particularly fond of.

"Really. Do you think he'd come?" TenTen asked, the miniature Gai was a tough boy that stood with Konoha till the very end like his sensei. Both possessed the famed Will of Fire that many admired. Leaving Konoha and becoming a missing nin wouldn't really tempt the taijutsu user.

They reached the grounds when it was dark and saw the boy in his usual green spandex jumpsuit. He was jumping rope but at such a quick pace you couldn't see the rope. He stopped when he saw his teammates. Because of the night their headbands were hidden.

"Hey guys. Have you come to train with me?" He asked enthusiastic.

"Well, no." TenTen replied. She was extremely unsure of how to tell her other teammate the truth.

"Lee, would you help us if we needed your help?" Neji asked.

"Of course!" Lee responded.

"If we needed your help but we left, would you follow us?" Neji asked again, TenTen was starting to understand what he was getting at.

"Most definitely!" Lee responded.

"If we were to be become enemies of Konoha would you still follow us and even help us?" Neji asked for a final time. Lee froze. He wasn't sure how to answer. Of course he wanted to help his comrades but what if his comrades were the enemy. The basic question to Lee was 'if your comrades are the enemy would you join them or fight them?'.

"I-i would want to help you but..." He trailed off and stared at the ground. Neji and TenTen knew what he meant and didn't ask him to finish.

"Lee what if we could help you become strong like Gai Sensei but with your own techniques and new moves." TenTen said trying to encourage him. The bushy brow boy looked up at his teammates and saw their headbands for the first time that night. The lines were suddenly very real to him at that moment.

"I really don't know guys." He said. He turned and walked back to grab the jump rope and resume training.

"What has this place ever done to you?" TenTen now shouted. "They've ridiculed you and told you that you'll never amount to much. They've done the same to me. They've also told you that you're a joke and you'll never become a shinobi. Look at you know." Lee stopped at looked at TenTen again. She was right about all those things.

"Those same people are holding you back now. If you just come with us you won't be alone anymore and you can get strong. Maybe strong enough to defeat Gai. Just come with us, please Rock Lee!" TenTen yelled again. He closed his eyes tightly before opening them again. While throwing the rope down he stood tall in front of his teammates.

"I'll go. I'll prove to all of them that I am strong! I'll go with you guys so we can grow together as a team." He shouted as well. In a fast swipe he took a nearby kunai and cut right through the metal that shown the village symbol on his stomach. He smiled and so did TenTen and Neji.

"Let's go. I'm sure they're waiting on us by now!" TenTen said and dashed ahead. Soon she and Lee had a race to see who would reach the gate first. Neji was forced along at the high speed challenge with an annoyed look.

««« End of Chapter 16 »»»