(no subject)

[screw_fate]

[If you happen to go out to the edge of the forest in a certain direction, you'll find Neji there. Frustrated with Luceti and what it means to be trapped here, he's taking it out in time-honored Team Gai fashion - by beating the shit out of whatever inanimate object no one appears to be using. In this case, it's a tree, which is definitely looking the worse for the series of blows he's directing against it. Nothing fancy for now, no Gentle Fist, no jutsu. Just good old-fashioned beating until he's exercised out some of his overflowing frustration. And he's talking while he hits -- just letting it all out here, so he can be calm and collected later, each emphasized word coming with a blow to the splintering tree.]

This... this damned hellhole, why did they have to decide it was a lark to grab everyone now of all times? I need to be home, I need to be fighting where it's going to do some damned good...

[Of course, he thinks no one can see him. Going to correct him on it?]




Player Name: Del
Are you new?: Y
Character Name: Hyuuga Neji
Character Fandom: Naruto

Comments

[shenevermisses]

Who are you fighting?

[She's quiet enough when she wants to be. Especially when people are occupied with something else. Her knife's out, but casually in her hand, not prepared to strike. Just to... prove she's not defenceless if his attack changes from the tree to her.

...Really, that might be interesting. Something to do.]

Where you come from, I mean.

[screw_fate]

[Aaaand there's the downside to not doing this with his Byakugan up; with that up, he'd have known she was coming. But as it is... he turns to face her, his posture tense and ready. She's armed, holding the knife as a warning, and his stance is a similar warning. The question is unexpected, though.]

A madman. He would destroy our entire world.

[shenevermisses]

[She doesn't relax, but she doesn't tense further. They're both capable, at least she thinks so. He might either see her as a real threat, dismiss her, or think like she does.

Only two of those options will raise the knife she holds. Only two will provoke the fighting instinct she was trained to possess.]

How?

[screw_fate]

[If there's one thing Neji knows, it's never to dismiss anyone with a weapon. No matter how innocent they look -- well, she doesn't exactly look harmless.]

War.

[The single word carries rich overtones; Neji is essentially a soldier, but the powers that have massed on either side of this battle are more than he ever expected to see in his lifetime.]

[shenevermisses]

Over what?

[Wars have a cause and sides.

Always.]

[screw_fate]

Over him wanting us dead. There's really nothing more to it.

[Voice]

[endgames]

[...oh it's Neji.

He's not really sure how to feel about that - he wishes the guy was home too along with everyone else, but there's a lot of people he hasn't seen for a while.]

You also need to stop beating up trees.

[Voice]

[screw_fate]

[Seeing the others just drives it home all the more. None of them belong here, and it makes the frustration even more acute. But Neji's not out of control enough to snap over it.]

Of the possible opponents, I think the tree is the one people will mind the least.

[Voice]

[endgames]

Yeah, but there's a giant wolf that hangs out that way. Gets pissy about people messing with trees, so I hear.

[Voice]

[screw_fate]

[It's a good thing for Neji's sake that things like giant canines are pretty normal where they come from, because he's in a skeptical mood. But he does know Shikamaru isn't one for bullshit.]

If I use one that's already dead, it will simply disintegrate. Can you suggest a suitable alternative?

[Voice]

[endgames]

There's a barracks on the south end of the village, with all kinds of practice equipment. Let's meet up somewhere and I can show you it, and we'll see what we can do.

[markofthebrave]

[With a waterskin strapped around her back and a knife tucked into her belt, Katara's a seemingly unobtrusive and nonthreatening girl, just walking through the forest. She sees Neji beating the crap out of a tree and pauses - he's a stranger, but she recognizes that headband. She just needs to see if she can find the insignia on it before she knows what she should do here.]

[screw_fate]

[A whirling leap -- showy, satisfying, and of very little practical use in battle -- should turn him toward her at least briefly; his gaze flicks by, seeing her, but as long as she's not interrupting him, he's just going to mark her mentally as 'not a target, may enter fighting zone' and keep going.]

[markofthebrave]

[...yeah, that's a 'leaf' on his headband. Although it really looks more like some swirls with a point, but Shikamaru's been pretty clear on the fact that it's a leaf.

She wonders if she should interrupt, but she knows how much she hates it when people randomly interrupt her practicing.

Then again... that doesn't really look like practicing.]

Hey.

[screw_fate]

[That is absolutely a leaf, and Neji will be just as adamant as Shikamaru if the topic comes up.

He finishes a sequence of moves, then pauses, drawing a long breath and letting it out before he turns to look at her.]

Hello.

[markofthebrave]

New, right? [She indicates her forehead.] Konoha, though?

1/2

[selfdoubt]

... Neji-niisan? [Color her shocked.]

[selfdoubt]

[But this uncertainty is quickly replaced by worry upon seeing what you're currently doing.] Ah, I don't think... it's good to do that. We all want to go home, but...

[screw_fate]

Hinata-sama.

[High on the list of people he doesn't want to see while having what's basically a temper tantrum. But he's forcing himself not to show that.]

I fail to see what difference it makes. Unless you know of something that would be productive?

[Not actually trying to be an asshole. Unfortunately, it sort of comes naturally when he's cranky.]

[selfdoubt]

I... I would suggest this training ground that's present in this village. [She gives him the directions through the journal as an attachment.]

[screw_fate]

Is there a reason you recommend against... training out here?

[Calling this 'training' is a bit disingenuous, but it's better than admitting openly that he was just beating the crap out of an innocent tree. The question is genuine, though; he doesn't know everything about this place.]

Thank you for the directions.

[permavoice]

[pinkyizpower]

[Sakura's not known for opening her journal up often, but when she hears a frustrated Neji swearing, it catches her attention. She can hear the splintering of wood and the force of his blows. There's no way he's using gentle fist.

Not that she can blame him, though.

For a moment Sakura's hesitant, careful to organize her words so she doesn't make things worse.]

It doesn't help, does it? Letting out steam.

[permavoice]

[screw_fate]

[Nothing gentle about these fists, not right now.]

Not really.

[He sighs, frustration coming through clearly.]

But then, nothing really does, so it isn't as though I'm wasting energy. Nothing seems to have much meaning here.

[pinkyizpower]

[Seriously, was he her? Sakura would have laughed if it was appropriate at all, but she thought the same way.]

Not really, no. But I've come to learn you have to make it mean something to pass the time. At least a lot of us are here together, so it's not as hard.

[screw_fate]

That's true. Especially...

[He'd say, "Especially Naruto," since Naruto's the one he was racing full-out to try and protect, but that would sound like something very different. So he decides to finish that thought differently.]

Especially considering who else is here.