The Hyuuga prodigy executed a perfect Kaiten, deflecting the fuuma shuriken that the equally matched Uchiha heir had thrown at him. There was a sharp clang as the metal star made contact with the chakra field. Rather than be disappointed by the failed attack, Sasuke charged forward in hopes of catching Neji off guard. But with his Byakugan activated, the older shinobi was ready for him. Both boys glanced to the side of the field and smirked at each other with understanding. Neither boys were going to pull any punches during this spar, for fear of appearing weak in front of their audience.
Sitting off in the sidelines were Tenten and Sakura, each watching closely for the outcome of the mock battle. Each silently cheered for their teammates for fear of distracting them with their yells. Their pink attire stood out against the brown and green of the field as the sun beamed on their eager faces. There was nothing better than a good battle. Standing excitedly behind the pink kunoichis were Lee and Naruto, appearing ready to burst with anticipation as each boasted how their team was the best in the village.
“My greatest rival will surely win this battle,” Lee shouted, “The Flames of Youth burns brightly in him today.”
“There’s no way Sasuke’s going to stand losing to a Hyuuga,” the blonde protested, “Neji’s going down.”
“Boys,” Tenten mumbled under hear breath, shaking her head at the thought, “Always so competitive.”
“GO SASUKE!” Sakura shouted in contrast to Tenten’s composure, “KICK THAT HYUUGA’S BUTT!”
At this, the older kunoichi looked at her companion with an exasperated expression. Taking a brief moment to rub her temple, she chuckled to herself and gave a shrug before joining in on the enthusiastic cheering.
“Come on, Neji!” she shouted, cupping her hands over her mouth to amplify the sound, “If you lose, you’re training with Lee for the rest of the month.”
Noticeably, the Hyuuga’s movements immediately became faster and more determined after her challenge. Though Lee seemed a bit hurt at being used as punishment for losing, a wink and a smile sent his way by his weapon-loving teammate assured the taijustu user that she meant no offense against him.
-x-
A knock on the door, stole the taijutsu master’s attention away from his work. He ignored the slight interruption in hopes of his visitor would simply leave. Another knock dispelled him of that idea, forcing him to pause from his writing to answer the door. Having a bit of the old ninja spirit still in him, the taijutsu master felt for the kunai tucked up his sleeve to ensure it was there should he have a need to use it for any reason. Thankfully, the precaution was unnecessary as he opened the door to a familiar face.
“Tenten, my still budding flower of youth,” Gai exclaimed at seeing his former student, “What brings you here at this time of night.”
“I saw the light on and just wanted to let you know that we all came back safely from the mission,” the kunoichi replied, “I know how you still worry about the three of us, even after all these years.”
“How considerate of you,” the tall man said thoughtfully, touched by her gesture, “Thank you for that.”
“It’s the least I can do for my former teacher,” Tenten stated, “We all owe you so much for what you taught us.”
At that, both were suddenly presented with reminiscent thoughts of the past. Though Lee, Neji and Tenten had managed to remain on the same team when they were promoted through the ranks of shinobis, they had long ago left the care of their teacher and mentor. It was a hard day for them all when Team Gai had to disband because the Hyuuga prodigy had been promoted to Jounin level.
“How are Neji and Lee?” Gai asked a little too eagerly, feeling a little out of touch with his former students.
“Um…they’re fine,” the young kunoichi replied, shaking her head clear of those distant memories, “Neji’s trying out for ANBU in a month and Lee seems to be doing well with his Genin team.”
“That’s wonderful to hear,” the elder man exclaimed, “I was afraid your flames of youth had diminished in my absence.”
“No, you taught us better than that,” the young lady chuckled, “A few years away from you isn't going to erase all the lessons you instilled in us.”
A warm feeling filled the Jounin’s heart at that declaration, a clear validation of his hard work and dedication to the young ninjas of the village. He smiled proudly at the thought, encouraged by Tenten’s own smile of recognition.
“Well, I better get home,” Tenten announced softly, “Shino and the twins are probably waiting for me.”
“You have a wonderful evening with your family,” the taijutsu master said with an enthusiastic wave.
“Every night I’m able to come home to my boys is a wonderful evening,” she stated reflectively and with conviction.
“As it should be,” he responded.
“Good night to you,” she called softly as she turned to leave.
Waving her own goodbye, the young kunoichi began her walk home to the Aburame heir and their two children. Gai stood at his door watching her as she disappeared into the horizon, a smile plastered on his cheerful face. Once she had disappeared in to the darkness, the older man promptly closed the door to the night and returned to his work. Sitting back down at his desk, Gai picked up the pen he had been working with all night, noting how little ink was left. With a shrug of indifference, he continued on with the task at hand.
“Now where was I?” he asked absentmindedly to no one in particular, scanning the last lines on the sheet of paper.
-x-
Noticeably, the Hyuuga’s movements immediately became faster and more determined after her challenge. Though Lee seemed a bit hurt at being used as punishment for losing, a wink and a smile sent his way by his weapon-loving teammate assured the taijustu user that she meant no offense against him.
-x-
“Oh, yes,” he mumbled to himself, “Now I remember.”
But try as he might to finish the train of thought he had started before the slight interruption, the taijutsu master found he was unable to. The words were clear in his mind, but after the visit from the young Tenten, his thoughts were clouded with another idea. Rather than be discouraged by the setback of writer’s block and wandering thoughts, the taijutsu master decided to take the opportunity to try a different approach at describing his former team. Quietly setting aside his current manuscript, Gai pulled out another piece of paper and began to scribble his not so random thoughts.
-x-
She was a flower among weeds, rare and beautiful in her making. She wasn’t held back by the implications of her gender, and if she was, the kunoichi had shown no signs of it. She was all the more driven by the stereotypes applied to her sex, working hard to push past her limitations to prove everyone wrong. She was Tenten, Konoha’s orphaned weapon-goddess.
She had chosen to spar against the strong Hyuuga heir every day even though all their battles ended the same way, with her sprawled on the ground with a few more cuts and bruises while Neji remained intact. But despite the outcomes of their matches, she always held on to a positive perspective, always asking for another spar when they were rested. She stood as his pillar of strength and complete trust, a rare gift given to no one else.
But the hard edge of her personality and determination melted away when it came to Lee. She always held a motherly presence with him, knowing that my young student didn’t have a family of his own to turn to in times of distress. She voluntarily stepped into the role of mother and sister for him as well as took on the task of being mediator whenever my two boys would argue beyond the brotherly taunts and challenges they were so prone to have.
She was a spirit that disappeared into the background of their greatness. But without her they would not be the men they have become today. She quieted the secret fears that the Hyuuga held, dispelled the hopeless moments so rarely seen in Lee’s nature. She gave up her own light of potential to let them shine, never knowing that we had always seen her radiance. And even in her darkest moments, she always shone the brightest.
To put it simply, she was necessary for our team to function as it did. The fact that everyone else considered her weaker than both Lee and Neji wasn’t an issue. None of us believed that. The three of us knew the secret to her presence, that she was the glue that held us together. Lee was fast moving and unpredictable, depicting the raging rapids of a river as well as the calm peacefulness of the river bank. Neji, in contrast, was so calm and serene, emulating the forest life that he had always surrounded himself with. But it was Tenten that held the two together, becoming the ever faithful marsh and merging the divide between the river and the forest. Without her there was no balance; without her there was no team.
-x-
Smiling to himself, Gai leaned back in his chair to admire the short piece he had written, mentally making a note to add more depth into it later as well as to find an appropriate place to put it in his memoirs. A cough behind him drew the taijutsu master’s attention away from his desk to the bed.
Sprawled lazily under the covers was the Copy Ninja himself, his nose in the recent issue of Icha Icha Paradise. He still wore a mask over his mouth, only willing to remove it in the most intimate of moments between the two. With a thoughtful smile, the Green Beast of Konoha rested his chin on the back of his chair and quietly watched Kakashi for a moment.
“You’re going to go blind reading that in this dim light,” Gai stated half-heartedly after a moment of reflection.
“Huh?” Kakashi questioned, lifting his head up from the book he was reading, “Did you say something?”
“Oh my god, that was pretty good, rival Kakashi,” the taijutsu master exclaimed playfully, “That reaction is somewhat 'modern' and it still pissed me off.”
“Just shut up and come to bed,” was the silver-haired shinobi’s indifferent response, pulling back the covers as an invitation.
With a jovial smile, Gai joined Kakashi under the covers as they drifted off to a peaceful slumber.
