[ Closed - Finished Log | And you don't need to win me over ]
Characters: Lee and Tenten
Date: April/May-ish
Location: Outskirts, near the city's wall
Rating/Warnings: G/With Lee and Tenten? None. 8|
Summary: Lee makes it through Spirix's not so impenetrable wall and finds himself struggling to adjust
Lee had never thought of himself as particularly claustrophobic. Granted, he'd never been in a position to be claustrophobic. Sure the trees got a little tight in places, but not like this. He remembered the rat traps he had set up once and realized that this must be what that felt like.
He was stuck on all sides. There was barely enough room to wiggle much less stretch, run, dance. Yes, he would have danced right then and there if given the choice, even if the Hokage himself was watching. The only thing that was keeping him going was that little speck of light he'd seen an hour, a day, a lifetime ago. He had no sense of time here. But it kept him going none the less.
All that while ago, when he'd discovered that the breach didn't go all the way through, didn't even go half way through the wall, he'd given himself a mantra. It was a good mantra whatever it was. Somewhere along the way he'd lost it. Now he was just muttering to himself, "So close, so close, so close." And his little hammer chipped oh so slowly away at whatever this stuff was. When, if (?), he got through he'd have to ask someone what the wall was made of. He'd taken to calling it Harder-Then-Concrete, but that wasn't a very good name...
What was he doing again?
He shook his head, twisted around like a contortionist and brushed his hair out of his face. How could he be hot when the air was so cold? Maybe this little tiny pocket was getting to him. He didn't remember ever being claustrophobic... Granted he'd never been in a position to be... Was he just repeating himself?
He took another few feeble swings at the Harder-Then-Concrete just in front of his nose, and on that last strike something crumbled. Then there was light. It wasn't just a speck anymore. It was real, honest-to-goodness light. For a moment he forgot he was supposed to be undercover. For a moment he forgot who he was, where he had been, everything that would come between him and that, perfect, glowing gold light. Even if it didn't look quite right, even if it didn't feel quite right, it was light and it was better then that grey darkness he'd been in for so long.
He stepped into the false sunlight and everything came crashing back. He was Lee. He was a shinobi, loyal to the Tribe Konoha. He was on a mission to find the Jinchuuriki. He was standing in an alley and not ten feet away, there was a crowd of people moving passed. They were packed close, like cattle. And he needed to get into that crowd if he hoped to complete his mission. Then the ground tilted violently to the right, slamming him gracelessly into a wall. Not The Wall. Never again. But A Wall, and he accepted its assistance without protest.
He was wheezing. His head ached. His whole body ached. This wasn't fair. The world was definitely working against him he decided, and that had always been motivation before. And it would be now too. Yosh. He pushed off the wall and into the crowd, apologizing as he went. They carried him for a ways, until said crowd dispersed a little, setting him back on his feet. He stumbled, catching his balance. His head was still pounding as he took a confident step forward.
Then the world turned and he hit the ground, black spots dancing happy across his eyes.
Suffice to say that despite the living conditions that they were forced to endure in the Slums of the Lower Tier, Tenten had a fairly structured and organized life. It allowed for a fixed amount of order and purpose, something she felt that no one could do without, even the most unruly of rebels. At the same time, there was still sufficient room for uncertainties to occur to keep things interesting. Because a life without its little surprises was nothing more than an all too boring routine of nothingness. But despite the woman's inner need for a bit of adventure that came with exploring the discarded trash of those who could not truly treasure what they possessed, nothing could be achieved without proper planning.
It had never been her belief that she was the only one to take advantage of the endless miles of forgotten garbage in the Outskirts. On the contrary, there were plenty of people willing to brave the heat of the sun and merciless effort of sifting through the piles of trash in hopes of finding some hidden treasure that could be of some use. But a majority of the people tended to remain close to the shady edge of the Slums where shade and refuge were guaranteed when conditions became too much for them to bear. And that was, perhaps, what separated Tenten from the others.
With so many people searching in the same areas, useful resources tended to be nonexistent in those places. And thus making her trips pointless.Tenten had learned that early on, practically from day one. If she wanted free reign to roam and make a profit from her findings, an aggressive approach was needed. And thus came the trips out into the Wastelands, where only the most brave -- the most desperate -- dared to explore.
It was also where the air was at its thinnest.
Any miscalculations there would only result in a slow and painful death. That was why she had built the Barracks. Stocked with supplies and hidden from other prying patrons who managed to survive the trip out, it was Tenten's assurance that she would return to the Slums at the end of the day, no worse for the wear. And she had a routine, a slow and calculated routine that had been devised to perfection to ensure that even the low levels of oxygen would not be too much of a hindrance. If others did not have the foresight to prepare themselves in a similar manner, then it was their mistake. Their loss.
She had seen many things, both deadly and beautiful in the isolation of the Wastelands. And on most days, Tenten preferred it that way. But nothing could have prepared her for this.
Timing, apparently, made all the difference.
A distant clip-clip of tools had caught the young woman's attention, recognizing the sound from her work in the smithing of metal. But never in all her days had she heard such a sound this far out from the city. And never had Tenten seen anyone else come this close to the imposing wall that retained Spirix's bubble of existence, closing it off from the rest of the world. What it was, she could only guess, and the curiosity in and of itself had been enough to draw her further. But by the time the young woman had arrived to investigate, the boy was already unconscious on the ground. And then there was the small hole in the wall where the dirt imprints of his footsteps led.
He had came from the outside. Now, Tenten was faced with two problems: tending to this boy, or dealing with the breach in the wall. Her conscious mind opted for the wall. But in the end, compassion won out over opportunity. And so she reached into her pack and pulled out her father's Leech Mask and fixed it over the young man's nose and mouth so that the steady stream of oxygen pulled from the air around them could enter his system quickly.
"Come on," she whispered to him, "Breathe."
Tenten only hoped that it wasn't too late.
Somewhere, someone was coming closer to him. That much he was sure of, and he made a valiant effort at moving. Which his body ignored completely. Then there was dark; floaty, inky, pleasant.
And then there was light.
Lee jerked awake, pushing himself onto his elbows. He coughed, pressing a hand to his mouth and finding... What was that?! Whatever it was, it was fake and unpleasant and made his mouth dry. He tugged it off, moving to throw it until he realized how tight his chest had suddenly gotten. He gave the thing a confused almost glare, before something caught his attention just in the corner of his eye.
There was a girl. She seemed worried. He glanced around trying to find the source of her distress. Meanwhile, the sky decided to spin and he felt sick, but that wasn't going to stop him from being nice and polite to this stranger. He grinned, though it felt off, like none of his muscles were working quite right. "Hello, miss..." He trailed off as his arms refused to take his weight anymore. He was on the ground again.
Vaguely, he remembered that little fake-unpleasant-thing and, on the off-chance it really was a re-breather like it couldn't possibly be, he replaced it back over his nose and mouth.
Which left him staring up at this stranger girl and unable to introduce himself.
It was another moment of waiting before the extra burst of air the mask provided finally went into effect. And all the while, Tenten remained knelt beside him in anticipation. In frustration and nervous curiosity. The young woman had never used the mask on anyone else before, reserving the privilege only to herself lest others decide to steal the technology for themselves before even she figured out how her father had created such a device. The technology was beyond her understanding, not without having to take the machine apart to the very core. And even then, there was a risk that Tenten would not be able to put it back together again. And that was something she could not find within herself to risk, even for the sake of technology and discovery.
The prospects of helping others was too important for a chance attempt.
Within a matter of minutes, the effects of the mask could already be felt. Her breath came in labored huffs, a bit heavier than before as her own lungs seemed to stretch and strain -- struggle like a caged monster seeking freedom -- for air. But to no avail. The low level of oxygen in the immediate area was already thinning out even more as it was syphoned into the boy's system through the mask. And if she did not do anything soon, it would be too thin for either one of them to survive.
"Relax," she managed rasp out, a light and careful hand reaching out to gently -- weakly -- clasp his shoulder. And already there was a strong clench of concern and frantic revelation within her chest as Tenten's body began its slow decent towards desperation for the air that would not come. Could not come. "Let's get you further in first before we both pass out, ok?"
And with that, she was already shuffling to her feet. Tenten had lived in these conditions all her life, after all, and held more experience in functioning on the lack of air. But a few more minutes, and even she would be ready to collapse. So it was with that in mind that she quickly secured her pack and the strap that laid across her chest before reaching out a helpful hand to him. "Come on... we don't have much time."
It had never occurred to Lee that there were places that were uninhabitable in the city. In his mind, the buildings pressed up tight against the wall. The air was thin but survivable for the unlucky masses forced to live in the Lower Tier. But the way she touched his shoulder, he knew the air was too thin here. She was struggling and... it was his fault. A little angry at himself, he took off the re-breather and set it into her outstretched hand. She needed it more then he did, even if his body wailed for its help the moment it disengaged.
He tried not to gasp like a fish, tried to take slow measured breaths. He remembered some of the worst winters when the cold killed off huge groves of trees. It had never been as bad as this, but at least he knew now. He would have to move much slower then his eager mind wanted to.
He closed his eyes, and grasped at another breath before oh so carefully pushing himself up. He ignored the way the ground was a little sideways and that his knees felt like jelly when he stood. Because now he was standing and that was a step forward from where he had been before. He smiled half-heartily at the girl, nodding in place of bowing. He was sure if he went down he wasn't going to get back up, so nodding would have to do for now.
"Please... lead the way, miss," he muttered, hating the way he had to breathe every other word.
Although the Lower Tier was crowded -- too crowded, sometimes, she thought -- the air had always been relatively manageable. Livable. And they had all functioned well enough considering the circumstances. But that had all changed when suddenly and without warning, the oxygen levels had dropped, killing a good portion of the population on all tiers. But none moreso than those living in what was now known as the Outskirts. Those furthest from the Spire. That had been a tragic day, indeed. And with no explanation whatsoever as to what had happened, there had been no other choice but to move on. To move forward with a newly realized truth nipping at their heels and haunting their darkest nightmares: they all could die at any moment.
They were expendable.
A grim line formed on Tenten's lips at that thought, deft fingers closing around the Leech Mask he had handed back to her. Even as the better part of her conscious marked it off as a gesture of kindness and concern, the more dominant and prideful part of her psyche could not help but think that he had seen a weakness in her. Something that compelled him to relinquish the one thing that was keeping him alive and breathing to someone who had been living in such conditions for all of her life. This young man who could barely stand on his own and speak without panting and struggling for enough breath to move.
It was like a smack to the face.
With little more than a unreadable look in his direction, she shoved the mask back into her pack and turned to lead the way further in where there would be more air for the both of them. But after walking a few yards and not hearing the tell-tale signs of his footsteps, Tenten looked back only to find him only a few shuffled feet from where he started and breathing a bit heavier than before. And he had already refused the mask, so offering it would get them nowhere. That only left one other option to try.
Giving a soft sigh, Tenten backtracked to where he stood and gently took a hold of the young man's arm to place over her shoulders. And with a hand lightly wrapped around his hips, she helped him forward.
Now that he had gotten at least a few of his wits back, Lee realized he should be suspicious. Here was this mysterious city girl who had appeared just in time to save him, leading him to a somewhere that could very well mean his death. If he was a proper shinobi he would insist on answers before he followed her. Somehow though, he couldn't muster up the breath or, more importantly, the will to protest. His heart had already settled on an emotion, and it wasn't suspicion.
It was admiration.
Because she was moving through the nonexistent air like she didn't need to breathe at all and he was shuffling along, getting further and further behind. Because she bothered to come back to help him when she could have just as easily escaped to a better climate.
He tried not to lean on her too hard when they started moving again. He wasn't going to put more pressure on her then he needed to, even if she seemed annoyed that he'd noticed the weakness growing in her body.
They went slowly, shifting a few careful steps towards... he didn't even know where they were going. But she seemed to, so he let her lead him, drag him, help him. And she always did help, when he tripped or when he doubled over, gagging on nothing. It was stop and start, his least favorite kind of journey, but at the moment it was the only kind he could make.
By the time he noticed the low building against the sky, his heart was thundering in his ears. He was dizzy, barely standing. If she said anything to him, he missed it entirely. Between his vision fading in and out and the spasms in his arms and legs, the best he could do was focus on that little shelter. He pushed open the door and collapsed against the nearest wall, stretching out his arms to open up his chest a little. It didn't help much, but at least the world had stopped spinning.
He squinted down at his lap, concentrating on the rhythm of his body, heart thudding, chest rising and falling, and how exactly he was going to repay the girl for her kindness.
Upon instincts, Tenten knew that she should have been suspicious of him and his intentions in the Outskirts. In the city. That to help him without asking questions or getting a better reading on his character was risking a great deal on what was nothing more than a gut feeling. But the logical part of her conscious said that the young boy was already weakened in this state, and completely out of his element due to not being accustomed to the low levels of air. And that within the imaginary walls of the city, that could only mean a handful of things. None of which were considered very favorable for him.
The most practical explanation and the one that probably the truth was that he had found a way through the wall. Considering the circumstances of how Tenten had found him, nearly passed out and oddly too close to a hole in what had been believed to have been an impenetrable wall, it was most certainly believable. And that could only mean that he was a member of one of the Tribes that lived around -- surrounded -- the city. To accomplish such a thing on his own was... unfathomable. Yet all signs pointed towards his completing this feat.
And that made him dangerous.
A strong contrast to now, sledging along beside her, dragging his feet and leaning on her every now and then when the need came. Here, Tenten held the advantage, marginal as it was. But even so, she could not bring herself to be so cruel. She could not take him back home to her shop, that much was understood. Not without finding out more about his purpose here within the city limits. Too much was at stake. Too many plans and preparations could be foiled if it was discovered that he stood on the wrong side of the struggle. And neither one of them could stay the night out in the Wastelands without proper supplies. Besides, from the way he was moving, the boy would not last much longer without time to recover. So there had only been one place that Tenten could have possibly taken him.
At a loss for what to do after feeling his arm slip from her grip, Tenten simply stood in the doorway a moment and regarded the other with a level of scrutiny. He had done nothing against her during their whole journey. His reasons behind that would be determined at a later time. But for now, the young metalsmith resigned to treat him as a guest, if only temporarily. And it was with that decision that Tenten finally stepped inside, kicking the door close behind her, and quickly poured him a glass of water to drink. As she held it out for him to take, she tried to convey the sense that there was nothing to worry about.
He would be safe here... for now.
Lee could feel her eyes on him and he fidgeted under the stern gaze. But he kept his eyes averted until he felt less like he was dying. The sensation didn't go away entirely, but at least it had faded down to a slow pulse at the back of his throat, rather then the all-consuming monster it had been on the walk over. He could sit here forever... except there was something he needed to do. Ah, yes, Jinchuuriki. A capture mission. Right.
Confidence returned,he looked up just in time to accept the glass, almost dropping it his hurry. He met her eyes for just a moment. She was trying to be reassuring, but there was something else there, a little like mistrust. He looked away though, realizing his mouth was sandpaper dry and that this glass was filled with...
Water?
He peered into the murky liquid. It wasn't clear. There were little bits of dust (?) floating through it. But it smelled like water, and he had never been one to pass up free food... He checked it once more, making sure that, if it wasn't water, it at least didn't have alcohol in it, before downing it. In one gulp.
It was definitely water. Really, really unfiltered water. It almost hurt to swallow, it was so bitter.
He kept his eyes down when he handed the glass back. He supposed it wasn't her fault that the water tasted... fake, but there were women in the village that would beat him to death if he made any kind of face at their food. And fake really was the best word for it. Now that he thought about it, the air kind of had the same taste too. He frowned. Surely the city didn't make air out of water. That was impossible...? He shook his head, clearing out the odd little thoughts. He would have a lot to write down when he got the chance.
"Thank you, miss." This time when he smiled, meeting her eyes, it felt right, felt like a nice, proper, you-saved-my-life smile. "You have done me a greater service then I could possibly repay."
Every single nerve of instinct inside of her was telling Tenten to turn back now and simply throw him out into the Wastelands to fend for himself. He was a danger and a risk she could not afford to take on. Not with so much at stake already. Not only with her position in the Underground Organization, but with the role she played in Hyuuga Corp. as well. There were several stories about the Tribes floating around the city. But it was hard to determine the truth behind them when no one within the walls of Spirix had even seen a member of the Tribes for decades. Centuries even.
No one, that is, until now.
"Don't thank me just yet," came her soft response, even and somewhat cold than how she had seemed before. Distant. An unintentional but lingering aftereffect from living in uncertainty. Still, underneath it all -- all the layers and defenses she had put up over years -- Tenten found herself the slightest bit concerned. Not just for herself and everyone in the Slums. Or the safety of all those innocent people living in the city. But for his own health and recovery as well. "I know you're not a citizen of Spirix."
It was, perhaps, an ominous comment to make, but one she felt necessary to say. He needed to know where Tenten stood in all this. That she was not as kind-hearted and courteous as he believed... despite all the help that she was giving him. And it was with that thought in mind that the young metalsmith stood up from her spot and began walking around and gathering food for the both of them. Water could only satisfy so much. And Tenten had not eaten since she set out for the Barracks that morning.
Two birds with one stone, as the old saying had gone.
It was not the best that the city had to offer, but it was the best that she could muster with what was accessible to a person of her station. And for someone who was starving to replenish their energy, what she had to offer could -- would -- very well be considered a feast. "Here. Eat. You must be hungry after all of that work..."
There were times when Lee wished he had planned ahead. Times when nothing ever went quite right. He had a few scars to prove it, some older then others. He had gotten better about it over the years, as the hospital staff learned his name and his face, and he got sick and tired of feeling slick steel tear him to pieces. It took less then a pound of pressure to break the skin...
When she spoke, low, cool, he knew he had missed a step in the dance. He had heard that voice before, when an enemy thought they had the upper-hand, just before they struck. He slipped into a battlefield mindset, without thinking. Muscles tensed, skin prickling. Every sense went on alert as he shifted, minutely, so that he could stand if he needed to. He didn't know how long he'd last in a fight with his lungs still burning, but he wasn't going to roll over like a dog either.
But he kept the smile up because the last thing he needed to project was that he was nervous. "I will thank you until you give me a reason not to."
He neglected to comment on his citizenry. Not that there was really a question. She had, after all, found him just outside the newly breached wall. Which was another failed plan. He had meant to keep it a secret...
Then she turned her back on him and all of his expectations were shattered. He hadn't imagined the almost-threat, he was sure of that, but what kind of proper enemy turned her back? He frowned, watching her gather up food (That's what is looked like, anyway) for two. Was it some kind of... trickery? To keep him off-balance, almost threaten him and then feed him.
Then she gave him a plate and it didn't really matter because he was much hungrier then he had thought. He took a tentative bite. It was good. Better then rations anyway, and better then the water. And she had said something to him. Something about... Ah yes.
"It was not so bad. It took a lot longer then I expected. Lord Hokage--" Is probably expecting a report by now, he meant to say, but the last time he had mentioned his orders, he had been threatened with war, so he kept his mouth shut, taking a significantly bigger bite then he could really manage instead.
Turning her back on him had been a deliberate move on her part. One that was two-folds. First of all, it stood as a wordless agreement that the both of them would retain a mutual trust for the time being. Because neither one of them were in the right state of health to act otherwise or battle it out for whatever truths the other possessed. That could be saved for another time when she held a much higher advantage over him.
And secondly, it would instill further caution in the other, something he would need a great deal more of if he were to survive on this side of the wall. He was young -- no older than her if Tenten were to guess -- and already impetuously naive to have taken on such a task as to burrow his way through the wall with no plans concerning where he would go from there. It would be a shame to see such potential be lost to the next world because he had yet to learn that lesson in life.
"It is no easy feat to come through in the manner that you did," she commented in response to his chosen silence on the matter, "You must be very determined to complete what was asked of you."
Tenten would leave it at that and let him have his peace about it for the moment. There was no need for him to respond or react. Prying or interrogation was not necessary, at least not yet.
She trusted that he was an intelligent individual, and resourceful to have made it into the city without detection. Because certainly if the metallurgist had not come across his dying form, no one would have discovered his rotting corpse until there was nothing left but shards of bones. But even so, he was somewhat of an enigma to Tenten . Especially when it came to certain behaviors. Or perhaps, it was simply selective forgetfulness in favor of filling his empty stomach, she mused.
With a curious and somewhat mocking tilt of her head, Tenten regarded him a moment, curious and a bit amused at how she seemed to loom over his form from where she stood. Was he really going to eat the entire sandwich from there? The young woman smirked at the thought. "Do all people of the Tribes eat their meals on the floor? Or is that simply a habit of yours?"
Lee noticed her gaze about halfway through eating, and peered up at her through his eyebrows. She loomed over him, which was never a good position to be in, in a potentially difficult situation.
“We take our meals wherever we find them, but if you--” he stood in a single motion that might have been elegant if he hadn’t nearly unbalanced at the last moment “--want, I can…” He paused, taking his time, before pacing across the little room to the low, wobbly table.
It wasn’t really a show of strength (she had seen him at his absolute weakest after all) but he did want her to know he was there, and quite capable of taking care of himself. He was taller then her, stronger then her. If she wanted to make an enemy of him, he wasn’t going to let her forget it.
He wished she would cut to the chase. She had the advantage. The proverbial ball was in her court. He was waiting for her to… What? He didn’t even know what she wanted, why she was helping him. But she was going to do something. He could see it, just behind her eyes.
However, he wasn’t going to rush his… captor? Was he a prisoner? Was she armed? He eyed the door, just over her shoulder and wondered how far it was to thicker air and if he could make it there without her help. All of these thoughts spiraled around and settled on a single question, one that had been plaguing him from the beginning.
“What is the Wall made of?"
It took some amount of control not to reach out and help when she had seen him wobble under his own efforts to stand. But he was already confused enough of Tenten's actions and intent. Her fault, of course. But faced with a new experience such as this, finding one of the Tribes of all things in the Outskirts, it was difficult to know what exactly was the right way to act.
But the way he seemed to carry himself, how he seemed intent on keeping a look of caution in his eyes while addressing her was hint enough. This guy was serious if it meant fighting against her. He was strong and determined, that much was clear. But how did he compare to her own skills, Tenten wondered. Was she underestimating his resilience and loyalty to his faction? Was he pre-judging her in the same manner as she was him? So many questions, and not enough time to find an answer to any of them. Nor a proper window of opportunity to attempt to do so. But it would come soon enough. She would make sure of that.
"I think you have a better idea of that than I do," Tenten replied evenly to his inquiry.
Rather than immediately joining him at the table, she spent a few meager seconds watching -- observing -- him. To, perhaps, gain a better understanding of him and his actions -- maybe even his people and culture -- before proceeded forward and taking a seat across from the young man. And together, they ate in relative silence save for the soft chew of their mouths or gentle wheeze of their breaths.
For Tenten, it was much like a typical afternoon spent in solitude. And normally, she would not have been bothered by the stillness. But with the added weight of his consciousness, the tension between them could not help but build bit by achingly slow bit. And neither one seemed ready to ease their guard any time soon. It came to a point where simply eating became somewhat of a strain.
Finally, Tenten could take no more. Swallowing the bite in her mouth, the metalsmith turned to the other with a casual sort of air. "So... what's your name?"
Lee shifted, slightly, as she sat down, moving out of her way. He couldn't help but glance up at her occasionally as time passed. He was not used to eating in silence. Alone, yes. But silence was altogether new. There was always something moving, chirping, talking, in the village. A steady rhythm that followed him through the day. At noon the restaurants were busiest and the hum was a ways down the street. Then at three it shifted closer as the people went to market.
He had never realized how much sound there was until it was gone. The silence closed in around him. The atmosphere seemed to suck the air out of his lungs. He tried to start up some kind of conversation. Anything would be better then this almost-ominous quiet. But the words died in his throat every time he looked up and saw her still eating. Suddenly he was wishing he hadn't finished so quickly.
He started taking in unimportant details. Like the table wasn't made of wood. The material was an imitation, maybe made of the same unknown material as the Wall. He picked at it, lightly. It gave under his nail like wood, but it didn't make the right sound. He tapped a random pattern out, delighting (only a little) at the noise. It was different. New. A sort of hollow, plastic-y sound. He was grinning a little too much, not paying enough attention to her.
So he cast another suspicious look in her direction and was surprised to see her looking back, talking to him.
She wanted his name? Was he supposed to tell the truth? He still didn't know her intentions... But he'd never been one to lie... No sense starting now.
"Rock Lee at your service," he answered, saluting quickly before letting his hand drop back into place plucking at the table. "Might I know yours, miss?"
And in an instance, her attention went to high alert. Or rather, high focus. Muscles that had been fairly relaxed tensed at his response, the only visible sign of how effected the young woman truly was at the sudden revelation. Because, indeed, she had heard that name before. Associated with someone she had met over the Network. Someone who,Tenten remembered, belonged to the Tribes as well. Such a coincidence that two of the same faction would possess the exact same name was not likely. Which only meant...
"R... Rock Lee..." she repeated, one last attempt to assure herself that she was not hearing things. After the name was confirmed, however, Tenten could not help but take pause. To let the information really and fully sink in. To allow for her thoughts to catch up with her brain. And then, just as suddenly as she had stopped, the metalsmith let out a soft chuckle, strange and misplaced as it was. But even as the amused grin on her lips lingered, Tenten was pinching gently at the bridge of her nose. Already she could feel the beginnings of a headache forming. Looming just on the edge of her consciousness.
"It is a small world we live in. Mister Lee," Tenten mumbled softly, using the familiar title with little hesitation in addressing him. And even as she spoke, her eyes never left the worn material of the tabletop where she could see the pale tips of his fingers spayed out against the dark color.
Finally, when she believed he could not withstand the suspense any further, Tenten lifted her head to meet his gaze.
"It's nice to finally meet you face to face," she said evenly, holding out her hand to him, "I'm Tenten."
Tenten. Tenten. The name sounded so familiar... From...
His eyes widened and he jerked to his feet, nearly toppling his chair in his hurry. He bowed low over the table, grabbing her hand as he came up. "M-Miss Tenten. It is a small world indeed!" He laughed nervously. "Forgive me. I should have realized who you were."
Then, realizing he was still holding her hand, he released it, his arms dropping to his side. It was a relief, he thought, that he knew her. He trusted her, to some extent. She had always seemed perfectly honest before. His previous suspicion suddenly felt unjustified and unwarranted. Granted, she was till something of a mystery, but less so then the stranger she had been only moments before.
It was such a strange little coincidence. He had never thought he would ever meet her, and here he was, standing in front of her after she saved his life. Sometimes life was kind to him. Sometimes surprises were nice. This was one of those times. And then, something like worry set in because this little ramshackle house was not what he had pictured her living in. Even in the Lower Tier it couldn't really be this bad.
"I-Is this where you live?" he murmured, letting a some of his concern show in his voice.
The sudden movement startled her -- Tenten had not expected that sort of reaction -- and had been in the process of reaching for a weapon. Raised on suspicion and mistrust, it had been an instinctual response that had gotten her out of more scrapes than she cared to remember. Then Lee's actions finally registered and she struggled a moment to settle her own nerves.
A... bow? It was a sign of respect, one that dated far back into the world's history. But while the gesture was still in relative use, even after all this time, it was a rarity to see. Very few people offered respect in this day and age where battles -- wars -- could be started over the air itself. But here he was, giving her just that without question or hesitation. What sort of things did they teach to the children of the Tribes? Or was this simply a trait mostly associated with him and his actions?
Tenten made a mental note to find that out later.
"No forgiveness necessary," she responded, "I didn't recognize you either until a name was mentioned, if you remember."
There was something in his tone as he inquired about the state of the Barracks, questioning with nearly innocent honestly if this was what she called home. And Tenten could only scoff. Smirk in amusement. The boy was far too expressive sometimes. And too concerned about others for his own good despite having already established a fairly tolerant relationship with her. If it could even be called that.
In a way that seemed to traverse over the line between being offended and teasing, Tenten turned her attention to the other. "You don't sound too pleased. Is there something wrong with this place?"
He held out his hands, grinning slightly. "No, no. It just... wasn't what I was expecting." Not that he'd really expected much. There were stories, little murmurs about the lower Tier, the abuses the city folk put it through. But this? This ragged little barely-a-shack so far away from the actual city, he could still hear both of them wheezing softly?
Though now that he really looked… He cast another glance around the room. There was nothing… personal… here. Just the bare supplies. No clutter but still dusty like it was only visited every now and then. And there were no tools. She had said she was a blacksmith right? But there was nothing here. She might… commute?
“You don’t live here do you.” Which left the implied question open: Where do you live? He paused, waiting for an answer, but not expecting one.
Then he turned, suddenly feeling impatient. He was energized, content and there was a mission that needed attending. Moving towards the door he glanced back at her. “Should we continue on?” Then, second-guessing himself, he added, “I can find my way if you need to stay here.”
Oh. Good. So he was not as foolish as she might have initially thought. Because it was very easy to mistake such a place as a permanent living arrangement. Especially since the Tribes could not possibly have that much knowledge of the city or its people. Just as there was barely enough information within Spirix about the other Factions. That is, unless you knew the right people. Without her father's connection to the Underground, there was very little chance that Tenten would have managed to find them on her own. Not unless she posed an interest and provided an advantage to their cause.
One dirty hand scratching the back of another in a perpetual cycle of under the table dealings.
The metallurgist furrowed her brows at the thought. Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last. But if asked, Tenten would have said that it was the lesser of two evils. She would rather be responsible for what happened to her in the afterlife than the number of people she sent there.
"No, I don't," the young woman replied to his question, taking up both plates and wordlessly making her way over to place them on the counter, "Even if we could replenish the supplies periodically and without problems, a person wouldn't be able to survive in the Outskirts for more than a week before dying of asphyxiation."
He had a fixed goal in mind, that much was clear in the way Lee seemed a bit eager to leave the Barracks. In how he was willing to leave her behind if her own priorities would keep him from his prize. Even after knowing how hard and difficult it would be to travel across the Wastelands. A brave one, indeed. Or just suicidal for his cause.
To leave him to his doom. Or to risk leading him into the city. Tenten only had seconds to make a choice. "...It's a long and taxing walk back to the Slums, so I'd hold off on leaving just yet. At least not before we grab a few things for the trip." And even as she spoke the words, the girl tossed a heavy pack in his direction before disappearing to fill up her own bag with the day's bounty. Treasures liberated from the Outskirts. "I can only imagine how long it took you to chip your way through that wall. A few more minutes won't kill you, will it?"
She was right of course. A few… more… moments…
He snagged the pack out of the air and slung it over his shoulders, wincing when his body protested the sudden movement. So maybe setting out on his own would have been a bad idea, but at least he would have felt as if he was doing something. Lord Hokage… how long had it been? He listened to her packing, gathering, little trinkets. Must have taken her hours to find them all in this wasteland.
He fought the urge to race out the door. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, his eye caught the door, just… there. He’d never been much for caution, thinking things through, and no one ever had trouble catching up with him. But that had been before, in Konoha. He didn’t know how strong these city folk were. As unlikely as it seemed, maybe she wanted to go with him because… she was weak.
He frowned at the idea. Never once had she given him the impression of weakness, but posturing was often very different from reality. Maybe she was strong compared to the people in the city. Maybe he was walking into a world of glass.
That thought stopped his incessant bouncing just as she walked back into the room. He paused for a curious moment, almost, but not quite, expecting her to fall to pieces. But when the moment passed and she didn’t, he turned back to the door as if nothing had happened at all.
He stepped out into the thin air and, holding open the door for her, let her lead the way to the city.
She would take him as far as the Slums, and then they would part ways from there. Tenten would return back to the normalcy of life living in the Lower Tier of Spirx. And Lee would go on to whatever mission he had been charged with. Whatever business that had forced him to slowly toil his way through the thick walls of the city just to nearly die from the effort within its borders. But even as the young woman mulled over those thoughts in the midst of gathering up her supplies for the trip back, she was already scoffing at the reality of the situation, At the awful truth of her own tendencies.
Deep down inside, underneath the hard exterior, Tenten was a kind person that held a weakness for the well-being of others. It was an underlying principle that very few if any were allowed to witness in full. That was why she offered up supplies and medication to Kimimaro (in exchange for raw materials and information, she told herself). Why the broken and fixed remains of less expensive machines were given to Sakura's clinic (in exchange for medical resources, her mind added). And that was why Tenten knew that an offer for Lee to stay with her loomed on the horizon as soon as they were back within the core limits of the city.
But it made her vulnerable and thus could be exploited. Tenten kept everyone at arms length for that reason.
Still, as the young metallurgist returned from the back room, pack already slung over her shoulder -- and Tenten paused for a moment to look on curiously at Lee's expression as he just... stared at her -- she could not help but note the facts. He had yet to make any open threat towards her. In fact, with the exception of a few brief moment of awkwardness and mistrust due to a delay in proper introductions, Lee had been nothing but foolishly kind, albeit naturally suspicious of the woman's intentions.
However, the question still remained: Could she truly trust him?
Tenten was still pondering that question when he opened the door, letting out the excess air pressure that had automatically began to built up when they had first entered the Barracks. -- A nice little feature to the environmental controls of the building that Tenten had thought to put in for days where the sun's rays and unforgiving conditions of the Wastelands became too much to bear. -- It would be a long walk back to the Slums, though. Plenty of time to think it over a bit more before any decision would have to be made.
"The walk will be just as it was before when we came here," she warned him. And would have left him with that as Tenten walked past, headed towards their destination. But in a moment of hesitation and perhaps curiosity, she glanced back at her companion. And then felt a sudden need to give him some assurance. "It'll get easier the closer in we go."
Perhaps Tenten really was a martyr for her own cause.
Date: April/May-ish
Location: Outskirts, near the city's wall
Rating/Warnings: G/With Lee and Tenten? None. 8|
Summary: Lee makes it through Spirix's not so impenetrable wall and finds himself struggling to adjust
Lee had never thought of himself as particularly claustrophobic. Granted, he'd never been in a position to be claustrophobic. Sure the trees got a little tight in places, but not like this. He remembered the rat traps he had set up once and realized that this must be what that felt like.
He was stuck on all sides. There was barely enough room to wiggle much less stretch, run, dance. Yes, he would have danced right then and there if given the choice, even if the Hokage himself was watching. The only thing that was keeping him going was that little speck of light he'd seen an hour, a day, a lifetime ago. He had no sense of time here. But it kept him going none the less.
All that while ago, when he'd discovered that the breach didn't go all the way through, didn't even go half way through the wall, he'd given himself a mantra. It was a good mantra whatever it was. Somewhere along the way he'd lost it. Now he was just muttering to himself, "So close, so close, so close." And his little hammer chipped oh so slowly away at whatever this stuff was. When, if (?), he got through he'd have to ask someone what the wall was made of. He'd taken to calling it Harder-Then-Concrete, but that wasn't a very good name...
What was he doing again?
He shook his head, twisted around like a contortionist and brushed his hair out of his face. How could he be hot when the air was so cold? Maybe this little tiny pocket was getting to him. He didn't remember ever being claustrophobic... Granted he'd never been in a position to be... Was he just repeating himself?
He took another few feeble swings at the Harder-Then-Concrete just in front of his nose, and on that last strike something crumbled. Then there was light. It wasn't just a speck anymore. It was real, honest-to-goodness light. For a moment he forgot he was supposed to be undercover. For a moment he forgot who he was, where he had been, everything that would come between him and that, perfect, glowing gold light. Even if it didn't look quite right, even if it didn't feel quite right, it was light and it was better then that grey darkness he'd been in for so long.
He stepped into the false sunlight and everything came crashing back. He was Lee. He was a shinobi, loyal to the Tribe Konoha. He was on a mission to find the Jinchuuriki. He was standing in an alley and not ten feet away, there was a crowd of people moving passed. They were packed close, like cattle. And he needed to get into that crowd if he hoped to complete his mission. Then the ground tilted violently to the right, slamming him gracelessly into a wall. Not The Wall. Never again. But A Wall, and he accepted its assistance without protest.
He was wheezing. His head ached. His whole body ached. This wasn't fair. The world was definitely working against him he decided, and that had always been motivation before. And it would be now too. Yosh. He pushed off the wall and into the crowd, apologizing as he went. They carried him for a ways, until said crowd dispersed a little, setting him back on his feet. He stumbled, catching his balance. His head was still pounding as he took a confident step forward.
Then the world turned and he hit the ground, black spots dancing happy across his eyes.
Suffice to say that despite the living conditions that they were forced to endure in the Slums of the Lower Tier, Tenten had a fairly structured and organized life. It allowed for a fixed amount of order and purpose, something she felt that no one could do without, even the most unruly of rebels. At the same time, there was still sufficient room for uncertainties to occur to keep things interesting. Because a life without its little surprises was nothing more than an all too boring routine of nothingness. But despite the woman's inner need for a bit of adventure that came with exploring the discarded trash of those who could not truly treasure what they possessed, nothing could be achieved without proper planning.
It had never been her belief that she was the only one to take advantage of the endless miles of forgotten garbage in the Outskirts. On the contrary, there were plenty of people willing to brave the heat of the sun and merciless effort of sifting through the piles of trash in hopes of finding some hidden treasure that could be of some use. But a majority of the people tended to remain close to the shady edge of the Slums where shade and refuge were guaranteed when conditions became too much for them to bear. And that was, perhaps, what separated Tenten from the others.
With so many people searching in the same areas, useful resources tended to be nonexistent in those places. And thus making her trips pointless.Tenten had learned that early on, practically from day one. If she wanted free reign to roam and make a profit from her findings, an aggressive approach was needed. And thus came the trips out into the Wastelands, where only the most brave -- the most desperate -- dared to explore.
It was also where the air was at its thinnest.
Any miscalculations there would only result in a slow and painful death. That was why she had built the Barracks. Stocked with supplies and hidden from other prying patrons who managed to survive the trip out, it was Tenten's assurance that she would return to the Slums at the end of the day, no worse for the wear. And she had a routine, a slow and calculated routine that had been devised to perfection to ensure that even the low levels of oxygen would not be too much of a hindrance. If others did not have the foresight to prepare themselves in a similar manner, then it was their mistake. Their loss.
She had seen many things, both deadly and beautiful in the isolation of the Wastelands. And on most days, Tenten preferred it that way. But nothing could have prepared her for this.
Timing, apparently, made all the difference.
A distant clip-clip of tools had caught the young woman's attention, recognizing the sound from her work in the smithing of metal. But never in all her days had she heard such a sound this far out from the city. And never had Tenten seen anyone else come this close to the imposing wall that retained Spirix's bubble of existence, closing it off from the rest of the world. What it was, she could only guess, and the curiosity in and of itself had been enough to draw her further. But by the time the young woman had arrived to investigate, the boy was already unconscious on the ground. And then there was the small hole in the wall where the dirt imprints of his footsteps led.
He had came from the outside. Now, Tenten was faced with two problems: tending to this boy, or dealing with the breach in the wall. Her conscious mind opted for the wall. But in the end, compassion won out over opportunity. And so she reached into her pack and pulled out her father's Leech Mask and fixed it over the young man's nose and mouth so that the steady stream of oxygen pulled from the air around them could enter his system quickly.
"Come on," she whispered to him, "Breathe."
Tenten only hoped that it wasn't too late.
Somewhere, someone was coming closer to him. That much he was sure of, and he made a valiant effort at moving. Which his body ignored completely. Then there was dark; floaty, inky, pleasant.
And then there was light.
Lee jerked awake, pushing himself onto his elbows. He coughed, pressing a hand to his mouth and finding... What was that?! Whatever it was, it was fake and unpleasant and made his mouth dry. He tugged it off, moving to throw it until he realized how tight his chest had suddenly gotten. He gave the thing a confused almost glare, before something caught his attention just in the corner of his eye.
There was a girl. She seemed worried. He glanced around trying to find the source of her distress. Meanwhile, the sky decided to spin and he felt sick, but that wasn't going to stop him from being nice and polite to this stranger. He grinned, though it felt off, like none of his muscles were working quite right. "Hello, miss..." He trailed off as his arms refused to take his weight anymore. He was on the ground again.
Vaguely, he remembered that little fake-unpleasant-thing and, on the off-chance it really was a re-breather like it couldn't possibly be, he replaced it back over his nose and mouth.
Which left him staring up at this stranger girl and unable to introduce himself.
It was another moment of waiting before the extra burst of air the mask provided finally went into effect. And all the while, Tenten remained knelt beside him in anticipation. In frustration and nervous curiosity. The young woman had never used the mask on anyone else before, reserving the privilege only to herself lest others decide to steal the technology for themselves before even she figured out how her father had created such a device. The technology was beyond her understanding, not without having to take the machine apart to the very core. And even then, there was a risk that Tenten would not be able to put it back together again. And that was something she could not find within herself to risk, even for the sake of technology and discovery.
The prospects of helping others was too important for a chance attempt.
Within a matter of minutes, the effects of the mask could already be felt. Her breath came in labored huffs, a bit heavier than before as her own lungs seemed to stretch and strain -- struggle like a caged monster seeking freedom -- for air. But to no avail. The low level of oxygen in the immediate area was already thinning out even more as it was syphoned into the boy's system through the mask. And if she did not do anything soon, it would be too thin for either one of them to survive.
"Relax," she managed rasp out, a light and careful hand reaching out to gently -- weakly -- clasp his shoulder. And already there was a strong clench of concern and frantic revelation within her chest as Tenten's body began its slow decent towards desperation for the air that would not come. Could not come. "Let's get you further in first before we both pass out, ok?"
And with that, she was already shuffling to her feet. Tenten had lived in these conditions all her life, after all, and held more experience in functioning on the lack of air. But a few more minutes, and even she would be ready to collapse. So it was with that in mind that she quickly secured her pack and the strap that laid across her chest before reaching out a helpful hand to him. "Come on... we don't have much time."
It had never occurred to Lee that there were places that were uninhabitable in the city. In his mind, the buildings pressed up tight against the wall. The air was thin but survivable for the unlucky masses forced to live in the Lower Tier. But the way she touched his shoulder, he knew the air was too thin here. She was struggling and... it was his fault. A little angry at himself, he took off the re-breather and set it into her outstretched hand. She needed it more then he did, even if his body wailed for its help the moment it disengaged.
He tried not to gasp like a fish, tried to take slow measured breaths. He remembered some of the worst winters when the cold killed off huge groves of trees. It had never been as bad as this, but at least he knew now. He would have to move much slower then his eager mind wanted to.
He closed his eyes, and grasped at another breath before oh so carefully pushing himself up. He ignored the way the ground was a little sideways and that his knees felt like jelly when he stood. Because now he was standing and that was a step forward from where he had been before. He smiled half-heartily at the girl, nodding in place of bowing. He was sure if he went down he wasn't going to get back up, so nodding would have to do for now.
"Please... lead the way, miss," he muttered, hating the way he had to breathe every other word.
Although the Lower Tier was crowded -- too crowded, sometimes, she thought -- the air had always been relatively manageable. Livable. And they had all functioned well enough considering the circumstances. But that had all changed when suddenly and without warning, the oxygen levels had dropped, killing a good portion of the population on all tiers. But none moreso than those living in what was now known as the Outskirts. Those furthest from the Spire. That had been a tragic day, indeed. And with no explanation whatsoever as to what had happened, there had been no other choice but to move on. To move forward with a newly realized truth nipping at their heels and haunting their darkest nightmares: they all could die at any moment.
They were expendable.
A grim line formed on Tenten's lips at that thought, deft fingers closing around the Leech Mask he had handed back to her. Even as the better part of her conscious marked it off as a gesture of kindness and concern, the more dominant and prideful part of her psyche could not help but think that he had seen a weakness in her. Something that compelled him to relinquish the one thing that was keeping him alive and breathing to someone who had been living in such conditions for all of her life. This young man who could barely stand on his own and speak without panting and struggling for enough breath to move.
It was like a smack to the face.
With little more than a unreadable look in his direction, she shoved the mask back into her pack and turned to lead the way further in where there would be more air for the both of them. But after walking a few yards and not hearing the tell-tale signs of his footsteps, Tenten looked back only to find him only a few shuffled feet from where he started and breathing a bit heavier than before. And he had already refused the mask, so offering it would get them nowhere. That only left one other option to try.
Giving a soft sigh, Tenten backtracked to where he stood and gently took a hold of the young man's arm to place over her shoulders. And with a hand lightly wrapped around his hips, she helped him forward.
Now that he had gotten at least a few of his wits back, Lee realized he should be suspicious. Here was this mysterious city girl who had appeared just in time to save him, leading him to a somewhere that could very well mean his death. If he was a proper shinobi he would insist on answers before he followed her. Somehow though, he couldn't muster up the breath or, more importantly, the will to protest. His heart had already settled on an emotion, and it wasn't suspicion.
It was admiration.
Because she was moving through the nonexistent air like she didn't need to breathe at all and he was shuffling along, getting further and further behind. Because she bothered to come back to help him when she could have just as easily escaped to a better climate.
He tried not to lean on her too hard when they started moving again. He wasn't going to put more pressure on her then he needed to, even if she seemed annoyed that he'd noticed the weakness growing in her body.
They went slowly, shifting a few careful steps towards... he didn't even know where they were going. But she seemed to, so he let her lead him, drag him, help him. And she always did help, when he tripped or when he doubled over, gagging on nothing. It was stop and start, his least favorite kind of journey, but at the moment it was the only kind he could make.
By the time he noticed the low building against the sky, his heart was thundering in his ears. He was dizzy, barely standing. If she said anything to him, he missed it entirely. Between his vision fading in and out and the spasms in his arms and legs, the best he could do was focus on that little shelter. He pushed open the door and collapsed against the nearest wall, stretching out his arms to open up his chest a little. It didn't help much, but at least the world had stopped spinning.
He squinted down at his lap, concentrating on the rhythm of his body, heart thudding, chest rising and falling, and how exactly he was going to repay the girl for her kindness.
Upon instincts, Tenten knew that she should have been suspicious of him and his intentions in the Outskirts. In the city. That to help him without asking questions or getting a better reading on his character was risking a great deal on what was nothing more than a gut feeling. But the logical part of her conscious said that the young boy was already weakened in this state, and completely out of his element due to not being accustomed to the low levels of air. And that within the imaginary walls of the city, that could only mean a handful of things. None of which were considered very favorable for him.
The most practical explanation and the one that probably the truth was that he had found a way through the wall. Considering the circumstances of how Tenten had found him, nearly passed out and oddly too close to a hole in what had been believed to have been an impenetrable wall, it was most certainly believable. And that could only mean that he was a member of one of the Tribes that lived around -- surrounded -- the city. To accomplish such a thing on his own was... unfathomable. Yet all signs pointed towards his completing this feat.
And that made him dangerous.
A strong contrast to now, sledging along beside her, dragging his feet and leaning on her every now and then when the need came. Here, Tenten held the advantage, marginal as it was. But even so, she could not bring herself to be so cruel. She could not take him back home to her shop, that much was understood. Not without finding out more about his purpose here within the city limits. Too much was at stake. Too many plans and preparations could be foiled if it was discovered that he stood on the wrong side of the struggle. And neither one of them could stay the night out in the Wastelands without proper supplies. Besides, from the way he was moving, the boy would not last much longer without time to recover. So there had only been one place that Tenten could have possibly taken him.
At a loss for what to do after feeling his arm slip from her grip, Tenten simply stood in the doorway a moment and regarded the other with a level of scrutiny. He had done nothing against her during their whole journey. His reasons behind that would be determined at a later time. But for now, the young metalsmith resigned to treat him as a guest, if only temporarily. And it was with that decision that Tenten finally stepped inside, kicking the door close behind her, and quickly poured him a glass of water to drink. As she held it out for him to take, she tried to convey the sense that there was nothing to worry about.
He would be safe here... for now.
Lee could feel her eyes on him and he fidgeted under the stern gaze. But he kept his eyes averted until he felt less like he was dying. The sensation didn't go away entirely, but at least it had faded down to a slow pulse at the back of his throat, rather then the all-consuming monster it had been on the walk over. He could sit here forever... except there was something he needed to do. Ah, yes, Jinchuuriki. A capture mission. Right.
Confidence returned,he looked up just in time to accept the glass, almost dropping it his hurry. He met her eyes for just a moment. She was trying to be reassuring, but there was something else there, a little like mistrust. He looked away though, realizing his mouth was sandpaper dry and that this glass was filled with...
Water?
He peered into the murky liquid. It wasn't clear. There were little bits of dust (?) floating through it. But it smelled like water, and he had never been one to pass up free food... He checked it once more, making sure that, if it wasn't water, it at least didn't have alcohol in it, before downing it. In one gulp.
It was definitely water. Really, really unfiltered water. It almost hurt to swallow, it was so bitter.
He kept his eyes down when he handed the glass back. He supposed it wasn't her fault that the water tasted... fake, but there were women in the village that would beat him to death if he made any kind of face at their food. And fake really was the best word for it. Now that he thought about it, the air kind of had the same taste too. He frowned. Surely the city didn't make air out of water. That was impossible...? He shook his head, clearing out the odd little thoughts. He would have a lot to write down when he got the chance.
"Thank you, miss." This time when he smiled, meeting her eyes, it felt right, felt like a nice, proper, you-saved-my-life smile. "You have done me a greater service then I could possibly repay."
Every single nerve of instinct inside of her was telling Tenten to turn back now and simply throw him out into the Wastelands to fend for himself. He was a danger and a risk she could not afford to take on. Not with so much at stake already. Not only with her position in the Underground Organization, but with the role she played in Hyuuga Corp. as well. There were several stories about the Tribes floating around the city. But it was hard to determine the truth behind them when no one within the walls of Spirix had even seen a member of the Tribes for decades. Centuries even.
No one, that is, until now.
"Don't thank me just yet," came her soft response, even and somewhat cold than how she had seemed before. Distant. An unintentional but lingering aftereffect from living in uncertainty. Still, underneath it all -- all the layers and defenses she had put up over years -- Tenten found herself the slightest bit concerned. Not just for herself and everyone in the Slums. Or the safety of all those innocent people living in the city. But for his own health and recovery as well. "I know you're not a citizen of Spirix."
It was, perhaps, an ominous comment to make, but one she felt necessary to say. He needed to know where Tenten stood in all this. That she was not as kind-hearted and courteous as he believed... despite all the help that she was giving him. And it was with that thought in mind that the young metalsmith stood up from her spot and began walking around and gathering food for the both of them. Water could only satisfy so much. And Tenten had not eaten since she set out for the Barracks that morning.
Two birds with one stone, as the old saying had gone.
It was not the best that the city had to offer, but it was the best that she could muster with what was accessible to a person of her station. And for someone who was starving to replenish their energy, what she had to offer could -- would -- very well be considered a feast. "Here. Eat. You must be hungry after all of that work..."
There were times when Lee wished he had planned ahead. Times when nothing ever went quite right. He had a few scars to prove it, some older then others. He had gotten better about it over the years, as the hospital staff learned his name and his face, and he got sick and tired of feeling slick steel tear him to pieces. It took less then a pound of pressure to break the skin...
When she spoke, low, cool, he knew he had missed a step in the dance. He had heard that voice before, when an enemy thought they had the upper-hand, just before they struck. He slipped into a battlefield mindset, without thinking. Muscles tensed, skin prickling. Every sense went on alert as he shifted, minutely, so that he could stand if he needed to. He didn't know how long he'd last in a fight with his lungs still burning, but he wasn't going to roll over like a dog either.
But he kept the smile up because the last thing he needed to project was that he was nervous. "I will thank you until you give me a reason not to."
He neglected to comment on his citizenry. Not that there was really a question. She had, after all, found him just outside the newly breached wall. Which was another failed plan. He had meant to keep it a secret...
Then she turned her back on him and all of his expectations were shattered. He hadn't imagined the almost-threat, he was sure of that, but what kind of proper enemy turned her back? He frowned, watching her gather up food (That's what is looked like, anyway) for two. Was it some kind of... trickery? To keep him off-balance, almost threaten him and then feed him.
Then she gave him a plate and it didn't really matter because he was much hungrier then he had thought. He took a tentative bite. It was good. Better then rations anyway, and better then the water. And she had said something to him. Something about... Ah yes.
"It was not so bad. It took a lot longer then I expected. Lord Hokage--" Is probably expecting a report by now, he meant to say, but the last time he had mentioned his orders, he had been threatened with war, so he kept his mouth shut, taking a significantly bigger bite then he could really manage instead.
Turning her back on him had been a deliberate move on her part. One that was two-folds. First of all, it stood as a wordless agreement that the both of them would retain a mutual trust for the time being. Because neither one of them were in the right state of health to act otherwise or battle it out for whatever truths the other possessed. That could be saved for another time when she held a much higher advantage over him.
And secondly, it would instill further caution in the other, something he would need a great deal more of if he were to survive on this side of the wall. He was young -- no older than her if Tenten were to guess -- and already impetuously naive to have taken on such a task as to burrow his way through the wall with no plans concerning where he would go from there. It would be a shame to see such potential be lost to the next world because he had yet to learn that lesson in life.
"It is no easy feat to come through in the manner that you did," she commented in response to his chosen silence on the matter, "You must be very determined to complete what was asked of you."
Tenten would leave it at that and let him have his peace about it for the moment. There was no need for him to respond or react. Prying or interrogation was not necessary, at least not yet.
She trusted that he was an intelligent individual, and resourceful to have made it into the city without detection. Because certainly if the metallurgist had not come across his dying form, no one would have discovered his rotting corpse until there was nothing left but shards of bones. But even so, he was somewhat of an enigma to Tenten . Especially when it came to certain behaviors. Or perhaps, it was simply selective forgetfulness in favor of filling his empty stomach, she mused.
With a curious and somewhat mocking tilt of her head, Tenten regarded him a moment, curious and a bit amused at how she seemed to loom over his form from where she stood. Was he really going to eat the entire sandwich from there? The young woman smirked at the thought. "Do all people of the Tribes eat their meals on the floor? Or is that simply a habit of yours?"
Lee noticed her gaze about halfway through eating, and peered up at her through his eyebrows. She loomed over him, which was never a good position to be in, in a potentially difficult situation.
“We take our meals wherever we find them, but if you--” he stood in a single motion that might have been elegant if he hadn’t nearly unbalanced at the last moment “--want, I can…” He paused, taking his time, before pacing across the little room to the low, wobbly table.
It wasn’t really a show of strength (she had seen him at his absolute weakest after all) but he did want her to know he was there, and quite capable of taking care of himself. He was taller then her, stronger then her. If she wanted to make an enemy of him, he wasn’t going to let her forget it.
He wished she would cut to the chase. She had the advantage. The proverbial ball was in her court. He was waiting for her to… What? He didn’t even know what she wanted, why she was helping him. But she was going to do something. He could see it, just behind her eyes.
However, he wasn’t going to rush his… captor? Was he a prisoner? Was she armed? He eyed the door, just over her shoulder and wondered how far it was to thicker air and if he could make it there without her help. All of these thoughts spiraled around and settled on a single question, one that had been plaguing him from the beginning.
“What is the Wall made of?"
It took some amount of control not to reach out and help when she had seen him wobble under his own efforts to stand. But he was already confused enough of Tenten's actions and intent. Her fault, of course. But faced with a new experience such as this, finding one of the Tribes of all things in the Outskirts, it was difficult to know what exactly was the right way to act.
But the way he seemed to carry himself, how he seemed intent on keeping a look of caution in his eyes while addressing her was hint enough. This guy was serious if it meant fighting against her. He was strong and determined, that much was clear. But how did he compare to her own skills, Tenten wondered. Was she underestimating his resilience and loyalty to his faction? Was he pre-judging her in the same manner as she was him? So many questions, and not enough time to find an answer to any of them. Nor a proper window of opportunity to attempt to do so. But it would come soon enough. She would make sure of that.
"I think you have a better idea of that than I do," Tenten replied evenly to his inquiry.
Rather than immediately joining him at the table, she spent a few meager seconds watching -- observing -- him. To, perhaps, gain a better understanding of him and his actions -- maybe even his people and culture -- before proceeded forward and taking a seat across from the young man. And together, they ate in relative silence save for the soft chew of their mouths or gentle wheeze of their breaths.
For Tenten, it was much like a typical afternoon spent in solitude. And normally, she would not have been bothered by the stillness. But with the added weight of his consciousness, the tension between them could not help but build bit by achingly slow bit. And neither one seemed ready to ease their guard any time soon. It came to a point where simply eating became somewhat of a strain.
Finally, Tenten could take no more. Swallowing the bite in her mouth, the metalsmith turned to the other with a casual sort of air. "So... what's your name?"
Lee shifted, slightly, as she sat down, moving out of her way. He couldn't help but glance up at her occasionally as time passed. He was not used to eating in silence. Alone, yes. But silence was altogether new. There was always something moving, chirping, talking, in the village. A steady rhythm that followed him through the day. At noon the restaurants were busiest and the hum was a ways down the street. Then at three it shifted closer as the people went to market.
He had never realized how much sound there was until it was gone. The silence closed in around him. The atmosphere seemed to suck the air out of his lungs. He tried to start up some kind of conversation. Anything would be better then this almost-ominous quiet. But the words died in his throat every time he looked up and saw her still eating. Suddenly he was wishing he hadn't finished so quickly.
He started taking in unimportant details. Like the table wasn't made of wood. The material was an imitation, maybe made of the same unknown material as the Wall. He picked at it, lightly. It gave under his nail like wood, but it didn't make the right sound. He tapped a random pattern out, delighting (only a little) at the noise. It was different. New. A sort of hollow, plastic-y sound. He was grinning a little too much, not paying enough attention to her.
So he cast another suspicious look in her direction and was surprised to see her looking back, talking to him.
She wanted his name? Was he supposed to tell the truth? He still didn't know her intentions... But he'd never been one to lie... No sense starting now.
"Rock Lee at your service," he answered, saluting quickly before letting his hand drop back into place plucking at the table. "Might I know yours, miss?"
And in an instance, her attention went to high alert. Or rather, high focus. Muscles that had been fairly relaxed tensed at his response, the only visible sign of how effected the young woman truly was at the sudden revelation. Because, indeed, she had heard that name before. Associated with someone she had met over the Network. Someone who,Tenten remembered, belonged to the Tribes as well. Such a coincidence that two of the same faction would possess the exact same name was not likely. Which only meant...
"R... Rock Lee..." she repeated, one last attempt to assure herself that she was not hearing things. After the name was confirmed, however, Tenten could not help but take pause. To let the information really and fully sink in. To allow for her thoughts to catch up with her brain. And then, just as suddenly as she had stopped, the metalsmith let out a soft chuckle, strange and misplaced as it was. But even as the amused grin on her lips lingered, Tenten was pinching gently at the bridge of her nose. Already she could feel the beginnings of a headache forming. Looming just on the edge of her consciousness.
"It is a small world we live in. Mister Lee," Tenten mumbled softly, using the familiar title with little hesitation in addressing him. And even as she spoke, her eyes never left the worn material of the tabletop where she could see the pale tips of his fingers spayed out against the dark color.
Finally, when she believed he could not withstand the suspense any further, Tenten lifted her head to meet his gaze.
"It's nice to finally meet you face to face," she said evenly, holding out her hand to him, "I'm Tenten."
Tenten. Tenten. The name sounded so familiar... From...
His eyes widened and he jerked to his feet, nearly toppling his chair in his hurry. He bowed low over the table, grabbing her hand as he came up. "M-Miss Tenten. It is a small world indeed!" He laughed nervously. "Forgive me. I should have realized who you were."
Then, realizing he was still holding her hand, he released it, his arms dropping to his side. It was a relief, he thought, that he knew her. He trusted her, to some extent. She had always seemed perfectly honest before. His previous suspicion suddenly felt unjustified and unwarranted. Granted, she was till something of a mystery, but less so then the stranger she had been only moments before.
It was such a strange little coincidence. He had never thought he would ever meet her, and here he was, standing in front of her after she saved his life. Sometimes life was kind to him. Sometimes surprises were nice. This was one of those times. And then, something like worry set in because this little ramshackle house was not what he had pictured her living in. Even in the Lower Tier it couldn't really be this bad.
"I-Is this where you live?" he murmured, letting a some of his concern show in his voice.
The sudden movement startled her -- Tenten had not expected that sort of reaction -- and had been in the process of reaching for a weapon. Raised on suspicion and mistrust, it had been an instinctual response that had gotten her out of more scrapes than she cared to remember. Then Lee's actions finally registered and she struggled a moment to settle her own nerves.
A... bow? It was a sign of respect, one that dated far back into the world's history. But while the gesture was still in relative use, even after all this time, it was a rarity to see. Very few people offered respect in this day and age where battles -- wars -- could be started over the air itself. But here he was, giving her just that without question or hesitation. What sort of things did they teach to the children of the Tribes? Or was this simply a trait mostly associated with him and his actions?
Tenten made a mental note to find that out later.
"No forgiveness necessary," she responded, "I didn't recognize you either until a name was mentioned, if you remember."
There was something in his tone as he inquired about the state of the Barracks, questioning with nearly innocent honestly if this was what she called home. And Tenten could only scoff. Smirk in amusement. The boy was far too expressive sometimes. And too concerned about others for his own good despite having already established a fairly tolerant relationship with her. If it could even be called that.
In a way that seemed to traverse over the line between being offended and teasing, Tenten turned her attention to the other. "You don't sound too pleased. Is there something wrong with this place?"
He held out his hands, grinning slightly. "No, no. It just... wasn't what I was expecting." Not that he'd really expected much. There were stories, little murmurs about the lower Tier, the abuses the city folk put it through. But this? This ragged little barely-a-shack so far away from the actual city, he could still hear both of them wheezing softly?
Though now that he really looked… He cast another glance around the room. There was nothing… personal… here. Just the bare supplies. No clutter but still dusty like it was only visited every now and then. And there were no tools. She had said she was a blacksmith right? But there was nothing here. She might… commute?
“You don’t live here do you.” Which left the implied question open: Where do you live? He paused, waiting for an answer, but not expecting one.
Then he turned, suddenly feeling impatient. He was energized, content and there was a mission that needed attending. Moving towards the door he glanced back at her. “Should we continue on?” Then, second-guessing himself, he added, “I can find my way if you need to stay here.”
Oh. Good. So he was not as foolish as she might have initially thought. Because it was very easy to mistake such a place as a permanent living arrangement. Especially since the Tribes could not possibly have that much knowledge of the city or its people. Just as there was barely enough information within Spirix about the other Factions. That is, unless you knew the right people. Without her father's connection to the Underground, there was very little chance that Tenten would have managed to find them on her own. Not unless she posed an interest and provided an advantage to their cause.
One dirty hand scratching the back of another in a perpetual cycle of under the table dealings.
The metallurgist furrowed her brows at the thought. Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last. But if asked, Tenten would have said that it was the lesser of two evils. She would rather be responsible for what happened to her in the afterlife than the number of people she sent there.
"No, I don't," the young woman replied to his question, taking up both plates and wordlessly making her way over to place them on the counter, "Even if we could replenish the supplies periodically and without problems, a person wouldn't be able to survive in the Outskirts for more than a week before dying of asphyxiation."
He had a fixed goal in mind, that much was clear in the way Lee seemed a bit eager to leave the Barracks. In how he was willing to leave her behind if her own priorities would keep him from his prize. Even after knowing how hard and difficult it would be to travel across the Wastelands. A brave one, indeed. Or just suicidal for his cause.
To leave him to his doom. Or to risk leading him into the city. Tenten only had seconds to make a choice. "...It's a long and taxing walk back to the Slums, so I'd hold off on leaving just yet. At least not before we grab a few things for the trip." And even as she spoke the words, the girl tossed a heavy pack in his direction before disappearing to fill up her own bag with the day's bounty. Treasures liberated from the Outskirts. "I can only imagine how long it took you to chip your way through that wall. A few more minutes won't kill you, will it?"
She was right of course. A few… more… moments…
He snagged the pack out of the air and slung it over his shoulders, wincing when his body protested the sudden movement. So maybe setting out on his own would have been a bad idea, but at least he would have felt as if he was doing something. Lord Hokage… how long had it been? He listened to her packing, gathering, little trinkets. Must have taken her hours to find them all in this wasteland.
He fought the urge to race out the door. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, his eye caught the door, just… there. He’d never been much for caution, thinking things through, and no one ever had trouble catching up with him. But that had been before, in Konoha. He didn’t know how strong these city folk were. As unlikely as it seemed, maybe she wanted to go with him because… she was weak.
He frowned at the idea. Never once had she given him the impression of weakness, but posturing was often very different from reality. Maybe she was strong compared to the people in the city. Maybe he was walking into a world of glass.
That thought stopped his incessant bouncing just as she walked back into the room. He paused for a curious moment, almost, but not quite, expecting her to fall to pieces. But when the moment passed and she didn’t, he turned back to the door as if nothing had happened at all.
He stepped out into the thin air and, holding open the door for her, let her lead the way to the city.
She would take him as far as the Slums, and then they would part ways from there. Tenten would return back to the normalcy of life living in the Lower Tier of Spirx. And Lee would go on to whatever mission he had been charged with. Whatever business that had forced him to slowly toil his way through the thick walls of the city just to nearly die from the effort within its borders. But even as the young woman mulled over those thoughts in the midst of gathering up her supplies for the trip back, she was already scoffing at the reality of the situation, At the awful truth of her own tendencies.
Deep down inside, underneath the hard exterior, Tenten was a kind person that held a weakness for the well-being of others. It was an underlying principle that very few if any were allowed to witness in full. That was why she offered up supplies and medication to Kimimaro (in exchange for raw materials and information, she told herself). Why the broken and fixed remains of less expensive machines were given to Sakura's clinic (in exchange for medical resources, her mind added). And that was why Tenten knew that an offer for Lee to stay with her loomed on the horizon as soon as they were back within the core limits of the city.
But it made her vulnerable and thus could be exploited. Tenten kept everyone at arms length for that reason.
Still, as the young metallurgist returned from the back room, pack already slung over her shoulder -- and Tenten paused for a moment to look on curiously at Lee's expression as he just... stared at her -- she could not help but note the facts. He had yet to make any open threat towards her. In fact, with the exception of a few brief moment of awkwardness and mistrust due to a delay in proper introductions, Lee had been nothing but foolishly kind, albeit naturally suspicious of the woman's intentions.
However, the question still remained: Could she truly trust him?
Tenten was still pondering that question when he opened the door, letting out the excess air pressure that had automatically began to built up when they had first entered the Barracks. -- A nice little feature to the environmental controls of the building that Tenten had thought to put in for days where the sun's rays and unforgiving conditions of the Wastelands became too much to bear. -- It would be a long walk back to the Slums, though. Plenty of time to think it over a bit more before any decision would have to be made.
"The walk will be just as it was before when we came here," she warned him. And would have left him with that as Tenten walked past, headed towards their destination. But in a moment of hesitation and perhaps curiosity, she glanced back at her companion. And then felt a sudden need to give him some assurance. "It'll get easier the closer in we go."
Perhaps Tenten really was a martyr for her own cause.