OK I know... another new story.
But I promise I won't delete this one. :)
Anywho here it is.

Pairings: Nejiten, Shikatema, and Sasusaku.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Someone Other Than Yourself

Chapter 1

By: turtlechick

Neji-

"Hey look there's Neji Hyuuga. What's he doing here slumming it with us nobodies?" To tell the truth I had left to get away from it all. Being one of the best new hot shot mech pilots was tough. I didn't like to be in the spotlight, and I didn't like to lose. So for some reason today I had entered myself in an unofficial mecha piloting event.

Mechas were huge robots that humans piloted either for racing purposes. On my team I was an awesome racer. I was one of the best. Right now no one could touch me.

"Ladies and gentleman thank you for coming to another one of the mecha rookie racing tournaments. Wait am I reading this right? Folks it seems we have a celebrity in our midst. Neji Hyuuga has entered this tournament." An eruption of screams were heard when my name was said. "He obviously is the crowd favorite today folks. Let's begin!"

All eyes were on me. This was almost worse than the big league except for the fact there were no paparazzi. That suits me just fine though. All of the mecha entering in the competition were lined up on the starting line. I didn't bother looking at my competition, they weren't in my league. I climbed into my mecha and turned it on. The engine made a hum as it started up. I loved that sound; it was the one sound that could calm me down.

I knew I was going to get in trouble for entering a race that wasn't official and I hadn't told my sponsor but she would understand. She couldn't get too mad at me I was her star pilot anyway.

The lights turned from red, red, red, and then green. All of the Mechs were off. I had taken the liberty of taking a look at the track before we had started the race. It was a simple oval nothing fancy. The rules were straightforward once around and the first one to the finish line wins.

I was in the lead for most of the race. The announcer was giving his color commentary of every single moment of the action. The crowd ate it up, like they should.

It was the last leg, the final stretch, I had almost won. Out of my peripheral vision I saw a mech coming up behind me. How was this possible? This guy just kept getting closer until he was neck and neck with me. A few seconds like that passed until he pulled ahead and… just in time for the win. I had lost? That's impossible.

The crowd cheered for someone other than me. I was in complete shock. I had never lost before and never to some lame pilot who raced in the unofficial leagues. I climbed out of my mech just wanting to catch a glimpse of the guy who had beaten me. Maybe if I saw him and he was seven feet tall and had more muscles than I did, then maybe my loss wouldn't be all that bad.

I watched as a crowd surrounded the person who had beaten me and I watched as he took off his helmet. I was shocked to see that the pilot who had beaten me… was a girl.

XxX

"So how was it Neji? Hanging out with the pilots with no training? Oh that's right you were beaten by one of them." Temari laughed as she mocked me. She was the only girl on our team, thankfully. There were only three members; Temari Suna, Sasuke Uchiha, (the closest thing I had to a friend) and myself. Our sponsor, Tsunade was as new to the league as we were, but she managed to get us noticed by the press and other sponsors.

For some reason she had called the three of us to a meeting. "You probably got busted for yesterday Neji." Sasuke said. He chuckled a bit and I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow. We all sat in the conference room waiting for further instructions and then Tsunade came on the flat screen.

"How's my favorite team doing?" We were her only team. "The reason I've called you here today is to introduce you to your new teammate. Sponsorships are a little low this month so I've found a new pilot to bring up ratings. She's incredibly skilled and will prove to be a great addition to the team and the best thing is she comes with two mechanics." She?

"We already have mechanics Tsunade. Why do we need more?" Temari asked.

"Well as of yesterday we have no mechanics what so ever. They all quit because someone scared them off again." We all knew she meant Sasuke. Sometimes he could be a bit controlling when it came to his mecha and a tad overbearing. Most of our mechanics quit within the first week. The last ones had lasted two weeks; I think it was a new record. Temari chuckled.

"She's in the next room I know you'll treat her with the utmost respect. Oh and by the way Neji. We're still going to talk about yesterday. Don't think you're off the hook." I nodded and followed Sasuke and Temari into the next room, but as soon as Temari opened the door she burst out laughing. I pushed her out of the way to see what she was laughing about and I was surprised to see the same girl who had beaten me from the day before.

I was able to get a good look at her up close. She had brown hair that matched her brown eyes perfectly. She wore her hair in two twin buns and was dressed in a simple brown jacket with fur lining the hood. She wore plain jeans for pants. Behind her were our two new mechanics. One a boy the other a girl. Great another girl. The boy looked a little sleepy and it made me think if he was a competent mechanic. The girl had intense pink hair. Sasuke would have these two out in a week, probably not even that.

"Hi I'm Tenten Nara." She extended her hand to me but Temari took it before I did.

"It's great to meet the girl who beat our little Neji." Temari still had some humor in her voice. "I'm Temari Suna."

"Oh I know I'm a big fan, of all of you. Oh I almost forgot. These are my mechanics." She motioned to the two people behind her.

"I'm Sakura Haruno. Tenten's best childhood friend." She waved the three of us.

"Shikamaru Nara. I'm the squirt's older brother." He shoved his hands in his pockets.

I couldn't take this anymore. Was Tsunade trying to mess with my head? Why did she hire the only person to ever beat me to join our team? I had to get some air. "Neji! Hey, Neji wait!" I kept walking trying to seem like I hadn't heard her. That girl was not a teammate of mine. The doors were only a few steps away but when I opened them I found myself face to face with hundreds of photographers and reporters. I stopped right in my tracks.

"Neji! Neji! How is your new team member? Who is your new teammate?" All of them crowded me asking me question after question until she came out. They quickly shifted their focus to her and away from me. "Hello what's your name? Are you the new member of the Tsunade team?"

"Um yes." She looked confused. "My name is Tenten Nara."

The crowd gasped. "Is it true? Are you the same person who beat Neji Hyuuga in a race yesterday?" They continued to shove microphones in her face. She looked to me for answer but I looked away.

"Yes." She stated. The crowd erupted in chatter even louder than before.

"You jealous Hyuuga?" I hadn't even noticed Sasuke come up beside me.

Hmmpf. "Of course not." I muttered.

"Well that's good because we're going to be seeing her a lot from now on. Besides just think of what this will do for the team. Now we'll be able to finally get out of the preliminaries and move on the big leagues." I hadn't thought about that. Right now our team was floating in the brackets just before the real racing happened. The only thing that kept us from entering before was the fact we only had three people. In the primetime teams had to have four pilots to compete, I guess now we qualified.

Tenten-

"He hates me doesn't he?"

"Who Neji? I actually think he hates everyone." Temari laughed at her joke but it didn't make me feel better. She was showing my brother and me the team's apartment complex.

"But me most of all right?"

"Yeah probably, but don't worry he'll get over it."

"But what if he doesn't? All I've ever wanted is for him except me."

"Look Tenten, Neji is a sore loser. You shouldn't have to apologize for your talent. Well here we are." She punched the key code in for our apartment complex. When I first stepped inside I was completely amazed. This place was gorgeous. "You like it?"

"Yeah this place is awesome. What do you think of it Shikamaru?"

"It's ok I guess." He said nonchalantly. He could be such a downer sometimes.

"Well if you don't like it you can leave." Temari was right in Shikamaru's face.

"No, no I like it just fine." He waved his hands in front of his face as a sort of white flag.

"Good." Temari said satisfied.

"Troublesome woman." I heard my brother mutter under his breath.

"What did you say!?" Temari screamed and then she smacked him on the back of the head. I laughed at the both of them. "If I was going to be worried about someone it would be your friend Sakura. Sasuke eats mechanics for breakfast." She giggled.

"I don't think that will be a problem." Sakura knew how to handle herself.

Sakura-

"So here's the bay. That's Temari's mecha, there's Neji's, I'm guessing that red one over there is Tenten's and this one… is mine." He stopped at a pitch black one that matched his hair. I fought back the giggles. I hope blacks his favorite color and he didn't have this one just because it matched his hair. "Don't screw it up."

"I have to say Sasuke. You haven't even seen me in action how are you so sure that I'll mess up your precious mecha?"

"Well one you're a girl and the other you've got pink hair." He scoffed.

That really ticked me off. "Well I guess we'll just have to see. Won't we?" I started to walk out of the hangar. "Oh and by the way Sasuke. You won't get rid of me that easily."

Well there it is...
I think this story might be my priority,
Only becasue freezing rain is a little harder to write.
But I will finish it.
It just might take a while. ;P

Please reveiw it would make my day, since the weatherman can't do it.
It was supposed to snow today because it hasn't snowed all year.
It's just been cold. What's the fun in cold with no snow?
NOTHING!!! lol

turtlechick...out