Thread

[eighthbird.livejournal.com]

Who: Team Gai (Neji, Tenten, Lee)
What: Meet up to discuss the situation.
When: Wednesday evening.
Where: Neji's room, 1313.
Rating: PG?

Though Neji would never admit it aloud, he was worried. Eight days and still no answers, no way out, and no sign of their sensei. Not that they needed Gai. Since his promotion to jounin, the Hyuuga was convinced he was just as capable of leading the team. Even better. After all, he considered himself the most intelligent of the four. And they could never survive without his byakugan to lead the way. Team Gai needed Neji, which was the only reason he had yet to leave, since he could just as easily pick up his own students. Or so he liked believe was the only reason. Most of all, they were the closest thing he had to a family. Or a family he'd willingly accept. Not that he'd admit that either.

Silently sitting at the edge of his neatly made bed, Neji waited for his teammates to arrive. A few more minutes and he'd write up a reminder in the surprisingly useful journal. He never specified a time to meet, but he doubted it would be much longer. Neither were the type to show up last minute for missions or training.

Comments

[liltinglotus.livejournal.com]

While Neji had never specified a time, Lee was fairly certain he knew his teammate well enough to see that he'd meant 'as soon as possible' and that the longer he took, the harder Neji's glare would be to greet him when he finally did arrive. Besides that, he was anxious to see a glimmer of familiarity amidst the horribly unknown, to at least rest knowing that both of his teammates were alive and with all limbs attached, that they might have a chance of getting home.

He glanced up at each of the numbers carefully as he made his way down Neji's hall, slowing to a halt when the neatly-engraved plaque in front of him declares that, yes, this is Room 1313. Ever polite, he rapped his knuckles against the wood before taking a step back, folding his hands behind his back and awaiting an answer, but it's not long before he started toying with the long braid hanging over his shoulder, simultaneously knowing and not knowing that there was something wrong about its very presence.

[eighthbird.livejournal.com]

Only a few seconds later and the door to room 1313 was pushed open, revealing a glaring Neji in its place. The glare quickly gave way to a confused stare, taking Neji a few moments to recognize the boy standing there as his teammate, almost slamming the door in his face. Since when did... But that wasn't the issue.

"Come in," he ordered more than offered, stepping back to allow room for Lee to enter the mostly empty room, walls plain white and lacking in decoration.

[liltinglotus.livejournal.com]

Lee wasn't sure whether he wanted to hug his previously misplaced teammate for existing or sigh at the cool reception he'd received. But then, he supposed, that was just how Neji was. Still, though, he was glad to see him, and the knowledge that Neji is still as stoic and bossy as usual is somewhat comforting.

"It is good to see you are alright." He offered in place of anytyhing physical and therefore unwelcome, though his expression is slightly beaming, taking a few long strides into the room before pausing in the middle of it, glancing around at the sparse decor for a few quick moments. "I do not know where Tenten is, but I am certain she will not be long in coming..." Would he have said more, usually? He felt as though he should be filling the room with sound, with excitement and gleeful shouts at this reunion... but oddly enough, he just can't bring himself to be quite as... what was it? Youthful?

[eighthbird.livejournal.com]

Pale eyes once again narrowed suspiciously, knowing his teammate well enough after five years to immediately realize something was different, far beyond appearance. Not that he didn't appreciate being spared from over enthusiastic shouting and bone-crushing hugs. But this wasn't right. Did a month alone in this place lead Lee to his current condition? If so, it was more urgent to leave than he first believed.

"Unless she got lost." Turning to face away from Lee, Neji hoped Tenten would show up soon enough to help ease the awkwardness.

[liltinglotus.livejournal.com]

"That is very possible." Lee nodded, although he knew Neji wouldn't see it. "The floors... I think they shift on occasion. I could be wrong, because that is certainly not a normal thing for a castle to do..." Or had it just been him? Did all the similar doors simply confuse him into thinking he'd been skipping floors?

But no, that couldn't be the case. He was positive he had been heading UPstairs when he'd found himself at the basement. That he was certain of, and the emptiness he'd carried away with him after leaving that place just served to remind him that, yes, it had truly occured.

He also began to feel more and more certain that, had he a butterknife, he could slice the air and use the awkward sort of tension for jam on toast.

[weaponology.livejournal.com]

Not stopping to knock, as soon as Tenten reached room 1313 she grabbed the handle and pushed open the door, hurrying into the room. "Sorry I'm late!" She waved one hand and took a moment to catch her breath. It had taken a while to climb all those stairs, and even though she was used to the physical exertion of climbing and running, she had never quite had the energy of some of her other teammates.

After catching her breath and giving the two boys a quick once-over to make sure they both seemed okay, Tenten began again. "I hope you weren't waiting for long. Lee, you look different." Had he really changed so much in the month he'd been here? The fact that he'd been here for a month was strange in itself, since Tenten had last seen him a week or so ago, but she knew that he wouldn't lie about it.

People were right when they said that castle Paradisa was strange. It felt like she was stuck in a genjutsu.