[OPEN]

[heavenly_earth]

Who: Neji & OPEN
When: All week; March 2nd- 8th
Where: Any of Konoha's various training grounds
Notes: Hyuuga sometimes stalk people.


The first step to creating a new fighting style was deciding on type. There were pros and cons to each, and he knew the theory and basic application of each rather well. But even with the few criteria he had, there still existed a thousand possibilities that made a decision difficult.

He knew his chakra affinity for ninjutsu, but had never really worked much with it, and what talent he had with genjutsu lay in his ability to detect and dispel them. Talented with taijutsu, but wielding a style too distinctive for a self-respecting member of ANBU, he was forced to look at other styles or consider a completely different approach altogether. Weapon specialization was also a possibility, but the range of weapons to consider was overwhelming. Tenten would help him, but then she'd grow suspicious of his sudden interest in her weaponry, and she knew him too well to accept anything he might otherwise get away with.

No, what he needed were demonstrations to give him a better idea of different, unique applications of various styles in order to determine what he could and couldn't adopt to or incorporate into his own. And to that end, he swept the Byakugan across Konoha's many training fields, and gravitated toward those with chakra signatures.

He took to the surrounding trees, because while it didn't matter whether or not he was seen, he did hope to be as unobtrusive as possible. Training was important, and he was just an observer, so he chose a nice branch to perch on and peered through the leaves to watch the figure below.

Comments

8th

[dangodragon]

Itachi didn't take the feeling of being watched lightly, even if he was in the village. While Konoha could nominally be considered safe, Itachi didn't like the creeping feeling the sensation of being watched caused to crawl up and down his spine. He'd been working on genjutsu with his crowd, trying to tweak it into something that would allow him to see what the bird saw while the bird saw it. So far, he'd only given himself a migraine in the process. It was after that he felt like he was being watched, when he'd given up messing with the crows and genjutsu and simple laid out flat on the grass and concentrated on breathing and how he could make this work if he could make it work at all.

Since he still had some crows in the trees, Itachi quietly sent them to find out what was watching. Normally Itachi didn't work with his crows inside Konoha, as they were something he tried attach solely to his ANBU persona, but he did need to practice with them from time to time. Itachi could tell they'd gone fairly far afield, which was odd is something was watching him. Shouldn't it be closer?

The first crow found Neji and simply sat watching, preening and generally acting like a normal crow. The second crow landed by the first and started beating a large beetle against a tree branch. The third landed closer to Neji and just watched him. The fourth joined the third quickly and by then all the birds were staring at Neji intently.

[heavenly_earth]

And of course, his eyes would find one Uchiha Itachi, moulding chakra alongside his crows with no apparent effect. He wondered what he was trying to do, because his eyes detected no change in the surroundings.

Wings flapped near him, and he didn't pay it any mind until the second sounded. Curious, his vision retracted to take in his more immediate surroundings. Crows... Two more landed near him, beady black eyes trained on him with uneering focus.

Frowning, Neji turned his eyes back toward Itachi, saw the Uchiha looking in his direction and a closer look at his expression revealed he didn't know what he was looking at. He could probably make a guess, however. Only a Hyuuga could watch from this far.

With one last look at the crows, Neji swung down and dropped to the ground. Straightening, he moved for Itachi's clearing.

"I apologize for the intrusion," he said, stepping out from behind a tree once he was within earshot. "It wasn't my intention to spy on you, Uchiha-san."

[dangodragon]

One of the crows flew back down to Itachi, landing on his shoulder and preening Itachi's bangs. Itachi ignored the bird,s affections. Ah. A Hyuuga explained it. Itachi stayed seated. He was comfortable where he was and he doubted Neji would attack him.

Itachi took a moment to look at Neji and wondered how often Hyuuga simply watched people and what secrets they discovered doing so. Itachi blamed his headache for the uncharitable thought.

"I'm sorry I wasn't who you were expecting, Neji-san." The words were carefully polite.

[heavenly_earth]

Neji swallowed an acerbic reply with a smile. He supposed he deserved that. And here he'd been half-considering asking the Uchiha for help. Those eyes that could copy jutsu in an instant had surely seen and memorized many styles of combat- knowledge he could still sorely use.

"I've been observing various styles in hopes of finding inspiration for my own," he said neutrally. "Having solely focused on a single style for so long, it's difficult to consider alternatives."

[dangodragon]

Perhaps that lowered the level of "there's a creepy Hyuuga just watching people." Granted it was a good idea for gathering information and ideas on different styles. It didn't make Itachi feel much better about being watched, but it did give Neji a reason. It was interesting, but not surprising, that Neji had chosen to go out looking on his own for ideas instead of asking those in ANBU, who would understand his need for a new style and might have helpful suggestions. Neji's choice to chose a hiding place was also telling.

"Ah." Itachi slowly stood up gingerly, even though his head-ache was abating somewhat. Itachi remembered being rather excited about having to come up with an entirely new fighting style. But, hand-to-hand had not been his expertise, so he had not poured perhaps as many hours into his style as Neji had when it came time to change it.

"It is, unless you have a style you admired or wished to try." While Itachi's clan was more about acquiring the tricks and styles of others and turning it into your own, the Hyuuga did have a firm style they adhered to. Was it something like divorcing part of himself for Neji to have to create a new style? Did he relish the challenge? Was he annoyed by the inconvenience?

"Have you seen any that interested you?"

[heavenly_earth]

The Uchiha stood with a deliberate care, as though he might be unsteady on his feet. Neji still didn't know what Itachi had been attempting before, but it looked like whatever backlash or effects he experienced though those trials weren't promising.

But he shrugged, eyes briefly following the movements of Itachi's crows.

"Not particularly. However, my observations have given me some idea of what I'm looking to create. I was in the process of looking over the training fields for something close when my vision lingered too long here. I apologize, but it's in the nature of the Byakugan to want to understand the flow of chakra."

[dangodragon]

Itachi wondered if he sounded so stiff and formal when he was seventeen and then decided he had probably sounded much worse when he'd chosen to speak at all.

"I hadn't heard curiosity was a hallmark of the Hyuuga," Itachi offered politely. Pride and arrogance were generally the traits pinned to any clanner.

"I don't take any offense." Itachi did a little, actually. He didn't like to be watched when he wasn't expecting it. He made a mental note not to use his crows within the village confines again. He'd gotten lax on keeping secrets. "However there are those that would take exception to being spied on, even by someone just trying to make a new style."

[heavenly_earth]

Neji managed a small smile, and decided he didn't like Uchiha Itachi much at all. But he was the Uchiha clan's genius heir, and he couldn't afford mention of any rudeness getting back to his clan. That and personal opinions didn't matter much when it came to field work and training.

"Perhaps not. There's only so much to be curious of when yours are eyes that can take in everything." But for things they hadn't seen before.. well the novelty generally wore off fairly quickly.

"And I've disturbed you long enough Uchiha-san, so I'll leave you to your training. I appreciate your tolerance and understanding."

[dangodragon]

Itachi wondered if he should take the eye comment as a subtle jab that his eyes couldn't take everything in. Itachi decided it wasn't likely. Even if it were, Itachi had no desire to see everything. He had enough issues with what he saw being burned into his memory eternally.

Itachi got the feeling Neji didn't like him. Itachi sighed. That wasn't anything new.

As Itachi really hadn't been tolerate or understanding, but had politely warned Neji off, he seriously doubted the sincerity of the boy's words. Itachi bowed his head a little, lips curving up just a fraction. Itachi had once been punched in the face for his formal and utterly fake apology.

It would be interesting to see how ANBU would change Neji. It wouldn't just be the hard missions and intense training Neji would have to contend with, but he would have to prove to everyone else in ANBU he was worthy of being there and hadn't just gotten in by his clan name or rumored greatness. Itachi thought Neji was too young, but he wasn't Hokage. It wasn't his business.

Itachi bowed despite the ache in his skull. "And I apologize for offending you in your search for knowledge. As I have already exhausted myself and you still have work to do, I concede the field to you." Itachi straightened with another stab of pain. The crow had stayed on his shoulder, watching Neji with beady eyes.

With that possibly hypocritical apology delivered, Itachi turned to leave the training field. Anymore practice with his crows would take place in headquarters or well outside of Konoha. If Neji had caught him at it, there was no telling who else could have, and that was half of Itachi's annoyance. He was getting lax.